Characterize Innovative Space of City Based on Multivariate Data: A Case Study of Guangzhou, China

Abstract

With the emergence of knowledge economy, innovation has evolved as the principal driver of economic development. In the subjects of economic geography and urban planning, the relationship between innovation and place has been a research focus. The purpose of this research is to explore the method of characterizing the spatial distribution of innovative activities in city. Four types of indexes are selected to characterize the innovative space in city: universities and scientific institutions, high-tech enterprises, incubators and patents, which come from three aspects: innovative actors, innovative carriers and innovative outputs. Using these indices, this research characterizes the pattern of the innovative space in Guangzhou. The findings show that the spatial distribution of innovative activities in Guangzhou forms two centers: Tianhe central area and Guangzhou Science City. In Tianhe central area, there are not only a large number of the actors of original innovation but also a large number of the actors of applied innovation, so its innovative mode is the mixed mode including both original innovation and applied innovation. Unlike Tianhe central area, Guangzhou Science City is a suburban high-tech park, which aims to cultivate the high-tech enterprises to promote the development of high-tech industry, so its innovative activities are mainly applied innovation.