National Innovation Capability Research Articles

Analyzing the configuration of the National Innovation System for Innovation Capability: evidence from Global Innovation Index reports

National innovation capability (NIC) is an important manifestation of economic development quality and international competitiveness. Previous studies focus mainly on the static impact of factors in the national innovation system on NIC in a given year. Research is still lacking on whether these factors have continuing, stable impacts on NIC in different economies. To fill this literature gap, this study uses fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to conduct cross-economy and cross-year comparisons and discusses how the five elements of the NIS jointly affected the NIC of different economies from 2011 to 2022. The results indicate that the necessity consistency of infrastructure for NIC shows a temporal trend. There are four paths to generating high NIC in high-income economies, but only two such paths for upper middle-income economies. The path combining human capital and research, market sophistication, and business sophistication can drive both types of economies to generate high NIC. The research results have improved the transparency of innovation paths and provided a reference for different economies to achieve sustainable development.

Impact of national innovation capability on economic growth: Evidence from ASEAN countries through Global Innovation Index

Impact of national innovation capability on economic growth: Evidence from ASEAN countries through Global Innovation Index

A cross-national investigation into the effects of religion on national innovation

This study aims at analyzing the effects of religion on national innovation. Using data from 77 countries, we conduct a cross-national investigation into the effects of religiosity, religious affiliations, religious fractionalization (religious diversity), and communist heritage on the national innovation capability. The analyses show that religiosity has a significantly negative association with the national innovation capability even after controlling for the effects of socioeconomic development. Further analyses show that Protestant and Buddhist affiliations are positively while communist heritage is negatively associated with national innovation capability. The analyses do not show any significant relationships between religious fractionalization and national innovation capability. In the end, the findings are discussed, and avenues for future research are pointed out.

Does the Belt and Road Initiative promote international innovation cooperation?

International innovation cooperation is crucial to the enhancement of national technological innovation capabilities in the context of globalization. Does the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), as a major international initiative, promote innovation cooperation between China and BRI partner countries? Taking the top 80 global countries in innovation capability as the research sample, this paper uses the DID method to answer this question. The empirical results show that the BRI indeed promoted innovation cooperation between them to a certain extent. Specifically, it significantly increased the proportion of their cooperative patents in China’s total patents, and the promotion effect was more obvious for countries with better economic foundations. Furthermore, the mechanism tests indicate that shortening the institutional distance, strengthening the exchange of scientific and technological talents, and stimulating cultural differences were important mechanisms promoting their innovation cooperation. Although the BRI did not significantly increase the proportion of cooperative patents in BRI partner countries’ total patents, it effectively improved their innovation foundations and capabilities.

Possible green-technology innovation motivated by China’s pilot carbon market: new evidence from city panel data

ABSTRACT Whether the carbon market can promote green technology innovation is a controversial topic because of an incomplete understanding of the mechanism and inconsistent datasets. This study first comprehensively explores the theoretical mechanism of the carbon market on green technology innovation from four aspects: the compensation effect, cost control motivation, crowding-out effect, and spillover effect. A sample of 209 cities in China is employed to empirically test the impact of China’s pilot carbon market on green technology innovation and its regional and industry heterogeneity using quasi-natural experiments. We found that China’s pilot carbon market has significantly promoted green technology innovation at the city level, especially in provincial capital cities, achieving a maximum effect two years after the shock. However, there is no significant spillover effect on the surrounding non-pilot cities, and Chongqing has realized the suppression of green technology innovation under the domination of the crowding-out effect. At the industry level, the pilot carbon market significantly promotes green technology innovation in the transportation, construction, chemical, and power industries but exhibits crowding-out effects in the steel industry. Finally, we propose policy implications for maintaining reasonable and stable carbon prices to stimulate compensation effects, scientifically determining the order of industry inclusion to avoid crowding-out effects, and accelerating inter-regional supply chains and technological cooperation to release spillover effects. Key policy insights: It is recommended to scientifically determine a reasonable carbon price range and introduce institutions, individuals, and other trading entities to improve the liquidity of the carbon market and the effectiveness of carbon prices. Considering the high cost triggered by the complex processes of the steel industry in developing countries, its inclusion may inhibit green technology innovation; thus, it is necessary to be cautious about including the steel industry in the carbon market. To build a carbon market in developing countries, the order of industry inclusion must be determined based on scientific calculations of the costs of green technology innovation in the industry. Avoid using self-declaration for carbon quota allocation and focus on improving national basic innovation capabilities to ensure the supply of green technology innovation.

Identify cross-country knowledge flow and innovation trajectory: insights from patent citation network analysis of 5G technology

ABSTRACT Identifying cross-border knowledge flow and innovation trajectory helps a nation to achieve competitive advantages in the technology race. This paper uses a comprehensive patent analysis method and assessment of national innovation capability to visualise the innovation trajectory and core technology flow of 5G technology across countries (regions) from 2002 to 2019. Firstly, we uncover technology leading countries, technology imitating countries, technology participating countries, and technology holding countries by assessing the level of national technology innovation capability and identifying their development trajectory. Secondly, we observe that China, Japan, and South Korea show more prominence in pictorial communication; the United States focuses on waveguide-related technology, while European countries emphasise antenna-related technology. Finally, we study the diffusion and flow of 5G dominated technology and analyze the technology layout of 5G technology leading countries. The novelty of this study lies in revealing the relationship and significance between the national level of innovation trajectory and the technology level of knowledge flow trajectory. The paper provides implications for the investment of scientific research funds and the choice of cooperative countries in the future. The proposed identification framework of cross-border knowledge flow and innovation trajectory can be applied to other science and technology domains.

The diffusion deficit in scientific and technological power: re-assessing China’s rise

Virtually all scholars recognize that scientific and technological capabilities are becoming increasingly important factors in a nation’s overall power. Unsurprisingly, debates over a possible U.S.–China power transition highlight China’s rise as a science and technology superpower. These discussions overwhelmingly center on national innovation capabilities, reflective of the bias in assessments of scientific and technological capabilities toward the generation of novel advances. This paper argues that these assessments should, instead, place greater weight on a state’s capacity to diffuse, or widely adopt, innovations. Specifically, when there is a significant gap between a rising power’s innovation capacity and its diffusion capacity, relying solely on the former results in misleading appraisals of its potential to sustain economic growth in the long run. I demonstrate this with two historical cases: the U.S. in the Second Industrial Revolution and the Soviet Union in the early postwar period. Lastly, I show that, in contrast to assessments based on innovation capacity, a diffusion-centric approach reveals that China is far from being a science and technology superpower.

Complexity of the Product Innovations in Improvement of the Companies Business Performance

In the 21st century, in the economically developed countries around the globe, the ability of business organizations to innovate their offered products is an important source of their strategic, long-term competitive advantage. Living in a complex and dynamic world, innovation and entrepreneurship are playing crucial role for economic development. New scientific and technological (S&T) revolution is developing rapidly and is breeding new major breakthroughs that will profoundly change the face of the economy and society. The speed of transformation of science and technology applications is accelerating, creating new opportunities for catching up and leapfrogging. Throughout the world, many countries have made strengthening science and technology innovation a national strategy, made investment in science and technology a strategic investment, significantly increased investment in science and technology, and advanced the deployment and development of frontier technologies and strategic industries, implemented major science and technology programs, and made efforts to enhance national innovation capabilities and international competitiveness. Similarly, for enterprises, the achievement of their core competitiveness depends on their ability to innovate their products. This review paper is aiming to reveal the complex nature of the different product innovation types impacts on enterprises business performance, which can be key importance how to shaping their development and innovation strategies. By analysing the impact of different product innovation types, companies can learn about the applicable scenarios and changing trends in the industry for different types of innovation. In addition, by comparing established innovation types with past innovation practices, it is possible to establish a more suitable and practical innovation environment and mindset to improve the competitiveness, market share and economic efficiency of the company.

Does Tourism Matter to National Innovation Capability?

ABSTRACT Tourism is not frequently recognized in national innovation policies, but important innovations have occurred in tourism throughout history. Many countries compete to increase both inbound tourism and national innovation capability. However, tourism policies and innovation policies rarely intersect. Taking a configurational approach and using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis, this article aims to identify combinations of conditions leading to national innovation capability that might include tourism as a contributing condition. The findings show that tourism may have a complementary role in building technology innovation. This builds the case for the integration of tourism in national innovation policies, because tourism interacts with several other areas, leveraging technological innovation. This argument might contribute to change the way tourism is seen by policy-makers and hopefully inform future innovation policy design. Furthermore, it implies that the assessment of tourism innovation might consider potential synergistic effects.

Green energy as a new determinant of green growth in China: The role of green technological innovation

As China attaches great importance to accelerating the energy transition, improving national innovation capability, and achieving green growth, it is essential to investigate the nexus of green energy, technological innovation, and growth (3G). This paper utilizes the system generalized method of moments (SYS-GMM) estimator for exploring the impacts of green energy and green technological innovation on green growth. This paper also investigates the moderating and mediating roles of green technological innovation, heterogeneity, and asymmetry in 3G nexus. Therefore, the following conclusions are highlighted: (1) Green energy and green technological innovation are positively associated with green growth, and green technological innovation can enhance the positive influence of the green energy on growth and further promote sustainable economic development; (2) green technological innovation is a positive mediator in the impact of green energy on growth; (3) the impact of green energy is heterogeneous and asymmetric, while the influence of green technological innovation is consistent. This study highlights several policy implications aimed at enhancing green growth and sustainable development in China.

National innovation systems and dynamic impact of institutional structures on national innovation capability: A configurational approach with the OKID method

Understanding the national innovation capability involves the consideration of a variety of evolving institutional structures within the national innovation system (NIS). The variety of and interactions among institutional structures requires a systemic and dynamic approach to the NIS. In this respect, a configurational approach generates specific configurational conditions of the institutional structures, and offers a comprehensive and integrated approach to deal with the inherently complex and evolving nature of the NIS. In this research, using the Global Innovation Index (GII) data, we employ a fuzzy model with the Observer Kalman filter identification (OKID) method to develop configurational combinations. Our analysis provides a characterization of the impact of specific institutional structures on national innovation capability, while accounting for time and the innovation level of the countries. By explaining which specific institutional structures impact national innovation capability, this study contributes to the design of the innovation systems with a systemic approach and our understanding of which institutional structures to support innovation.

Chinese Provincial Difference in the Efficiency of Universities’ Scientific and Technological Activities Based on DEA with Shared Input

The universities’ scientific and technological activities have become the key link of science and technology and economy, and the core of promoting the national innovation capability and competitiveness. To achieve high-quality development of China’s science and technology, it is of great significance to measure the efficiency of universities’ scientific and technological activities accurately and explore their regional differences. Based on the innovation value chain, we construct a two-stage efficiency measure index system of universities’ scientific and technological activity, and then according to the universities’ statistical data in China from 2010 to 2017, by taking provincial universities as the research object, we exploit a two-stage network DEA model with shared input to measure the provincial efficiency of universities’ scientific and technological activities in China; what is more, we explore the provincial differences in efficiency of universities’ scientific and technological activities. Finally, we extract the influencing factors on the efficiency of universities’ scientific and technological activities using the dynamic panel data model. The results show that there are serious problems in the transformation between knowledge output and results in the universities’ scientific and technological activities. The scientific and technological activities of regional universities in China are not balanced. For provincial universities’ efficiency of scientific and technological activities, there exist great differences among different time and space, stages, and resource utilization modes. The endogenous factors such as policy system and technology service are much more important factors.

Designing a multi-division model of national innovation capability promotion based on social network analysis

PurposeThis study aims to design a national innovation capability appraisal model. This would indicate Iran’s competitiveness situation among regional countries and suggest factors influencing Iran’s performance promotion.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology included four sections: bibliometric analysis to discover intellectual evolution of innovation capability and related concepts; construction of a multi-division structure of national innovation capability according to the clusters extracted from bibliometric results, and experts’ opinions; creating dynamic network data envelope analysis (DEA) according to designed structure, and analysis of Iran’s performance among regional countries; identification and prioritization of the factors extracted from experts’ opinions that improve Iran’s performance in created network using Fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory method.FindingsThe contemporary bibliometric analysis by its extracted clusters proved the necessity of a multi-division for measuring national innovation capability performance that each division and indicators of each step were designed according to clusters concepts. In designed structure, dynamic network DEA results revealed the weakness of Iran’s performance in the third division in the transformation of patents and high-tech imports to high-tech and creative exports, which led to proposing improving factors by getting experts’ opinions to enhance Iran’s performance in this division by prioritizing them.Research limitations/implicationsOne of the limitations of this research was that the indicators used in three phases of national innovation capability in DEA were extracted only from the World Intellectual Property Organization database. Another limitation was the number of experts in focus group sessions because due to the difficulty of gathering them in one session, the researchers lost the participation of some of these recognized experts. Also, the research concentration was on the improvement of the third phase of national innovation capability, in which Iran’s performance was weak.Originality/valueCreating a relationship between the divisions of dynamic network DEA, as a national innovation capability appraisal model, and the concepts of clusters extracted from reviewing the intellectual structure and evolution of innovation capability and related concepts.

IPLSL and IPLSQ: Two types of imputation PLS algorithms for hierarchical latent variable model

In many applications of hierarchical latent variable model, manifest variables could be missing due to various reasons. Improper missing data techniques or data imputation algorithms may lead to incredible data sets and inaccurate estimates. In our paper, we propose two types of imputation partial least square (PLS) algorithms to deal with missing data problems in hierarchical latent variable model. One is the imputation PLS algorithms based on linear regression (IPLSL), the other is the imputation PLS algorithms based on quantile regression (IPLSQ). In IPLSL, we apply the idea of complete case analysis (CC), inverse probability weighting (IPW) and fractional imputation (FI) to one kind of PLS algorithm which is different from the existing repeated indicators approach, two-step approach and hybrid approach. In IPLSQ, we also apply CC, IPW and FI to a modified PLS algorithm based on quantile regression. Compared with IPLSL, IPLSQ has the advantages in capturing overall view of structural relationships at different quantiles and highlighting the changing relations according to the explored quantile of interest. Together with mean and median imputation, we investigate the performances of our IPLSL and IPLSQ algorithms through simulation studies and then apply them to national science and technology innovation capability study based on part of World Bank database and Global Innovation Index report.

Comparative-fuzzy Analysis of National Innovation Capability Based on Results of Dynamic Network DEA Model

در این پژوهش با ارائه چارچوب قابلیت نوآوری ملّی در قالب نظام چندبخشی، یک مدل شبکه‌­ای و پویا معرفی می‌­شود. در این نظام به‌منظور شناسایی مسئله عملکردی کشور، ابتدا با استفاده از تحلیل کتاب‌شناختی و برگزاری جلسه‌های گروه کانونی با خبرگان، مراحل و شاخص­‌های مدل فرایندی، شناسایی و طراحی شدند؛ سپس مدل تحلیل پوششی داده‌­های شبکه‌­ای پویا برای محاسبه عملکرد کشور، در مقایسه با سایر کشورهای منطقه به‌­کار گرفته شد. نتایج مدل نشان داد که قابلیت نوآوری ملّی کشور در مرحله سوم، یعنی در تبدیل پتنت‌­ها به صادرات محصولات با فناوری بالا و کالاهای خلاقانه، ضعیف است. در ادامه به‌منظور ارائه سیاست پیشنهادی در ارتقای عملکرد کشور در مرحله سوم، با استفاده از تحلیل تطبیقی کیفی مجموعه فازی (fsQCA) ترکیبات ابعاد نهادها، سرمایه انسانی و پژوهش، زیرساخت، پیچیدگی بازار و پیچیدگی کسب‌وکار موردبررسی قرار گرفت و برای کالیبره‌‌کردن داده­ها از روش خوشه‌بندی K-MEANS استفاده شد. خروجی تحلیل یادشده نشان داد که ترکیب دو بُعد نهادها و سرمایه انسانی/ پژوهش در ارتقای عملکرد کشور شرط کافی است.

A novel multi-objective mutation flower pollination algorithm for the optimization of industrial enterprise R&D investment allocation

Industrial enterprises are the main body of national scientific and technological innovation activities, and the improvement of their research and development (R&D) output capacity plays a pivotal role in the enhancement of national innovation capabilities. The R&D process is an input–output process, and its results have various forms. In this study, we construct a multi-objective R&D investment allocation optimization model from three dimensions representing China’s innovation capability, and propose a novel multi-objective mutation flower pollination algorithm (MOMFPA) to solve the model. We employ a two paired-sample T-tests to test the difference hypothesis of the model, and the test results show that the model is effective and reasonable. The MOMFPA and the weighting algorithm are respectively used for empirical analysis, and the optimized results obtained by the MOMFPA are found to be better than those obtained by the weighting algorithm, thereby demonstrating the validity and application value of the MOMFPA. Moreover, the multi-objective model is used to predictively optimize China’s future R&D investment. The forecasting results indicate that China should focus on increasing the proportions of R&D investment in high-tech equipment manufacturing and electronic information technology, while reducing the proportions of R&D investment in traditional industries, such as mining, food, paper, and metallurgy.

Development of the evaluation model for national innovation capability

ABSTRACT Science and technology has become a key element in determining the future of national innovation competitiveness. For enhancing the national technology innovation competitiveness, an accurate assessment of the national technology innovation capability is required. National innovation competitiveness has been assessed by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) and the World Economic Forum internationally; however, a comprehensive and systematic analysis is lacking. Classification and ranking belief simplex (CaRBS) is based on the Dempster–Shafer theory of evidence, which allows for a measure of ignorance. A simplex plot method of representing data allows a clear visual representation to the degree of interaction of the support from the variables to the prediction of the objects. To illustrate the proposed approach, CaRBS is applied to the survey data from OECD, IMD, USPTO, ITU and surveyed data reported by the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Evaluation and Planning. As a result, Finland is the highest national innovation capability country among 20 OECD countries. The proposed approach is expected to be useful for evaluating national innovation capability and innovation policymaking.

Regional innovation capability from a technology-oriented perspective: An analysis at industry level

Regional institutions for technology planning are widely recognized as one of the most important actors that make up the regional innovation systems. They help regional firms successfully execute the innovation systems by enabling them to effectively exploit internal and external knowledge. To facilitate their activities, this study analyzes regional innovation capability from a technology-oriented perspective. We first extract co-classification information from patent data and convert it into transaction data. Second, we generate association relationships between technology classes employing association rule mining and then create comprehensive influential spillovers from the generated rules using analytic network process. Finally, we figure out regional sectors that have a comparative advantage by examining gaps between regional and national innovation capability depicted by comprehensive influential spillovers. We expect that this study will contribute to facilitating the regional institutions to identify region-specific industries that have relative competitive advantages and to develop appropriate support strategies for these industries. Furthermore, this study will be a basis for building a systematic support system that aids regional experts in carrying out R&D planning activities due to its quantitative nature.

Assessment of national innovation capabilities of OECD countries using trapezoidal interval type-2 fuzzy ELECTRE III method

PurposeFor a nation to become a superpower, it's scientific and technological advancement is essential. Each country is exploring how to improve themselves in terms of science and technology. The authors analyzed the innovation capabilities of 35 OECD countries that have not recently joined Lithuania.Design/methodology/approachIn recent years, a lot of research work has been done on trapezoidal interval type-2 fuzzy sets (TIT-2 FS), and many research works have been published. The trapezoidal interval type-2 fuzzy set helps effectively to represent the uncertainty comparatively than the type-1 fuzzy set. Taking advantage of this effectiveness, the authors extend the best multi-criteria decision making method (MCDM) for trapezoidal interval type-2 fuzzy sets. Here, ELimination and Choice Expressing REality III (ELECTRE III) method in the trapezoidal interval type-2 fuzzy set environment is proposed.FindingsThis analysis helps to the OECD countries to develop their level of innovation in the criteria. The authors are making this evaluation for the year 2018 based on the 31 criteria. Application of the proposed method expressed by evaluation of the national innovation capability problem. Based on the obtained results, the top five countries are United States, Switzerland, Canada, Germany and Japan.Originality/valueThe authors collected required data from different available data sources like OECD, IMD, USPTO, ITU and surveyed data reported by KISTEP. After collecting all the data from different sources, the authors calculated the standard values as KISTEP. After converting the standard values into trapezoidal interval type-2 fuzzy values, the authors construct a decision matrix based on these values. Then, the authors determined the possibility mean values and preference. Then, they calculated the concordance and discordance credibility degree values. Finally, they ranked OECD countries by the net credibility degree. The results are computed by using the MATLAB software.

Impact of Financial R&D Resource Allocation Efficiency Based on VR Technology and Machine Learning in Complex Systems on Total Factor Productivity

With the development of the globalization of science and technology, innovation has become an important driving force for regional economic development. As a core element of regional innovation, financial R&D resources have also become a key element to enhance national innovation capabilities and national economic competitiveness. National and regional innovation capabilities have a direct impact. There are also many deep-seated problems behind the world-renowned achievements, such as irrational industrial structure, insufficient independent innovation capabilities, low resource utilization efficiency, and the service quality and efficiency of financial institutions for the transformation of total factor productivity. These problems extremely restrict the efficiency upgrade and further development of our country’s total factor productivity. This study uses the DEA-Malmquist index model to measure the efficiency of fiscal R&D resource allocation in 28 provinces and regions in China in the past 10 years and uses Mapinfo12.0 software to analyze regional differences in the efficiency of fiscal R&D resource allocation in China from a spatial perspective. During the year, the overall R&D resource allocation efficiency of 28 provinces and autonomous regions in China has shown an upward trend. The efficiency of fiscal R&D resource allocation and the concentration of financial factors have had a positive impact on total factor productivity, transform and upgrade factors, increase total factor productivity, and provide empirical evidence for building a strong country.