Study on the evolution of multi-level collaborative innovation networks in China’s cloud manufacturing industry

Abstract

ABSTRACT CMfg is a new service-oriented manufacturing mode integrating new-generation information technologies, and its development promotes the digital transformation of China’s manufacturing industry. Exploring the evolution trend of CMfg's co-innovation networks is essential to the development of manufacturing digitalisation. The research is carried out from three levels: The evolutionary characteristics of the organisational co-innovation network in the CMfg industry are identified through SNA and THA; the evolution of technological co-innovation network is analysed by using FP-Growth and the textual analysis, to recognise the technology convergence trends; the evolution of the factors affecting regional collaborations are discovered by using QAP model to analyse the regional co-innovation network. Following conclusions are achieved: CMfg co-innovation is centred on state-owned enterprises in the power and telecommunication industries, with University–Industry collaboration as the main form; the current hot spots of CMfg technologies are the Resource Perception-and-Access, the Resource Virtualisation-and-Service; the regional collaboration in China's CMfg industry tends to be partnership-led and multi-polar. It suggests that: In the CMfg industry, more enterprises-supporting policy should be made, while the Virtualisation-and-Service technologies need more attention, and the partnerships among regions should be further enhanced.