Innovative Initiatives Research Articles

Research on Innovation and Reuse of Renewable Energy Enterprises by Digital Government from Perspective of Sustainable Development

This paper explores the impact of digital government on the innovation and reuse of renewable energy firms in depth from a sustainability perspective. The survey found that digital government support for renewable energy businesses has grown at an average annual rate of 30% over the past five years. In the past three years, digital government investment in technological innovation of renewable energy enterprises has increased by 70%, enabling renewable energy enterprises to make breakthroughs in technology research and development. The digital government has implemented a series of policies and measures conducive to the development of renewable energy enterprises, such as tax incentives, subsidies, and green finance, which have provided more development opportunities for renewable energy enterprises and opportunities for innovation and reuse. In the future, digital government will continue to play a role in the field of renewable energy and contribute to the achievement of the SDGS. This study reveals the significant promotion effect of digital government support on the innovation and reuse of renewable energy enterprises, and further promotes the development of sustainable energy. These findings not only provide access to policy makers with valuable information on how to promote the green energy transition through digital means, but also provide innovative directions for renewable energy companies, and provide researchers with a perspective to further explore the relationship between digital government and sustainable development.

Does financialization inhibit enterprise innovation? Analysis of innovation behavior of Chinese enterprises based on evolutionary game

Enterprise innovation remains a cornerstone of economic development, with the direct influence of financialization on enterprise innovation standing as a critical factor. In contrast with the existing research, this study constructs an evolutionary game model by utilizing the Cournot model to analyze the innovation behavior of enterprises, and analyzes the influence of financialization on enterprise innovation by incorporating investment returns, market competition, and demand scale into the research framework. In addition, this study selects the sample of the Chinese non-financial listed enterprises and using panel data for the period 2009 to 2021. Based on the findings from the empirical analysis, this study reveals that excessive financialization hinders innovation in Chinese enterprises. Additionally, an intermediary pathway involving 'financialization - investment returns - enterprise innovation' is identified as a transmission mechanism. The demand scale generated by innovation inversely correlates with the inhibitory effects of financialization on enterprise innovation behavior. Meanwhile, heightened market competition amplifies the inhibitory influence of financialization on innovation. This study provided valuable empirical evidence, facilitating the enhancement of enterprise innovation efficiency.

A Study on the Mechanism of Network Hierarchy on Collaborative Innovation of Enterprises

A Study on the Mechanism of Network Hierarchy on Collaborative Innovation of Enterprises

Fostering social enterprise innovativeness: the interplay of learning, market orientation and stakeholder engagement within a capability framework

Purpose Drawing on capability theory, this study aims to examine the interplay of learning orientation, market orientation and stakeholder engagement in fostering social enterprise innovativeness. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 1,044 Australian social enterprise executives and managers tested hypotheses in a mediated moderation model using structural equation modelling. Findings Nested model comparisons revealed key insights: market orientation partially mediates the relationship between learning commitment, open-mindedness and innovativeness. High stakeholder engagement hinders learning commitment’s effect on innovativeness while enhancing open-mindedness’ impact. Shared vision negatively affects innovativeness. Control variables highlight gender-based perceptions, with female executives viewing market orientation and innovativeness less favourably than male counterparts. This study underscores the importance of heightened market orientations in hostile business environments. Research limitations/implications Findings prompt further investigation into stakeholder engagement’s negative impact on learning commitment and shared vision’s effect on innovativeness. It is crucial to recognise gender perspectives in strategy and align internal practices with external conditions. Originality/value This study clarifies the interplay between learning orientation, market orientation and stakeholder engagement in fostering innovativeness amid contradictory findings. It advances social enterprise research by introducing a capability-based approach to cultivate innovativeness, challenging dominant customer-focused strategies to enhance organisational performance.

The impact of accounting conservatism on enterprise innovation investment

This study investigates the influence of accounting conservatism on corporate innovation investment through the lens of information asymmetry theory. While existing literature acknowledges the importance of accounting conservatism in corporate decision-making, there remains a gap in understanding how it specifically affects innovation investment, particularly in varied market environments and regulatory contexts. Specifically, current research often overlooks the heterogeneity of the impact of accounting conservatism on innovation investment under different market environments and regulatory frameworks. Additionally, there is a lack of specialized studies on the unique group of Chinese listed companies. This study fills this gap by empirically analyzing data from Chinese A-share listed companies, revealing a negative correlation between accounting conservatism and corporate innovation investment. Through empirical analysis of the financial reports and research and development (R&D) investment data of Chinese A-share listed companies from 2015 to 2022, this study finds a significant negative correlation between accounting conservatism and corporate innovation investment. Specifically, as accounting conservatism increases, corporate investment in R&D shows a decreasing trend, with a correlation coefficient of −0.364. This result is further validated by hierarchical regression analysis, where the regression coefficient is −0.465, indicating that accounting conservatism has a significant inhibitory effect on corporate innovation investment. This study is pioneering in its examination of the relationship between accounting conservatism and corporate innovation investment within the unique market environment of China, taking into account its distinctive characteristics and rapidly evolving technological industry background. To quantify accounting conservatism, the research employs the C-Score and G-Score models, while employing a range of indicators to measure corporate innovation investment, including proportions of R&D expenditure, number of new products or services, patent applications, total R&D personnel, capital investments, and progress in innovation projects. This comprehensive evaluation method enhances the accuracy and reliability of the study. The contribution of this study is significant as it offers a fresh perspective on how accounting conservatism influences corporate innovation investment. By providing empirical data support, it assists investors and corporate managers in making informed financial decisions and shaping innovation strategies. Through hierarchical regression analysis, the study substantiates the detrimental impact of accounting conservatism on corporate innovation investment, thereby establishing new theoretical and practical foundations for further research and application in related fields.

Research on the Impact of Carbon Finance on Green Innovation of New Energy Enterprises

The development of green finance, especially the development of carbon finance, can greatly stimulate the green innovation power of enterprises. Green innovation is the key driving force for enterprises to cope with environmental challenges and achieve high-quality development. Under the background of "dual carbon" goal, how to dedicate full attention to guiding role of carbon finance in the development of green innovation of new energy enterprises has become an important topic. New energy enterprises are selected by this paper from 2000 to 2021 to analyze A robustness test is conducted to examine the influence in carbon finance on the green innovation of new energy enterprises. It is found that carbon finance helps to increase the level of green innovation of new energy enterprises, and has the least promotion effect on green invention patents. The mechanism test results show that carbon finance is a suitable environment for green innovation in new energy enterprises by reducing The financial limitations of enterprises. Carbon finance is conducive to improving the businesses' R&D expenditures, so encouraging green innovation in new energy businesses. Lastly, we offer specific policy recommendations and useful takeaways from the research to serve as a helpful resource for advancing green innovation in new energy company ventures.

Does digital economy keep enterprises out of green innovation trouble? evidence from "double carbon" goal.

The proposal of the "dual carbon" targets has provided direction for promoting China's economic green transformation and green innovation. As enterprises are important entities driving technological innovation in China, enhancing their green innovation capabilities holds significant practical significance for reducing carbon emissions. While the flourishing development of the digital economy currently provides new avenues and impetus for enterprise green innovation, research on the micro-level effects of green innovation driven by digital economy is still lacking. Therefore, based on data from Chinese cities spanning 2010 to 2021 and micro-level data of listed enterprises, this paper employs fixed effect model and intermediary effect model to empirically test the effect and mechanism of urban digital economy development on the quality and quantity of enterprise green innovation. Additionally, it investigates the carbon emission reduction effect resulting from digital economy development. The findings are as follows: (1) The development of digital economy exhibits a significant green innovation effect, effectively enhancing both the "quality and quantity" of enterprise green innovation. Particularly noteworthy is its impact on the quality of green innovation in enterprises, a result corroborated by several robustness tests. (2) Promoting regional knowledge spillover and alleviating enterprise financing constraints emerge as mechanisms through which the digital economy enhances the "quality and quantity" of enterprise green innovation. (3) Heterogeneity testing reveals that the digital economy exerts a greater green innovation effect on enterprises located in regions characterized by higher environmental regulations, high-tech industries, and state-owned enterprises. (4) Further analysis demonstrates that the digital economy effectively reduces enterprises carbon emissions and enhances their carbon performance by driving green innovation, thus providing endogenous impetus for achieving the "dual carbon" goals. By examining the effects and mechanisms of green innovation driven by digital economy from the perspectives of promoting knowledge spillover and alleviating financing constraints, this study enriches theoretical research on the relationship between the digital economy and green innovation at the enterprise micro-level. It offers new insights for governments in formulating green innovation policies and serves as a reference for green innovation decision-making in other developing countries.

Insights from Innovative Initiatives towards Flexible Health Professions Education

Insights from Innovative Initiatives towards Flexible Health Professions Education

Nurturing Innovation, Transforming Education: A Longitudinal Study

In an era of rapid technological advancement and evolving societal needs, fostering innovation in education has become paramount. This study examines the six-year trajectory of the Guru Inovatif Program (GIP), a unique initiative designed to cultivate a culture of innovation among educators in Malaysia. Through a mixed-methods longitudinal approach, we analyzed the program's evolution from 2019 to 2024, focusing on participation trends, structural changes, and qualitative shifts in innovation quality. The results reveal a significant growth in participation, with numbers more than doubling from 34 to 71 over the study period. Statistical analysis showed a strong positive trend (R² = 0.893), indicating consistent program appeal. The GIP's structure evolved from a generalized approach to specialized categories, reflecting a nuanced understanding of diverse educational innovation needs. Qualitative analysis revealed a marked improvement in the sophistication of innovations, transitioning from basic idea generation to evidence-based, impactful projects. The implementation of a design thinking framework proved crucial in enhancing the quality and applicability of innovations. The program's success was underpinned by its adaptive structure, collaborative partnerships, and emphasis on real-world impact. This study provides valuable insights into sustaining long-term educational innovation initiatives, offering a model that balances structure with flexibility, and theory with practical application. The findings have significant implications for educational policymakers and administrators seeking to foster a culture of continuous innovation in education.

Impacts of digital transformation on enterprise innovation resilience: A study from China

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the impacts of digital transformation on enterprise innovation resilience, with a focus on understanding how digital transformation influences innovation resilience across different stages during the life cycle of an enterprise.Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected from Chinese A-share listed companies from 2012 to 2022. Industries with unique financial reporting characteristics, special treatment (ST) samples, and samples with missing data are excluded to obtain a final dataset of 18 304 observations. A regression model is employed to examine the dual effect of digital transformation on enterprise innovation resilience.Findings/results: The findings reveal a significant inverted U-shaped relationship between digital transformation and enterprise innovation resilience. For companies at different lifecycle stages, digital transformation significantly enhances innovation resilience during the growth phase. However, for mature and declining companies, digital transformation still exhibits an inverted U-shaped relationship with innovation resilience, albeit with a relatively lower empowerment effect during the decline phase.Practical implications: Enterprises are advised to leverage the positive effects of digital transformation on innovation resilience while avoiding the pitfalls of excessive digitisation. Flexibility in adapting digital transformation strategies according to the enterprise lifecycle stage is recommended. Furthermore, enterprises should prioritise the coordinated development of various factors contributing to innovation resilience.Originality/value: This study extends the examination of innovation resilience from macro-industry to micro-enterprise levels and provides insights into the dynamics of digital transformation effects on innovation resilience across different lifecycle stages. Additionally, it highlights the importance of considering multiple pathways through which digital transformation influences innovation resilience.

Can green finance policies accurately promote corporate environmental investment?—a comprehensive evaluation from multiple aspects

The 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference, held in the United Arab Emirates at the end of November 2023, stated that climate action cannot be delayed and the financing and investment situation for adapting to climate change needs a qualitative leap. Vigorously developing green finance is one of the important ways to achieve this goal. The core question of this paper is: Can green finance policies promote enterprises’ environmental investment? This article uses the formal implementation of the “Green Credit Guidelines” in 2012 as a quasi-natural experiment, bases on the micro data of A-share listed companies from 2004 to 2020, and adopts the difference-indifferences propensity score matching method (PSM-DID) to explore the role of green credit policy in guiding corporate environmental protection investment from multiple dimensions. The research shows that the implementation of the “Green Credit Guidelines” has promoted corporate environmental protection investment to a certain extent, and the conclusion still holds after a series of robustness tests. Heterogeneity tests found that the impact of green credit policy on corporate environmental protection investment varies significantly among different ownership enterprises and enterprises in different regions. Further research shows that the Green Credit Guidelines are regulated by macro and meso factors. From the perspective of mechanism, this paper finds out the mechanism of promoting enterprises’ environmental protection investment at the micro level. At the macro level, economic policy uncertainty and monetary policy tightening affect the degree of corporate environmental protection investment. At the meso level, the government’s attention to environmental protection determines the behavior of local enterprises, which in turn affects the attitude of enterprises towards environmental protection investment activities. At the micro level, the implementation of green credit on the one hand exacerbates the problem of corporate financing constraints, making companies have incentives to invest in environmental protection to alleviate this problem. On the other hand, it will also promote changes in innovation and capital factors in enterprises, directly increasing corporate environmental protection investment. This paper is helpful for the theoretical circle and management departments, so as to provide reference for the government to issue relevant policies.

Reaping Digital Dividends: The Impact of Supply Chain Finance on Corporate Technological Innovation in China

ABSTRACT As a new type of financial service, supply chain finance closely relates to the production and innovation behaviors of micro-size enterprises. This research thus explores whether and how supply chain finance affects corporate technological innovation. Using a sample of China’s A-share listed companies from 2013 to 2020, the results show that (1) supply chain finance significantly enhances the technological innovation of enterprises; (2) the beneficial effect of supply chain finance on enterprises’ cooperative innovation is more pronounced compared to that on independent innovation; (3) mechanism tests find that supply chain finance promotes enterprise innovation by alleviating financing constraints and adjusting supply chain relationships; and (4) this promotion effect is stronger for private enterprises, small-scale enterprises, in west regions, and for regions with a high level of digital financial development. Our empirical results thus enrich the literature, provide insights into the optimization of supply chain finance development, and can help improve the financial regulatory framework.

Internet development, information availability, and Chinese enterprises’ cooperative green technology innovation

Cooperative green technology innovation is potentially the answer to the lack of motivation for independent green innovation, which can effectively alleviate many difficulties faced by enterprises engaging in independent green innovation. Internet development provides new opportunities to stimulate innovative cooperation of enterprises. However, little literature has studied the impact of Internet development on enterprises' cooperative green technology innovation. Based on the data of Chinese A-share 3284 listed companies from 2010 to 2019, this paper uses a panel two-way fixed effects model to assess the effect of Internet development on enterprises' cooperative green innovation. The findings are: (1) Internet development significantly drives firms' collaborative green innovation behavior. The result remains robust even after performing a series of robust tests. (2) The Internet empowers green innovation cooperation among firms by improving information availability, including market information availability and technical information availability. (3) The heterogeneous results show enterprises use the Internet to accomplish high-quality collaborative green innovation. Internet development is more helpful in encouraging the cooperative green innovation of enterprises located in central cities and state-owned enterprises. This study provides novel and targeted policy implications to empower enterprises’ green innovation cooperation and drive sustainable economic development through Internet development.

Insights from the Practice of Hong Kong in Promoting Industry-University Synergy through Digital Platforms

Based on the human capital theory and systems theory, and considering the practical needs of China's economic transformation, Development of higher education should go hand in hand with that of industry. The types and levels of talents cultivated by higher education should align with the status of local industries. Currently, there is a lack of coordination between the structures of higher education and the industrial structure in mainland China, and the functions of the government, enterprises, and colleges need to be further strengthened. The Hong Kong digital platform is an innovative initiative jointly promoted by the government, enterprises, and colleges to advance Industry-University collaboration. It has established a dynamic interaction mechanism centered on the linkage between job vacancies and courses. This platform provides valuable insights in terms of how to design the platform from user’s perspective, how to properly play the role of government, and how to utilize the initiative of human capital.

Business Models for Enterprise Innovation and Development

Business Models for Enterprise Innovation and Development

Innovative Marketing in Luxury Fashion: How Gucci Uses Big Data to Enhance Digital Marketing

This study examines Gucci's digital marketing strategies, focusing on how the brand leverages big data to enhance its digital presence and engage Generation Z. Amid significant digital transformation in the fashion industry, Gucci has maintained its competitive edge through innovative digital initiatives. The research analyzes Gucci's use of big data to personalize customer experiences, optimize marketing campaigns, and implement online-to-offline (O2O) strategies. Findings indicate that Gucci's comprehensive digital strategy, which includes augmented reality and 3D visualization, effectively enhances customer engagement, increases sales, and builds brand loyalty, solidifying its position as a leader in the luxury fashion industry.

Can the separation of marketing authorization from manufacturing authorization stimulate pharmaceutical innovation? Evidence from China's pharmaceutical industry reform

Using data from A-share pharmaceutical manufacturing listed companies between 2011 and 2021, this paper constructs a difference in differences (DID) model to systematically analyze the impact of China's Marketing Authorization Holder (MAH) system pilot policy on pharmaceutical enterprise innovation. Our findings indicate that implementing the MAH system can significantly stimulate innovation in pharmaceutical enterprises, both in terms of input and output. Additionally, local intellectual property protection positively moderates the incentive effect of MAH system on pharmaceutical innovation. The results of our heterogeneity analysis further demonstrate that the pilot policy of the MAH system exerts a stronger incentive effect on the innovation behavior of non-state-owned enterprises and enterprises in the growth and mature stage. Moreover, we provide evidence for the long-term impact of MAH system on innovation within pharmaceutical companies.

Gradients of Trust in Vaccines

Abstract COVID-19 vaccination in Laos has been affected by challenges in reaching the whole population and preexisting mistrust in the health system. Vaccination rates are low among the Hmong, whose healing epistemologies are rooted in animism and Christianity, while most healthcare staff are from the lowland Buddhist majority. However, local notions of immunity and religious practices are not the main factors influencing confidence in vaccines, as these are flexible and pragmatic in incorporating different approaches to curing illness. Instead, the root causes are patterns of mistrust and inequity enacted through Hmong peoples’ experiences with health services. An innovative government-led initiative focusing on trust-building and local ownership through relational community engagement, utilizing existing village, family, ethnic, and religious structures and promoting effective communication and cultural sensitivity led to a rapid increase in vaccine uptake. Trust in vaccines is therefore not an abstract concept but highly relational, and so can be intentionally developed.

Financial Technology Innovation and Business Growth of Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

This study empirically examined the relationship between financial technology (FinTech - proxied by Internet Banking and Mobile Payment) innovation and business growth (proxied by productivity and operational efficiency) of Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Port Harcourt. The study was underpinned by the theory of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (DIT). The study adopted a cross-sectional research design and the population was the 1016 registered SMEs in Port Harcourt with a sample size of 287. Spearman’s Rank Correlation and Partial Correlation were used to test the five hypotheses that guided the study. The findings showed a positive and significant relationship exists between financial technology innovation and business growth. Based on these findings, the research concluded that financial technology innovation is a business solution and a formidable management strategy that SMEs can deploy to improve their business growth. It recommends therefore that SMEs who want to improve their business growth should invest more in FinTech innovations such as Internet banking and mobile payment, as these digital solutions have a significant impact in improving productivity and operational efficiency (business growth).

Can non-subsidised policies for new energy vehicles improve the quality of enterprise innovation? evidence from China

ABSTRACT Through an investigation of listed new energy vehicle (NEV) enterprises in China from 2012 to 2021, we examined the impact of three NEV non-subsidised policies on enterprise innovation quality from both production and market ends, using the PVAR model. Our study yielded several key findings. First, non-subsidised policies have an overall positive effect, with the production-market-end policy represented by the dual-credit performing the best, followed by the single production-end policy (access catalog), and the market-end policy (government procurement) having the lowest impact. This difference is more pronounced in the two-stage sample (subsidy era, 2012-2016; post-subsidy era, 2017-2021). Second, the analysis of policy mechanisms shows that non-subsidised policies have an R&D investment effect and a product scale effect, but each emphasises specific policy-innovation paths. Third, the market competition pressure has a positive moderating effect on the impact of the dual-credit and access catalog policies, while the moderating effect on government procurement is not significant. Moreover, the external regional innovation atmosphere also has a heterogeneous impact on the incentive effect of non-subsidised policies. These results have important implications for adjusting NEV industry policy in the post-subsidy era and for the discussion of the relationship between non-subsidised policies and technological innovation.