Innovation network, technological learning and innovation performance of high-tech cluster enterprises

The Impact of Industry Clusters on the Performance of High Technology Small and Middle Size Enterprises

Based on the theory of independent innovation and competitive advantage, this paper takes industry cluster as the independent variable, long-term high-technology small and middle size enterprises (high-tech SMEs) performance and short-term high-tech SMEs’ performance as the dependent variable, and introduces independent innovation as the mediator variable to explore the impact of industry cluster on high-tech SMEs’ performance. SPSS22.0 was used to test the reliability and validity of the questionnaire distributed to 310 high-tech SMEs in Sichuan, China. SPSS is used for statistical analysis, integrating data entry, organization, and analysis functions. Its basic functions include data management, statistical analysis, chart analysis, and output management. A confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. Amos 24.0 is the structural equation model analysis software. After using Amos 24.0 to construct the SEM (Structural Equation Modelling) to verify the hypothesis, it was found that industry cluster has a significant positive impact on long-term and short-term high-tech SMEs’ performance, independent innovation has a significant positive impact on long-term and short-term high-tech SMEs’ performance, and independent innovation plays a mediator role in the relationship between industry cluster and high-tech SMEs’ performance. Based on the research results, this paper puts forward the following suggestions: (1) attach importance to independent innovation, introduce relevant technical talents, and improve innovation; and (2) accelerate the formation of clusters to improve the high-tech SMEs’ performance of the whole industry.

Insight into the Balancing Effect of a Digital Green Innovation (DGI) Network to Improve the Performance of DGI for Industry 5.0: Roles of Digital Empowerment and Green Organization Flexibility

Under the background of double carbon target and digital intelligence era, the innovation resources and innovation environment that manufacturing enterprises rely on have shown exponential growth. Digital green innovation (DGI) has gradually become the mainstream paradigm of innovation. How to achieve a balance between a local DGI network (LDGIN) and a remote DGI network (RDGIN) and how to use the role of digital empowerment and green organization flexibility to improve the performance of DGI are very important issues facing manufacturing enterprises at present. However, this problem has not been fully addressed in the existing research. In this study, the influence mechanism of LDGIN and RDGIN on the DGI performance of manufacturing enterprises was revealed, considering the moderating role of digital empowerment and green organization flexibility. The linear regression method was used to analyze the 562 valid data obtained by questionnaire survey. The results of this study are as follows. The effect of the DGI network on manufacturing enterprises’ DGI performance is heterogeneous because of LDGIN and RDGIN. The establishment of embedded links in a DGI network inevitably requires manufacturing enterprises to pay the corresponding costs. The over-embedding of manufacturing enterprises into RDGIN will have a negative impact on DGI performance. The balance between LDGIN and RDGIN has an important impact on manufacturing enterprises’ operation. The comprehensive balance and relative balance indexes constructed in this paper show that an appropriate balance can promote the improvement of the DGI performance of manufacturing enterprises. Digital transformation and organizational structure innovation are changing the business model of manufacturing enterprises and can regulate the relationship between the LDGIN and RDGIN and the DGI performance of manufacturing enterprises. The balance of DGI network embedding in practice shows the important role and enlightening significance of local and remote search in developing countries.

Restructuring for Growth in Development Zones, China: A Systematic Literature and Policy Review (1984–2022)

China’s development zones have been enjoying a process of dramatic growth and restructuring since the start of the new millennium, which has been extensively documented in the literature. The growth stems from the increased scope and expansion in demand created by China’s economic growth, as well as gradual global economic reconfiguration, which has, in itself, become a factor in advancing the country’s spiraling economic growth. This article examines the trajectory of the growth and restructuring of China’s development zones since 1984, by reviewing critical policies and their measures and effects, as well as academic research in this field, focusing on transitional stages, features and mechanisms. Based on different academic viewpoints, the work sets out a three-pronged conceptual framework composed of institutional transition, industrial evolution and land use transformation to systematize the growth process. In recent years, the restructuring of development zones has come to be considered as a comprehensive and complex issue, and its main challenges arise from factors such as overcoming outdated institutional arrangements, strengthening market participation, promoting high-end industrial agglomeration and breaking the bottleneck of inefficient land use. This article uses a multi-dimensional, logical approach to address the growth of development zones, and examines relevant practices and studies so as to explore the deeply rooted correlations between different dimensions in more depth and to examine the innate and unchanged logic involved in the restructuring of development zones.

The Effect of Production Structure Roundaboutness on the Innovation Capability of High-Tech Enterprises—The Mediating Role of Technology Absorption Path

From the perspective of production structure sustainability, this study investigates the source of innovation power of high-tech enterprises. It proposes that the roundaboutness of production structure is the sustainable driving force for improving innovation capability in high-tech enterprises, and enterprises can improve their innovation capability by absorbing technology from three paths. The proposed model was tested based on the survey data from 315 enterprises in 10 robotics industrial parks in the Yangtze River Delta region of China. The results show that the roundaboutness of production structure has a positive influence on the innovation capability of high-tech enterprises, which is mediated by technology absorption paths (i.e., independent development in high-tech enterprises, technology acquisition in high-tech enterprises and government policy compliance in high-tech enterprises). Meanwhile, the enterprise has different technology absorption path at different position in production structure. The findings have important enlightenment for enterprises to improve market competitiveness, production efficiency and technological innovation capability, and provides a practical basis for better ways of leveraging market and capital and more effective government processes in industrial innovation.

Artificial Intelligence-Driven Digital Technologies to the Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals: A Perspective from Brazil and Portugal

Innovativeness is a characteristic of digital technologies (DT), and they have been assuming an important role in economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Therefore, DT are relevant contributors for sustainable development goal (SDG) achievements. This study aims to compare the preference for artificial intelligence-driven digital technologies (AI-Driven DT) to achieve SDGs in Brazil and Portugal. An independent sample t-test analysis and Levene test are performed to identify potential artificial intelligence-driven digital technologies (AI-Driven DT) as favorable facilitators for SDG achievements in Brazil and Portugal. Based on the findings, a broader analysis is provided, to (i) indicate potential favorable SDGs, (ii) discuss differences between the countries in AI-Driven DT preferences in each SDG, and (iii) make recommendations for potential technologies that could receive more attention and investments in both regions to make emergent digital technologies succeed, with a particular emphasis on cleaner production. The analysis is organized into three dimensions: economic, social, and environment. At the end, a closing discussion is provided about the key guidelines and prospects that could be adopted to keep a strong and positive shift of AI-Driven DT developments and applications towards fully supporting the attainment of the SDG of United Nations Organization (ONU) Agenda 2030.

P2P supply chain financing, R&D investment and companies' innovation efficiency

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of peer-to-peer (P2P) supply chain financing on companies' innovation efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

This study takes the core companies that invest in the P2P platform as the research background and uses data for Chinese companies and the systematic Generalised Method of Moments (the systematic GMM) to explore the relationship between the improvement of supply chain efficiency, research and development (R&D) investment, and innovation efficiency.

Findings

This study indicates that core enterprise investment in P2P can cause a significant improvement in the efficiency of the supply chain and that this improvement can significantly motivate enterprises to increase R&D investment. Although the improvement of supply chain efficiency has no significant effect on improving companies' innovation efficiency, it can have a positive impact on innovation efficiency through the regulating role of R&D investment.

Research limitations/implications

This research shows several limitations such as single industry and few companies involved, but it analyses the impact of P2P supply chain financing on R&D investment, and companies' innovation efficiency and broadens the research field of P2P supply chain financing.

Practical implications

This article provides a theoretical direction for listed companies to invest in P2P platforms and achieve supply chain management. The research on the regulating role of this article provides a new way of thinking for the study of enterprise innovation.

Originality/value

This paper analyses the impact of the core enterprise investment in P2P on R&D investment and its subsequent impact on the companies' innovation efficiency, thus broadening the research field of P2P supply chain financing.

Impact of wise leadership, workplace friendships on open innovation in family firms: a developing country perspective

Purpose

This study draws upon the hybrid approach of the resource-based view and social capital theory, and aims to develop and empirically validate a model that examines the relationship amongst wise leadership, workplace friendships and open innovation (OI) in family firms (FFs).

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted to collect data from a sample of 381 firms from a developing country. Additionally, this study used AMOS software and structural equation model to empirically test the proposed hypotheses of the theoretical model.

Findings

Findings show that wise leadership has a significant, positive indirect effect on stimulating OI in FFs via its influence on building workplace friendships and overcoming knowledge–strategic and collaboration–organisational challenges.

Practical implications

To improve OI, top management teams of family businesses should encourage wise, intelligent, well-informed and strong leaders who drive change. Moreover, they should establish small group, “smart-world” networks for specialised innovation to facilitate friendship based on trust and competence, and develop the coordinating role of family leaders in these networks.

Originality/value

This study complements and advances previous research on OI in many ways. Firstly, the current study proposes a conceptual model that demonstrates the interrelationships amongst the main variables in Iraqi FFs. Secondly, this research explores the crucial mediating role of workplace friendship, which capitalises on the principles of friendship in the context of the acquisition, accumulation and exchange of knowledge, thereby overcoming the challenges associated with innovation.

Effect of Innovation on Firm Performance — The Case of a Technology Intensive Manufacturing Cluster in India

Industrial clusters can be sources of innovation. Further, externalities rendered by clusters entitled firms in clusters to various economic benefits. The motivation of the study is to understand what determines the net benefits that these cluster firms receive. While innovation is a key driver of firm performance, it has not been probed adequately in the context of a cluster. The present study which draws data from 101 technology intensive manufacturing firms in Bengaluru cluster adopts stratified random sampling technique. The study employs Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to examine the influence of firm-level innovation on performance, considering the role of various firm-specific factors in moderating the relationship between innovation and performance. The results of the study reveal that there does not exist any direct relationship between innovation and firm performance. However, a strong and nonlinear relationship between them is moderated by firm-specific factors such as firm size, nature of Industry, origin of a firm and firms’ age. The findings of the study have brought out an important lesson for policy makers that mere promotion of industrial clusters does not ensure the generation of innovations by firms located therein, for their benefit. A cluster focused innovation promotion policy has to consider industry/firm-specific characteristics for its effective implementation.