Regional Innovation Research Articles

Research on the Optimization Path of Regional Innovation “Dualization” Effect Based on System Dynamics

Coordinated regional development is an important issue for China in the new era, and the influence of innovation ability on regional economic development is increasing, but the current regional innovation is characterized by an increasingly obvious “dualization” effect. In this paper, by constructing innovation efficiency, science and technology innovation, innovation culture, and innovation policy as the four key subsystems of regional innovation effect, and using system dynamics to establish a regional innovation effect model, Wuhan and Enshi as the representatives of central city and non-central city, selecting the data from 2014 to 2021, and adopting different parameters to simulate the evolution trend of the innovation effect, it is concluded that the growth rate of industrial enterprises and the intensity of R&D expenditures have increased, and the innovation effect has become more and more obvious, which is the most important issue in the new era of China’s development. It is also concluded that the growth rate of industrial enterprises and the intensity of R&D expenditure are the key factors influencing the innovation effect of central and non-central cities, and suggestions are made for optimizing the “dualization” effect of regional innovation.

Enhancing natural resource efficiency through digital government: Evidence from the utilization of energy, water, and land resources

With the support of digital technology, the digitization of government governance has become a key strategy worldwide. One of the aims of digital transformation of government governance is to fully utilize data resources to enhance the utilization and management efficiency of natural resources. Utilizing panel data from 262 China's cities spanning from 2009 to 2019, this paper employs a Difference-in-differences (DID) model to investigate the impact of digital government on natural resource efficiency. The empirical results reveal that the establishment of digital government improves natural resource efficiency. This beneficial impact is transmitted through three channels: government efficiency, regional digital infrastructure, and regional innovation and green innovation levels. Additionally, the facilitation of the digital government on natural resource efficiency exhibits significant regional heterogeneity, with a more pronounced positive effect in the eastern region and regenerative resource-based cities. Finally, the study investigates the effectiveness of digital government on the efficiency of different types of natural resources and the spatial spillover effect of its implementation. Our results provide empirical evidence for the relationship between the digital government and natural resource efficiency, offering a practical reference for the digital transformation of government governance in developing countries.

Mind the border! Agents and functions to shape regional challenge-oriented innovation policy

ABSTRACT This paper explores the operationalization of policy directionality in terms of goal consistency as well as the spatial dimensions of problems and solutions. The study focuses on cross-border regions (CBRs), since they are engaged in cooperation to tackle common challenges. This study employs a comparative analysis across two EU CBRs, drawing on a theoretical framework that integrates the trinity of agency scholarships and the literature on the multiplicity of border functions. By combining these perspectives, we aim to illustrate how agents navigate the opportunity spaces generated within CBRs. This paper aims to shed light on the interplay between agents to navigate the conditions that the presence of international border generates in the EU cross-border regions (CBR)s to tackle Societal Challenges (SC)s. Through this integrated framework, we explore how agents perceive, interpret, and respond to the complex dynamics and possibilities that emerge in CBRs, shedding light on the interplay between structure and agency in these unique spatial settings. The findings show how SC can be framed at different scales with ambivalent results in terms of consistency of policy goals. Framed through the trinity agency framework, actors interacted collectively to generate and transfer knowledge in the CBRs.

Innovating for cleaner skies: A study on the impact of China's national innovation demonstration zones on urban air quality from the perspective of energy consumption

In pursuit of innovation-driven green development, effectively leveraging innovation policies for environmental betterment has emerged as a pivotal challenge in China's sustainable development trajectory. Investigating 287 Chinese cities from 2010 to 2020, this study adopts the pilot initiative of National Innovation Demonstration Zones (NIDZs), a cornerstone of China's regional innovation strategy, as a quasi-natural experimental setup. Utilizing a double machine learning method, we probe into the implications of implementation National Innovation Demonstration Zones pilot policy on urban air quality, its underlying mechanisms, and the regional heterogeneity in policy outcomes. The empirical evidence underscores that implementation National Innovation Demonstration Zones pilot policy significantly bolster urban air quality, a result that persists endogenous controls and rigorous robustness checks. Mechanistically, setting up the National Innovation Demonstration Zone can significantly curb the deterioration of urban air quality by reducing the total energy consumption of the whole society, including the reduction of total electricity consumption, the use of manufactured gas and natural gas, and the consumption of liquefied petroleum gas. Regionally, the Southeast demonstrates enhanced efficacy in mitigating air quality degradation and PM2.5 concentration, whereas the Northwest sees pronounced reductions in urban carbon dioxide emissions following the implementation National Innovation Demonstration Zones pilot policy.

Rethinking Regional Embeddedness and Innovation Systems for Transitions Towards Just, Responsible, and Circular Bioeconomies

Few studies have explicitly explored regional embeddedness and both the inconsistencies and injustices of circular bioeconomy (CBE) innovations. To better navigate the normative dimension of these innovations and CBE transitions in general, our article presents a threefold argument for the relevance of the regional level of analysis. First, CBE innovations are influenced by and affect regional metabolisms and actor constellations, assets, and (biophysical) resources within regional innovation systems (RIS). Second, thoroughly exploring these dimensions of regional (un)embeddedness can reveal ethical concerns, including potential "dark sides" and injustices, such as exclusivity and exploitation. Third, to address these concerns in CBE research and governance, we outline four facets: complementing the RIS as a framework and policy approach, balancing creative and destructive measures, addressing the need for more inclusive regional CBE policies, and establishing dedicated intermediaries to better govern regional CBE transitions. In summary, this conceptual article provides starting points for further research and proactive measures that help govern the normative dimension and the design of CBE transitions at the regional level, promoting inclusivity, justice, responsibility, and legitimacy for both innovation and exnovation.

Deep learning for colorectal cancer detection in contrast-enhanced CT without bowel preparation: a retrospective, multicentre study

Contrast-enhanced CT scans provide a means to detect unsuspected colorectal cancer. However, colorectal cancers in contrast-enhanced CT without bowel preparation may elude detection by radiologists. We aimed to develop a deep learning (DL) model for accurate detection of colorectal cancer, and evaluate whether it could improve the detection performance of radiologists. We developed a DL model using a manually annotated dataset (1196 cancer vs 1034 normal). The DL model was tested using an internal test set (98 vs 115), two external test sets (202 vs 265 in 1, and 252 vs 481 in 2), and a real-world test set (53 vs 1524). We compared the detection performance of the DL model with radiologists, and evaluated its capacity to enhance radiologists' detection performance. In the four test sets, the DL model had the area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) ranging between 0.957 and 0.994. In both the internal test set and external test set 1, the DL model yielded higher accuracy than that of radiologists (97.2% vs 86.0%, p<0.0001; 94.9% vs 85.3%, p<0.0001), and significantly improved the accuracy of radiologists (93.4% vs 86.0%, p<0.0001; 93.6% vs 85.3%, p<0.0001). In the real-world test set, the DL model delivered sensitivity comparable to that of radiologists who had been informed about clinical indications for most cancer cases (94.3% vs 96.2%, p>0.99), and it detected 2 cases that had been missed by radiologists. The developed DL model can accurately detect colorectal cancer and improve radiologists' detection performance, showing its potential as an effective computer-aided detection tool. This study was supported by National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of China (No. 81925023); Regional Innovation and Development Joint Fund ofNational Natural Science Foundation of China(No.U22A20345);National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 82072090 and No. 82371954); Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence in Medical Image Analysis and Application (No. 2022B1212010011); High-level Hospital Construction Project (No. DFJHBF202105).

Measurement and evaluation of agricultural technological innovation efficiency in the Yellow River Basin of China under water resource constraints

Improving the efficiency of agricultural technology innovation is an inevitable requirement for ecological protection and sustainable agricultural development in the Yellow River Basin. Under the background of prominent water resources constraints in the Yellow River Basin, the actual level and regional differences of agricultural technology innovation efficiency in the basin are analyzed, which will provide theoretical basis and data reference for the development plan of agricultural modernization in the Yellow River Basin. The construction of evaluation index system and the choice of method are the main factors that affect the measurement results. Therefore, this paper first selects input indicators such as water-saving technology level and output indicators such as total agricultural output value to construct an innovative evaluation index system of agricultural technology innovation efficiency in the Yellow River Basin under the consideration of water resources constraints. Secondly, the three-stage DEA model was used to eliminate the interference of external environmental variables, and the overall and regional agricultural technology innovation efficiency of the Yellow River Basin during 2011–2020 was measured with the data of prefecture-level cities under the constraint of water resources. Finally, from the perspective of the whole and the region, the spatio-temporal dynamic evolution law is analyzed and evaluated. The results show that: on the whole, the agricultural technology innovation efficiency in the Yellow River Basin is good and rising in a wave trend, the adjusted pure technology efficiency increases, while the scale efficiency decreases. From the regional perspective, although there is regional heterogeneity, the overall development trend is good, and the lower Yellow River has the highest efficiency, followed by the upper reaches and the middle reaches. From the perspective of the change law, the spatio-temporal evolution distribution shows a multi-polarization trend, and the different regions in the upper, middle and lower reaches show great differences. Therefore, promoting the innovation of water-saving technology and the integration of agricultural science and technology, promoting the integration of production, study and research, and strengthening the regional linkage mechanism are helpful to improve the competitiveness of agricultural science and technology and achieve sustainable agricultural development in the Yellow River Basin.

PARTICIPATORY APPROACH STRATEGY OF REGIONAL AND VILLAGE AUTHORITIES IN ACCELERATING INNOVATION IN WEST SUMBAWA REGENCY

This study aims to identify the efforts that can be undertaken by regional and village authorities to enhance innovations in West Sumbawa Regency. The research method used is qualitative-descriptive, employing observation, interviews, and literature study as data collection methods. Interviews were conducted with key informants who are knowledgeable about innovation developments in West Sumbawa Regency. The results of this study indicate that West Sumbawa Regency has significant innovation potential. However, existing innovations are still scattered, and efforts are needed to create an innovation ecosystem. By implementing several strategic steps based on good governance, an innovation ecosystem can be created to accelerate the enhancement of innovations. Another finding of this research explains the need for an innovation center that connects all ideas and concepts from innovators in West Sumbawa Regency. This step is considered to facilitate the community in building interconnected innovation networks. Therefore, through efforts such as village potential analysis, one village-one product initiatives, and innovation month, it is expected that the existing innovations in West Sumbawa Regency can be improved. Keywords: Regional innovation, West Sumbawa Regency, Innovation Ecosystem

Policy Analysis and Evaluation from the Perspective of Collaborative Governance on the Regional Innovation System &amp; Education(RISE)

Policy Analysis and Evaluation from the Perspective of Collaborative Governance on the Regional Innovation System &amp; Education(RISE)

창조경제혁신센터 발전방안에 관한 연구

This study selected 17 regional creative economic innovation centers, excluding two private autonomous innovation centers, out of a total of 19 nationwide, and conducted case studies based on previous studies, articles, center websites, internal data, and interviews with practitioners. To establish the identity of Creative Economy Innovation Centers as regional startup hubs and drivers of local innovation, it is necessary to redefine their roles not only through collaboration with universities but also through realigning their roles with relevant local institutions. Secondly, it was observed that most of the investment resources for Creative Economy Innovation Centers remain in the form of initial funding support. To facilitate the scale-up of early-stage startups, it is necessary to develop qualitative improvement measures from various perspectives, including support tailored to specific businesses and growth stages. Additionally, in response to the strengthening global and domestic ESG regulations, centers should consider implementing customized ESG management education and certification support for startups, as well as mentoring programs. Thirdly, to reduce regional disparities, Creative Economy Innovation Centers should actively operate open programs specific to each center and allocate budgets that allow for flexible engagement in collaborative projects within their internal structure. Policy measures are needed to address the issue of regional decline by considering business initiatives for local youth, which also contribute to the sustainability of startups. Furthermore, there is a need to expand educational programs and policy support for “born-global” startups that target niche global markets from the early stages of entrepreneurship. This study is meaningful in confirming and verifying that the various attempts and efforts needed to build a regional innovation start-up ecosystem, as well as quantitative results on supporting the growth of startups and existing local SMEs discovered and fostered through the Creative Economy Innovation Center, as well as job creation and maintenance based on regional economic growth, need to be maintained and developed continuously.

Role of scientific and technological innovations on industrial upgradation in China: A spatial econometric analysis.

China is in a phase of high-quality development, where scientific and technological innovations are serving as the primary driving force for its development strategy. This emphasis on innovations is expected to fuel the upgrading of the industrial structure. This study investigates the role of scientific and technological innovations in industrial upgradation in China using spatial econometric analysis. Leveraging the data of 31 provinces of China from 2005 to 2022, we employed a spatial Durbin model to determine the spatial spillover effects of scientific and technological innovations on industrial upgradation. Our findings reveal the significant positive spatial spillover effects, indicating that provinces with higher levels of scientific and technological innovations tend to experience greater industrial upgradation, which in turn contributes to regional economic development. Furthermore, the findings suggest a strong spatial correlation between innovation and the upgrading of industrial structures, indicating that regional innovations have the potential to drive China's industrial upgradation. These results underscore the critical role of scientific and technological innovations in promoting industrial upgradation and regional development in China.

Artificial intelligence in the analysis of regional innovation ecosystems of the Russian Federation under import substitution

Artificial intelligence in the analysis of regional innovation ecosystems of the Russian Federation under import substitution

An Anticipatory Practice for the Future of Science Parks: Understanding the Indices and Mechanisms on Different Spatial Scales of Regional Innovation Systems

An Anticipatory Practice for the Future of Science Parks: Understanding the Indices and Mechanisms on Different Spatial Scales of Regional Innovation Systems

Северо-Восточный регион Китая: оценка инновационного предпринимательства

The northeast region of China, consisting of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang provinces, has faced economic difficulties and recession in recent decades. This study evaluates the status of innovative entrepreneurship in the Northeast region through quantitative analysis of Peking University's Regional Innovative Entrepreneurship Index of China (IRIEC) panel data. It has been established that the level of innovative entrepreneurship in the region as a whole is growing. It is noteworthy that the level of innovative entrepreneurship in Liaoning Province is above the national average, while in the neighboring provinces of the Northeast region — Jilin and Heilongjiang — below average, which reduces the overall region level. The level of innovative entrepreneurship varies across provinces within the region, but it does not show consistency with the level of economic growth.

Evaluation and Prediction of Regional Innovation Ecosystem from the Perspective of Ecological Niche: Nine Cities in Hubei Province, China as the Cases

Based on niche theory, this paper constructs an evaluation index system for regional innovation ecosystem suitability from four aspects: innovation benefits, innovation technology, innovation culture, and innovation policy. The niche evaluation model is used to calculate and compare the suitability and evolutionary momentum of the innovation ecosystems in nine prefecture-level cities in Hubei Province from 2017 to 2022. Using the grey prediction model GM (1,1), the development of niche suitability for the nine prefecture-level cities in Hubei Province over the next five years is predicted. The results showed that, from the perspective of the niche, the overall suitability of the innovation niches in the nine prefecture-level cities of Hubei Province is relatively low, with higher evolutionary momentum, and the two exhibited a reverse development trend. The forecast results indicated that the suitability of the innovation niches in the nine prefecture-level cities of Hubei Province will follow different development trends in the next five years, with central cities showing higher development than non-central cities. Accordingly, this study provides a more scientific method for the evaluation, monitoring, forecasting, and improvement of regional innovation ecosystems at the city level. It supports policy formulation and strategic planning for the nine prefecture-level cities in Hubei Province and other regions from the aspects of innovation benefits, innovation technology, innovation culture, and innovation policy. At the same time, this study also provides new research pathways for the academic community, encouraging scholars to adopt multidisciplinary and multi-faceted approaches to explore the complexity and dynamics of regional innovation ecosystems in depth. It utilizes this information to optimize and adjust regional innovation policies to better adapt to the needs of global innovation competition.

FEMALE IN MANAGER-OWNER TEAMS: DRIVERS OF INNOVATION AND FIRM PERFORMANCE IN MENA MARKETS

This study examines the relationship between women in pivotal organisational roles, innovation, and firm performance in the MENA region. It employs data from the World Bank Enterprise Survey (WBES) across six MENA countries to explore how female leadership, combined with managerial experience (ME), impacts innovation and firm performance. We employ the two-stage least square instrumental variable (2SLS-IV) regression method, which addresses potential biases caused by endogeneity and allows us to discern genuine causal relationships better. Our results indicate a positive influence of female leadership on innovation, although this effect diminishes with more excellent ME. Innovation remains a critical factor for firm performance in the MENA region. This research illuminates the multifaceted role of women in organisational leadership, underscoring their impact on innovation and firm performance, with implications for policymakers and business leaders globally.

BUREAUCRATIC REFORM THROUGH ORGANIZATIONAL RIGHTSIZING

The essence of bureaucratic reform is the demand for very fundamental changes to the government bureaucratic structure which has so far been seen as having many internal problems within it. Bureaucratic reform aims to build organizations that are agile and oriented towards public services with a focus on improving bureaucratic institutions. Bureaucratic reform by all regional apparatus including the Regional Planning, Research and Development Agency (BAPPELITBANGDA) of Pasuruan Regency indicates that regional apparatus are obliged to prepare organizational institutions appropriately, both in terms of size, main tasks, and functions and also appropriate for use. One of the Pasuruan Regency government's efforts in institutional reform is to change the nomenclature of Regency Regional Apparatus from BAPPELITBANGDA to Regional Research and Innovation Agency (BAPPERIDA). The type of research used by researchers is descriptive research with a qualitative approach. The data sources used are secondary data and the data analysis techniques used are interactive analysis techniques. The research results show that BAPPELITBANGDA Pasuruan Regency has combined elements of planning, research, and development by following the latest nomenclature. This change impacts the main tasks and functions of BAPPELITBANGDA which does not focus on development planning alone. Still, research and development is one of its main tasks and functions, even though research and development is not yet running optimally. With changes in size and function in the context of rightsizing, it can provide a more appropriate bureaucratic structure, so that the Rightsizing Organization structure can have the right function and size so that it can improve organizational performance. Keywords: Bureaucratic Reform; Rightsizing; Nomenclature Change.

Does strategic coupling of TNCs affect their exit from host regions: Empirical analysis of the exit of Taiwanese enterprises from mainland China.

This study aims to investigate the temporal and spatial attributes of the exit of Taiwanese enterprises from mainland China between 2001 and 2021, by applying enterprise database data. Furthermore, the influence of strategic coupling on Taiwanese enterprises' exit from mainland China was also investigated. The following are the key findings: The spatial distribution pattern of the exit rate of Taiwanese enterprises in mainland China varied at different phases. In contrast, the inland regions of the country's central and western zones, which are characterized by comparatively less developed economies, maintained consistently high exit rates, whereas the eastern coastal region retained a low exit rate. Particularly, the relationship between Taiwanese enterprises and the invested areas changed from Captive coupling to Cooperative coupling and subsequently to Absorptive Coupling. Similarly, the coupling modes significantly influenced the exit of Taiwanese enterprises from mainland China. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has contributed to the backward connection of Taiwanese corporations, which have become more reliant on the mainland China market and local suppliers than earlier. Taiwan-favoring policies and the regional innovation environment have consequently emerged as the primary locational advantages for retaining Taiwanese enterprises in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. Therefore, the aforementioned factors may help to reduce the Taiwanese enterprises' exit from mainland China and possess valuable policy implications for Taiwan investment zones in mainland China.

The Impact of Green Finance and Financial Technology on Regional Green Energy Technological Innovation Based on the Dual Machine Learning and Spatial Econometric Models

Regional green energy technological innovation is an important means to alleviate economic–environmental contradictions. The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanisms of green finance, financial technology, and regional green energy technological innovation. In this study, we constructed dual machine learning models, spatial econometric models, and panel threshold effect models to investigate the effects of green finance and financial technology on regional green energy technological innovation, using panel data from 266 cities nationwide from 2009 to 2021. The research findings are as follows: (1) Both green finance and financial technology significantly promote regional green energy technological innovation. (2) Based on a spatial weight matrix embedded in economic geography, both green finance and financial technology generate positive spatial spillover effects on regional green energy technological innovation. (3) The interaction between green finance and financial technology significantly contributes to regional green energy technological innovation. Financial technology can strengthen the positive local and neighboring effects of green finance on regional green energy technological innovation. (4) Based on the threshold effect of financial technology, green finance cannot significantly promote regional green energy technological innovation when financial technology is in an underdeveloped stage. With the advancement of financial technology, green finance continues to have a positive impact on regional green energy technological innovation. Based on this analysis and our conclusions, we propose practical policy recommendations that can provide a more sustainable approach to green energy technology innovation.

Does the emissions trading system promote regional green innovation? – Evidence from Chinese prefecture-level cities

ABSTRACT The previous economic development model based on scale expansion has caused serious environmental pollution and resource constraints. Therefore, the development of green innovation with clean production and environmental protection as the core is particularly important. The emissions trading system (ETS) has been introduced in the process of market-oriented environmental regulation, and its impact on green innovation is of great significance. This paper examines the impact of the ETS on regional green innovation and its mechanism of action using the PSM-DID method based on data from 154 prefecture-level cities in China. The study finds that the ETS has a positive effect on improving green innovation, and this effect gradually increases over time. The impact mechanism test shows that the ETS promotes green innovation by increasing regional innovation R&D investment, and the regional business environment plays a positive role in this process. Heterogeneity tests show that the effects of ETS are more pronounced in more polluted regions and in regions with stricter environmental regulations. This paper provides theoretical support for the implementation of ETS in China and some developing countries, and empirical evidence and policy implications for the green innovation effect of ETS.