Capability accumulation,innovation, and technology diffusion: Lessons from a Base of the Pyramid cluster

Although research on industry clusters has made many valuable contributions, a dearth of empirical evidence and theoretical reflection about the characteristics of Base of the Pyramid (BOP) clusters has persisted. Consequently, the literature still lacks a framework that incorporates the context, challenges, and dynamics encountered in such clusters. Drawing from clusters, capability accumulation, and innovation literatures, we develop a theoretical framework that provides a more fine-grained understanding of the dynamics encountered in BOP clusters, the role of support organizations, the importance of capabilities accumulation in firms, and the challenges associated with technology development and diffusion within such settings. We use case study research method conducted in a traditional granite-mining cluster in Brazil, based on 154 interviews with key informants between 1999 and 2011. Our findings suggest that BOP clusters present different dynamics when compared to clusters elsewhere, because of the existence of idiosyncrasies such as additional barriers to technology diffusion, especially when coupled with a lack of coordination and misaligned policy approaches. We contribute to the literature by arguing that the process of technology diffusion in BOP clusters is hindered by these barriers, and that technology development without wide diffusion within BOP clusters can become a source of social exclusion and wealth concentration. Moreover, in large emerging economies, global pipelines are not necessarily the only path for BOP clusters to achieve competitive advantage and sustainable growth, as suggested in the clusters literature.     

行业体制改革的普适性新解：新自由主义的悖论

诚如弗朗西斯·福山所言2008年金融危机预示着新自由主义这服药剂的失效,以新自由主义为路径的行业体制改革在拉美和苏东的失败也说明：缺乏普适性的西式“休克疗法”并不能实现行业治理的“善治”;法德的混合模式和日本的M型战略也为后发展中国家提供了有益的借鉴。然而中西方的主流学者以新自由主义治理理论分析中国的行业改革成败,并根据行业化改革的失败和经济发展巨大成就这一“中国悖论”,呼吁建立英美“政府——行业组织——公民社会”三元共治的政治、经济、社会权力架构。因此,重新评估新自由主义路径的普适性,进而“缓慢刹车战略”,而又不贸然追求新自由主义形式的中国行业体制改革未尝不会成为一种新的范式。     

中国保险业范围经济的实证研究——基于广义超越对数成本函数的分析

在界定中国保险业范围经济内涵的理论基础上,本文引入广义超越对数成本函数构建了我国保险业范围经济的模型,首次对中国主要保险机构在1999～2004年间范围经济的情况进行了实证分析。研究结果显示,财险业整体范围经济并不明显,个体差异较大,与资产规模呈较强的正相关关系;寿险业总体呈现较为明显的范围经济现象,但随着时间推移而逐步减弱;中国保险机构需根据自己的要素禀赋结构和市场有效需求,不断推出新产品和新业务,开发出新的利润增长点。     

美、欧、日、韩等国物联网产业的发展战略及其对我国的启示

物联网作为世界信息产业的第三次革命性浪潮,引起了世界各国的广泛关注。分析了信息产业较发达的美国、欧盟、日本、韩国等提出的物联网发展战略与计划,在此基础上,调查并总结了目前我国物联网发展和建设的现状,提出了针对我国物联网技术和产业发展战略的若干对策和建议。     

基于技术创新模式的我国风电装备制造业创新能力分析

全球风电市场的发展为我国风电设备制造业的发展提供了机遇和有利条件。分析了我国风电设备制造业的发展现状,对该产业所采用的技术创新方法进行了分类,归结为模仿创新、合作创新和自主创新3种模式。基于此创新模式分类,绘制了我国主要风电设备整机制造企业的技术能力演变路线图,总结了技术创新模式对企业创新能力提升的影响,并指出模仿创新模式和合作创新模式已经不能满足我国风电设备制造业发展的需要,我国风电设备制造业只有在积极引进消化吸收国际先进技术的同时,通过自主创新,提高技术创新能力,开发更多具有核心技术和自主知识产权的产品,才能抓住发展机遇,走出困境,做大做强。     

中间品技术溢出双门槛效应分析

通常认为,某产业自身进口中间品（Term）和其它产业进口中间品（Tram）对该产业的技术溢出均存在公司规模过大或过小的双门槛效应。基于我国中低技术产业数据,结合公司规模相关理论,采用非线性动态面板回归技术来检验门槛效应。结果表明,Tram对我国中低技术产业的技术溢出不存在公司规模门槛效应,而Term的技术溢出存在公司规模双门槛效应。且当中低技术产业的公司规模小于0.869 097亿元总产值/个时,系数显著为正,暗示我国中低技术产业总体公司规模过于庞大,在吸收外部知识溢出时不具备充分的灵活性。     

中国稀土产业的国家价值链构建问题研究——基于对俘获型全球价值链治理突破的探讨

稀土产业是中国具有绝对资源优势的战略先导产业,却长期陷于弱小、无序和落后的状态,使资源优势难以转化为国家竞争优势。由于稀土产业的特殊性,传统的研究方法难以解释制约中国稀土产业发展的根本因素。笔者基于中国稀土产业链受制于下游终端消费环节不振的现状,以价值链理论为核心剖析中国稀土产业对俘获型全球价值链的嵌入状况及由此带来的产业链升级障碍,提出了通过构建国家价值链推动中国稀土产业良性发展的战略路径及具体战略手段。     

Dynamics of industry architecture and firms’ knowledge and capability development: an empirical study of industry transformation

There is a lack of empirical evidence supporting existing conceptualisations and particularly clarifying the underlying mechanisms involved in the role of dominant firms in industry transformation. This research undertook an in-depth single case study of how a firm managed its knowledge and capability development processes to shape the industry architecture to its benefit. We investigated how a dominant firm manipulates the interdependencies with local suppliers and positions itself at higher levels of the industry architecture hierarchy. Findings suggest that such processes take place over the course of several product innovation projects and across different levels of the product architecture. Such findings contribute to helping firms to manage their knowledge and capability development processes and transform the industry architecture to their advantage.     

中国现代服务业地理集聚时空演变特征研究

现代服务业集聚是伴随着城市功能结构的提升而逐渐发展起来的.文章以“现代服务业集聚”这一过程作为研究对象,将中国《国民经济行业分类》中涉及的14个服务行业的相关数据作为统计范围,利用产业集聚测度方法对中国现代服务业产业集聚指数进行测算,分析中国现代服务业及内部行业的集聚现状及发展趋势.结果表明:服务业区域集聚程度与行业内企业集聚程度存在不一致性,生产性服务业集聚地与制造业集聚地存在较强的相关性,至此生产型服务业集聚水平高于消费型服务业;中国现代服务业地理集聚的区域发展不平衡,区域资源禀赋对服务业集聚影响较大;伴随着服务业集聚的发展,促进产业扩散的离心力开始显现,部分服务业呈现出地理集聚分散的态势     

Agglomeration in an innovative and differentiated industry with heterogeneous knowledge spillovers

This paper introduces an agent-based simulation model to study the technological development, the economic performance of firms and the evolution of agglomerations in a differentiated industry. The analysis is based on the interaction and behavior of firms, which might share knowledge but at the same time are competitors on the goods markets. Firms do not only compete with quantities they can also introduce process and product innovations. The level of knowledge of a firm describes the capabilities to perform innovations. Knowledge can be accumulated by investing in R&D and by knowledge spillover, which depend on geographical and technological proximity. Simulation runs show that there is an incentive to agglomerate in young industries and that geographical proximity enhances innovation, especially the number of product innovations.