On the Structural Features of Scientific and Technological Innovation Network in China’s Urban System: Based on the Analysis of Cooperation Network of High-Level Papers

Abstract

The cooperation among cities to promote scientific and technological (sci-tech) innovation is of practical significance to regional coordinated development. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the features of sci-tech cooperation and innovation network in China’s urban system. Based on the recognition that high-level scientific papers are important achievements of sci-tech innovation, the author investigates the status quo of the cooperation on high-level scientific papers among cities, establishes a matrix on sci-tech innovation network in China’s urban system and analyzes its structural features and evolutionary trend during 2000–2010. The results show that: urban sci-tech innovation network is developing rapidly, but the development level remains low; network dominant city pairs are distributed across regions; network connection keys, concentrating in the eastern cities, present clear regional differences in distribution; the structure of network dominant cities is relatively stable, but the first network node city (Beijing) is underdeveloped; cohesive subgroups start to develop, but neither the national nor the regional high-level cohesive subgroups are fully developed; the largest subgroup consists of only 25 cities; and none of the three major urban agglomerations (Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei, Yangtze River Delta, and Pearl River Delta urban agglomerations) forms a complete cohesive subgroup.