From information technology to bioinformatics: Evolution of technological capabilities in India

This paper explores a trend in the development of innovation in emerging economies: exaptive technological capabilities. A growing proportion of innovation is originating in emerging economies that, being resource-constrained in a dynamic and uncertain environment, requires leveraging existing capabilities and recombining with new knowledge resources. An evolutionary biology model is applied to a process model whereby initial technological capabilities are renewed by the firm given an external selection event. Using a detailed case study across 6 years, this paper investigates the exaptation process of Information Technology (IT) capabilities into bioinformatics by an Indian IT firm, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS). Findings suggest that just leveraging existing technological capabilities alone is a model set for failure. Such a tactic ignores the environment of the new technology application area. By investing in the needed complementary resources, TCS corrected its initial path to open source their software and offer consulting services on how to utilize the software and, thus, create intellectual property. These insights are valuable not only for the innovation management of traditional IT services to life sciences, but more broadly for firms in emerging economies that hope to renew and build exaptive technological capabilities to enter unforeseen new application areas by leveraging existing technological capabilities.     

Relating business model innovations and innovation cascades: the case of biotechnology

This article conceptualizes innovation as a process, where the scientific and industrial application of technological knowledge nurtures new routines and institutions, in order to relate changing business model innovations to innovation cascades. Innovation in science-based, high-tech sectors is changing its tempo, from the evolutionary pace of incremental novelties punctuated by occasional radical novelties, to innovation cascades. These cascades involve a long series of interlinked radical innovations, which can be traced through various scientific and technological indicators like patents and publications. Innovation cascades are relevant to industry, because they make the future less predictable. They are particularly interesting because these changes also enable the testing an abundance of new business models. Innovation cascades have a major impact on the number and sustainability of business models and on strategy. Business model innovations are visible not only in the existing organizations that undergo change, but also new organizational models appear. The case of biotechnology after the 1980s is used to illustrate our conceptualization.     

Is newest always best? Firm-level evidence to challenge a focus on high-capability technological (product or process) innovation

This paper sets out to address a gap in the empirical literature on the importance of ‘low-capability’ innovation for firms. The study is framed around discussion of the conceptual bias that remains in policy and academic literature towards a narrow subset of technological (product or process) innovation labelled ‘high-capability’ innovation in this paper. The paper argues that this bias influences the public and business community's understanding of the term ‘innovation’ and has implications for innovation measurement, research, policy and strategy. The study uses data from an economy-wide, regional innovation survey based on the Oslo manual, and includes 648 innovative firms covering all industry sectors. The paper combines elements of both subject and object approaches to innovation measurement, using data from an open-ended survey question to explore the alignment between what firms report as their ‘most important innovation’ (MII) and firm capabilities for introducing ‘high-capability’ technological innovation. Results show that a substantial share of firms report an MII that is a ‘low-capability’ innovation, including those firms with high R&D intensity, those with novel technological innovation, and firms in more innovative sectors of manufacturing and knowledge intensive business services. The paper discusses the implications of this result for future innovation measurement and research.     

Product cycles,innovation cycles,and regional economic change

The effects of technological change below the level of national and sectoral aggregations are frequently overlooked. This paper reviews the regional economic changes that result from technological change at both the firm level and in the individual plant. The related concepts of product cycles and innovation cycles provide a perspective for assessing regional and local effects. Government policies related to innovation are examined in the light of regional economic implications.     

后发企业技术创新的演化动力机制研究-以华为早期(1988-1995年)研发为例

以演化经济学和系统动力学视角,综合运用文献分析和访谈等研究方法,对华为早期技术研发进行系统性分析,建立后发企业技术创新及其演化的系统动力模型。研究发现：新产品开发是资本增长的动力,技术创新是产品开发的动力,人才和研发组织是技术创新的动力,同时人才也是组织结构优化的动力,而发挥人才价值的关键是人才激励;市场既为后发企业提供不断进化的市场动力,也传递先发企业和后发企业的竞争压力,促使后发企业不断产品开发和集成创新,供应商为后发企业快速进入市场并对关键技术进行模块化创新提供动力;企业家和研发组织把外部动力和压力转化为内部动力,使内部动力及进化选择机制与外部市场竞争协调一致。     

制造企业技术创新与商业模式创新协同演化:一个多案例研究

制造企业发展过程表明,技术创新和商业模式创新之间存在复杂的协同演化关系。结合多案例研究方法,分析制造企业演化过程中技术创新和商业模式创新的匹配模式、协同演化关系。结果发现：技术创新和商业模式创新动态演化存在3种模式：简单线性模式、反馈控制模式、复杂系统模式。基于此,构建技术创新和商业模式创新协同演化模型,指出协同演化呈现“创新-调整-适应”等复杂的螺旋化发展过程,并提出技术创新和商业模式创新协同演化的3种机制：互动机制、学习机制、选择与反馈机制。突破了关于技术创新和商业模式创新之间简单的线性关系和静态视角,从动态视角分析技术创新和商业模式创新协同演化,补充和修正了技术创新和商业模式创新关系的认识,丰富了现有创新演化理论。研究结论对中国制造企业实施创新战略的启示在于：单一创新虽然在一定程度上能为制造企业带来盈利,但是其作用和持续性均有限,技术创新和商业模式创新有效协同是制造企业竞争力持续提升的关键。     

技术创新与商业模式创新二元耦合组织成长路径:华为30年发展历程研究

以华为技术有限公司为样本，对其30年发展历程进行案例分析，探索其知识驱动的技术创新模式和性格主导的商业模式创新两种创新模式，并归纳华为公司整合技术创新和商业模式创新而形成的二元耦合创新成长路径。研究发现：华为发展史分为创业期、国内发展期和全球布局期3个阶段，对应这3个时期，从知识与性格驱动视角，认为技术创新和商业模式创新包括3种模式;而华为公司创新成长依赖于其在技术创新和商业模式创新两方面的耦合协同机制;由知识驱动的技术创新提升其核心竞争力，由性格主导的商业模式创新谋求差异化竞争优势，最终相互支撑形成华为的持续竞争优势。     

Coupling relationships and synergistic mechanisms between technology management capability and technological capability in product innovation: a simulation study

ABSTRACT

This paper focuses on the dynamic co-evolution of technology management capability and technological capability in the system of product innovation. It is motivated by the increasing attention that product innovation has received recently, as it is considered one of the most important factors that can bring about competitive advantages for firms to compete with their rivals in the current competitive business environment. Framing the system of product innovation as a complex adaptive system and focusing on the roles of technology management capability and technological capability in the system, the most suitable synergistic mechanisms between technology management capability and technological capability that can make the system reach the highest fitness under their diverse coupling relationships are identified by means of NK fitness landscape model. The simulation results show that there are matches between the coupling relationships among the elements of technology management capability and technological capability and their synergistic mechanisms in the system of product innovation. This paper provides a better understanding of the relationships between technology management capability and technological capability and managerial implications for firms to innovate products successfully and promptly and thus improve their competitive advantages.     

Models in evolutionary economics and environmental policy: Towards an evolutionary environmental economics

In this paper we review evolutionary economic modelling in relation to environmental policy. We discuss three areas in which evolutionary economic models have a particularly high added value for environmental policy-making: the double externality problem, technological transitions and consumer demand. We explore the possibilities to apply evolutionary economic models in environmental policy assessment, including the opportunities for making policy-making endogenous to environmental innovation. We end with a critical discussion of the challenges that remain.     

Conceptualizing leapfrogging with spatially coupled innovation systems: The case of onsite wastewater treatment in China

A rapid implementation of potentially more sustainable sector structures in newly industrializing countries (NICs) is of key importance to reach global sustainability. The conceptual basis for assessing such “leapfrogging” potentials is however still rather weakly developed. The present paper elaborates an encompassing conceptual framework drawing on the technological innovation systems literature and adding an explicit geographical focus that embeds an NIC's innovation system in its international context. From this, we derive six ideal-type leapfrogging trajectories. The framework is applied to the case of a potential transition to onsite wastewater treatment in China. Empirical evidence is based on 30 expert interviews with representatives from companies, universities, authorities and associations in China and Europe. Our results suggest that leapfrogging in the Chinese wastewater sector might develop in either an integrated “international innovation system” trajectory, where Chinese and international actors closely interact, or in an “international competition” trajectory, where Chinese actors endogenously build up technological leadership in strong competition to international actors. We conclude by outlining policy implications and by discussing future research priorities for leapfrogging and transition studies.     

创新系统范式的古典解释与最新进展

随着技术创新理论和管理实践的进一步发展,系统论和复杂网络科学赋予＂创新＂以新的内涵,创新理论研究已不再局限于熊彼特理论的传统线性范式,创新系统范式愈来愈受到专家学者的认可和重视,标志着创新系统理论的成熟与发展。以创新系统的演化过程为依据,创新系统范式依次经历了一个从宏观到微观、微观到中观、最后至一体化的过程。本文运用技术创新的系统范式理论和方法,对20世纪70年代以来国外技术创新理论研究成果进行梳理和分析,探析技术创新系统的演化过程,剖析国家、区域和产业层面技术创新的内涵、本质及其演进路径;结合20世纪90年代以来世界科技革命和知识经济的创新实践,深入阐释不同创新体系或网络的结构、要素、功能及动力机制,并重点分析了当代创新系统范式研究中复杂网络和小世界模型的作用机制,提出创新系统范式研究的发展趋势及对我国创新型国家建设的启示。     

Innovation waves,self-organized criticality and technological convergence

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the evolutionary process of imitation and innovation as a process of searching in a given neighbourhood of firms. The spreading of information through neighbourhoods allows firms to acquire knowledge leading to innovation waves followed by imitation as firms attempt to glean information on best practise techniques. Whilst innovators are temporarily allowed to reap quasi rents, the imitative band wagon effect drives the profit rate down to its normal level. Productivity growth lowers the prices of sectors involved in the process of technological advance, causing obsolescence and creative destruction in a Schumpeterian sense.     

技术创新合作机制的演化博弈分析及对策研究——基于军民结合视角

军民结合技术创新是国家创新体系的重要组成部分,也是统筹国防建设和经济建设的重要途径。以军工企业和民用企业为研究对象,以有限理性为基本假设,构建了军民结合技术创新合作机制的演化博弈模型,分析了军民结合技术创新的演化稳定策略。研究结果表明,预期收益率和双方的技术投入对合作创新有正向影响,信息沟通成本、创新风险和技术转化成本对合作创新有反向影响。并在此基础上,提出了促进军民结合技术创新的政策建议。     

企业环境技术创新的战略维度——多案例研究

首先界定了企业环境技术创新的概念、类型和战略维度。然后通过多案例研究,归纳、提炼出企业环境技术创新的4个战略维度,即工艺流程、产品服务、市场与客户以及机制设计。基于环境技术创新的战略维度和创新程度建立了企业环境技术创新的分析框架,并运用该框架对案例企业的环境技术创新的不同战略维度进行了对比分析。结果显示:案例企业的环境技术创新行为涉及一个或多个关键战略维度的变革,关键战略维度均可能对企业环境技术创新产生影响,其中变革最为显著的维度决定企业环境技术创新的类型、体现企业环境技术创新的特征。     

技术复杂性会抑制双元学习对创新绩效的影响吗

当今时代,组织学习越来越成为企业创新的一条重要途径,然而学习中会面临一定的技术复杂性,技术复杂性在组织学习对创新绩效的影响作用中究竟具有促进作用还是抑制作用值得探究。研究发现,组织学习（开发式学习和探索式学习）对企业创新绩效和协同创新绩效均具有显著正向影响;技术复杂性在开发式学习和探索式学习对企业创新绩效的影响中均起负向调节作用但不显著;在开发式学习对协同创新绩效的影响中起正向调节作用但不显著;在探索式学习对协同创新绩效的影响中具有显著的正向调节作用。这些说明技术复杂性可能会抑制组织学习对企业创新绩效的作用,但会促进组织学习对协同创新绩效的影响。最后,提出了研究启示和未来研究方向。     

基于逆向研发外包的装备制造企业突破性技术创新影响因素研究

当前我国装备制造业还存在自主创新能力不强、关键核心技术对外依赖严重等问题,迫切需要装备制造企业在前沿技术上不断取得突破性创新成果。逆向研发外包为装备制造企业实现突破性技术创新提供了有效途径。然而,实践中并不是所有企业都能通过逆向研发外包实现所预期的突破性技术创新。因此,有必要厘清通过逆向研发外包实现突破性技术创新的内在机理。本文采用多案例扎根理论的方法归纳了研发合作、设立海外研发中心和海外并购三种逆向研发外包方式下,装备制造业实现突破性技术创新的影响因素,构建了装备制造业突破性技术创新作用机理模型;在此基础上,通过对27家典型案例企业数据的模糊集定性比较分析,得到了不同逆向研发外包方式下,企业实现突破性技术创新的多重因果路径。研究发现,通过研发合作方式进行逆向研发外包无法在短期内帮助企业实现突破性技术创新,而通过设立海外研发中心和海外并购方式开展逆向研发外包的企业则有4条路径可以实现突破性技术创新。其中,设立海外研发中心开展逆向研发外包,利用式学习是突破性技术创新发生的核心条件;而通过海外并购开展逆向研发外包,探索式学习则是突破性技术创新产生的核心条件。通过进一步分析,发现存在3个前因...     

我国科研诚信政策特征及演化逻辑——基于文本挖掘法

科研诚信是科技创新的基石,构建以诚信和责任为基础的创新生态已成为科技治理体系建设的重要内容。科研诚信建设政策发展至今已较为成熟,但鲜有文献对其政策特征及演化逻辑进行客观分析。基于2000—2019年国家及部委颁布的268份科研诚信建设相关政策文件,将政策文件从时间上划分为3个阶段,通过高频词识别、共词分析及关键词聚类等文本挖掘法,从内容上区分为9个主题,探索不同阶段科研诚信政策主题演变趋势。结果发现,政府对于科研诚信政策的制定是一个由点及面再到点的过程,科研诚信政策关注重点呈现出“个人—环境—全过程管理”的变化逻辑。     

Technological evolution and interdependence in China's emerging biofuel industry

This study uses the European Patent Office worldwide patent database and applies two-stage interactive data collection methods to reveal the evolving technological interdependence for China's emerging biofuel industry. Three findings are excerpted from our empirical results. First, due to dominant patterns of business ownership, China's biofuel technology is seen as largely based on the evolutionary strength of the foodstuff and chemical fields. Second, China's biofuel technology development has evolved in the mode of ‘forward engineering’, led by Chinese universities rather than initiated by the public research institutes as in the experience of other East Asian latecomers. Third, our patent map and technology trajectory analyses illustrate that China's biofuel technology tends to be application-oriented and highly intertwined with the pharmaceutical industry since the 2000s, which evidences the development of biofuel industry as reciprocally reinforcing China's innovation capability deriving from its prominent chemical sector. By examining endogenous technology capability embedded in the national innovation capacity, this study uncovers public implications for other technology latecomers attempting to build an emerging industry while facing technology uncertainty in a transitional society.     

Management and the representative firm revisited: the modern significance of Marshall's evolutionary economics

In an essay written in honour of Peter Swann, it is second nature to discuss some aspects of the economics of innovation, as that is the very challenging area of economic life where he has added so much to our understanding. I will attempt to do this by posing the problem of how innovation fits into the theory of value. Innovation research continues apace, but its broader systemic implications for how we understand the dynamics of capitalism are in danger of being overlooked. But two important economists, Schumpeter and Marshall, have seen the problem differently and built innovation into their theoretical schemes from the start. Marshall's theory of evolutionary change provides a natural focus for our discussion, and this is reflected in his treatment of management, in his use of the representative firm and in the variation-cum-selection dynamics of his open competitive process. We treat each of these topics and show how his evolutionary dynamics can be expressed in the Fisher/Price dynamics of evolutionary change. More generally, the key to economic development is the uneven nature of innovation and it is the uneven nature that gives economic transformation its evolutionary character. This, I suggest, is the proper legacy of Marshalls economics.