Personnel Development in Chinese Innovation-Active Companies

Elena Zavyalova,Inna Krakovetskaya,Jessica Li,Artem Alsufyev,Wan Lijun

doi:10.17323/2500-2597.2018.3.43.52

Abstract

This article is devoted to an analysis of the mechanisms and tools that promote innovative activity at Chinese companies. We describe and evaluate the model of the Chinese innovation ecosystem with its major subsystems and their interconnections. Personnel training and development are considered an element of the subsystem “Education” within the innovation ecosystem, which serve as tools for the formation of human resources to ensure the transformation of the national economy into a global center of innovation. The authors analyze the main challenges connected with level of development of the environment and the socioeconomic institutions that may impede the effective management of human resources and the various practices for training personnel at innovative companies in China. The data analyzed for this empirical study on training and development practices includes structured interviews at 60 medium and large innovative companies in China. Objective economic indicators of innovative activity were taken as measures. The analysis results allow one to identify four clusters of companies: “Innovators,” “Leader in Training,” “Stars,” and “Lagging behind,” describing the different company approaches to providing personnel training and development. Clusters vary in quantitative and qualitative indicators for personnel training and development processes, as well as economic indicators of innovation activity. The results prove that a relationship exists between approaches to personnel training and development and innovative activity results and suggest that training and development initiatives are effective tools for managing innovative companies.

Highlights

The principles of designing and developing China’s innovation system in the context of the national economy’s transition “from imitating to independent innovation and development of high technologies” [Li, 2010] were declared officially by the Chinese government
Chinese national innovation policy serves as the basis for the staged construction of such a system, which in turn is based upon Deng Xiaoping’s theory of technological progress [Chang, 1996]
According to the “Strategic science and technology (S&T) Development Plan 2006–2020” [Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2014], the country is expected to make a qualitative leap in terms of increasing the number of high-tech companies, the share of information and communication technologies (ICT) in national exports, and extending the range of telecommunication services’ users

Summary

Introduction

The principles of designing and developing China’s innovation system in the context of the national economy’s transition “from imitating to independent innovation and development of high technologies” [Li, 2010] were declared officially by the Chinese government. According to the “Strategic S&T Development Plan 2006–2020” [Chinese Academy of Sciences, 2014], the country is expected to make a qualitative leap in terms of increasing the number of high-tech companies, the share of information and communication technologies (ICT) in national exports, and extending the range of telecommunication services’ users (mobile and landline telephones, the internet, etc.). This has kicked off the fifth stage of implementing China’s innovation policy, the goal of which is to achieve long-term sustainable development by modernizing all industries of the economy, and turning the country into an innovation leader. Each functional subsystem affects the overall national potential, and its innovation environment

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