Technological Innovation Systems Research Articles

An Evaluation Scheme Driven by Science and Technological Innovation—A Study on the Coupling and Coordination of the Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation-Economy-Ecology Complex System in the Yangtze River Basin of China

This study focuses on 19 provinces in the Yangtze River Basin of China. It gathers relevant data indicators from 2010 to 2021 and constructs an evaluation index system centered on agricultural science and technology innovation. The study evaluates the relationship between agricultural “science and technology innovation-economy-ecology” systems and identifies key obstacle factors using the obstacle degree model. The study draws the following conclusions: Firstly, the comprehensive development level index of the agricultural science and technology innovation system shows an overall linear upward trend (values range from 0.121 to 0.382). Secondly, the comprehensive development level index of the agricultural economic system exhibits an upward trend but with a relatively small overall magnitude (values range from 0.248 to 0.322). Thirdly, the comprehensive development level index of the agricultural ecological system demonstrates significant overall fluctuations, with notable regional disparities (values range from 0.384 to 0.414). Fourthly, the overall agricultural SEE (Science and technological innovation, Economy, Ecology) complex system exhibits a characteristic of “high coupling, low coordination”, identifying the main obstacle factors influencing agricultural SEECS based on a formulated approach. Subsequently, the following policy recommendations are proposed: Firstly, enhance the agricultural technological innovation system and promote green and efficient agricultural technology research and development. Secondly, to accelerate the transformation and upgrading of modern agriculture, achieving green and high-quality development of the agricultural economy. Thirdly, to strengthen agricultural ecological environment protection, laying a solid foundation for the healthy and sustainable development of agriculture.

Developing a functional framework for the rural technological innovation system; Emphasizing the irrigation systems in a rural community of central Iran

ABSTRACT Technological innovation systems have mostly been studied in cities and focused on specific technologies. As the villages are comparatively different in scale and socioeconomic and technical characteristics, the functional expectations of technology in rural environments are also different. In this regard, this study aims to identify the functions of the Rural Technological Innovation System (RTIS) in irrigation systems of rural areas in Taft County, central Iran. Applying the Grounded Theory Method, the research is conducted qualitatively. Data was gathered primarily, by interviewing the managers and experts of water, agriculture, and technology. Results identified 12 functions for RTIS, the Seven are overlapped with the functions previously proposed for other TISs. New distinct ones are ‘guaranteeing spatio-social justice’, ‘continuous monitoring and choosing appropriate technology’, ‘accountability and transparency’, ‘Positive imagery and raising hope’ and ‘ensuring sustainability and enhancing effectiveness’. Identifying the functions an RTIS should have, revealed some deficiencies the studied villages face in developing innovation and technology that are expected to be resolved by implementing an RTIS.

Job destruction or job creation?: Evidence from carbon emission trading policies

Based on the panel data of 285 cities in China from 2007 to 2019, this paper constructs a theoretical framework to analyze the employment effect of carbon emission trading policy, and quantitatively evaluates the effectiveness, decomposition effect and influence mechanism of carbon emission trading policy on employment based on PSM-DID method. The study shows that the carbon emissions trading policy has a positive impact on the level of urban employment while producing significant environmental governance effects, and that its positive impact on employment in the pilot cities stems from the negative effect of reducing employment destruction rather than from the positive effect of increasing the job-creating effect. Carbon emissions trading policy promotes employment in the pilot cities through structural transformation effects, specifically through the three paths of green technology innovation, energy structure optimization and industrial structure upgrading. At the same time, the impact of the policy on employment varies significantly across cities of different locations, sizes and resource endowments. The study proposes that the construction of the national carbon market should be accelerated, a market-oriented green technology innovation system should be constructed, the optimization of the energy structure and the upgrading of the industrial structure should be promoted, and training in employment skills should be strengthened. The theoretical analysis of this study provides a theoretical basis for the micro-mechanism of carbon emissions trading policy, and the empirical results provide practical reference for the change of employment structure and the high-quality development of employment.

Fighting Malaria Sustainably: An Investigation of the Innovation System for Biobased Malaria Repellents in East Africa

This paper investigates a biobased innovation system producing a catnip plant-based mosquito repellent developed to fight malaria in East Africa. We adopt a technological innovation system (TIS) methodology. Previous studies on TIS in the global south emphasized innovation diffusion, rather than development. In contrast, we study the catnip-based mosquito repellents in East Africa, a R&D and innovation driven TIS. Our results highlight the potential of innovation development in East Africa by demonstrating strong TIS functions such as entrepreneurial activity, knowledge sharing, and legitimacy building. However, the TIS functions, market creation, resource mobilisation and policy guidance were relatively weak. This suggests that the innovation challenges in East Africa are not always related to a lack of knowledge generation or entrepreneurial capabilities, but more due to a structural feature such as lack of finance, resources, and supportive policies. Our study also demonstrates how local bio-entrepreneurs benefit from business incubation through regional cooperation.

From local markets to global legitimacy: A materialization perspective on technological innovation system's dynamics

The Technological Innovation Systems (TIS) literature has made considerable strides in exploring the spatial aspect of technological innovation dynamics over the past decade. Abandoning the purely national focus on TISs, scholars have theorized TIS dynamics simultaneously along multiple geographical scales, such as regional, national, and global. Yet, the conceptual and empirical insights on the local scale of TISs have been limited. This paper elaborates a local spatial perspective on TISs and elucidates how the local scale interacts with broader scales through structural couplings. We use technological materialization to define the local scale and illustrate our perspective with a case study on a local biorefining TIS evolution in France. Using event-history analysis, we explore how the local scale evolved through functional interactions both within and across the local and broader scales. The results reveal shifting configurations of TIS functions and their interactions at various scales in different periods: while the local scale was characterized by materialization of biorefining technology and local market formation, broader scales played more versatile roles by providing resources to, forming end markets for, and establishing the legitimacy of the local scale. Policy should promote biorefinery-internal markets through technological materialization and disseminate local success stories at broader scales.

Analysis of the functional dynamics of innovation for inclusive development systems: An event history analysis of the Nigerian growth enhancement support scheme

Several studies have explored and examined the performance of technological innovation systems by assessing the functional dynamics. However, few studies have examined this in the context of innovation for inclusive development systems (I4IDS). This paper, therefore, aims to contribute to the conceptual and methodological basis of the functional dynamics of I4IDS by analysing Nigeria's Growth Enhancement Support (GES) Scheme. This paper seeks answers to the following questions: How can the functions of innovation systems be used to analyse the dynamics of I4IDS? What inducement and blocking mechanisms determine the evolution of I4IDS? and Which motors of innovation can be identified within the domain of I4IDS? This article uses a qualitative and empirical approach, the event history analysis, to explore how the GES Scheme's structural and functional components interact within the innovation system framework. By using events as the unit of analysis, we identify and map the functions, analyse the interactions, and build a narrative that examines over time, the functional dynamics of I4IDS. Through this, it becomes practicable to assess the different forms of cumulative causation and how these influence the build-up or breakdown of I4IDS, as well as identify the dominant forms of cumulative causation (motors) in each episode. As a contribution to knowledge, the trend pattern is depicted by the giver-receiver-participate framework while the typology of motors of innovation literature is expanded to a new motor relevant to the I4IDS context: demand-pull motor. We believe that the use of motors of innovation in the I4IDS context will contribute to the theoretical underpinnings of the emerging literature on the systemic evaluation of innovation systems.

The middle-income trap and the middle-technology trap in Latin America–practice comparison based on East Asian perspective

Most Latin American countries entered the ranks of middle-income levels almost simultaneously with Japan and South Korea. However, while Japan and South Korea embarked on the path of economic development through technological innovation and industrial upgrading, Latin America fell into the middle-income trap. By examining the history of industrial and technological development in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico, three representative countries in Latin America, this paper finds that the fundamental reasons for Latin America falling into the middle-income trap lie in the tension between the choice of industrialization path and primitive accumulation, as well as the institutional deficiencies in technology and industrial development. Latin America, which has fallen into the middle-income trap, finds it hard to upgrade its technology and is trapped in premature industrialization and the middle-technology trap. It can be said that Latin America has fallen into a double trap, which reinforces each other and forms a solid trap pattern. The warning from the Latin American experience is that late-developing countries need to maintain an open attitude during the process of technological catching up, build a complete technological innovation system, enhance industrial and technological governance capabilities, and seize the window of opportunity for technological and industrial upgrading. Otherwise, there is a significant risk of falling into the middle-income trap and even the double trap.

Strategic connectivity in 5G and 6G and remote surgery: The case of Germany

This article addresses the topic of 5G and 6G as a Technological Innovation System (TIS) along with the industrial application of Remote Surgery as an empirical case, exploring three main contributions. Firstly, this research contributes to the connection of the Technological Innovation Systems perspective and 5G and 6G networks in a quantitative viewpoint at national and international levels. Secondly, it contributes to Knowledge Production (F2) and Diffusion (F3) studies through Bibliometrics and software uses. Third, it contributes to the studies of a connection in 5G and 6G networks in the Remote Surgery empirical case application on TIS analytical background. Methodologically, the research problem of this study is to explore the R&D capacity in 5G and 6G TIS concerning the applicability of Remote Surgery worldwide and, consequently, in Germany. The general objective is to improve the industrial relevance of Remote Surgery through quantifying publications and patents and the collaborative networks in these domains. According to publications and patent data, the results reveal a crucial R&D map of Germany until 2021.

Delivering sustainable development via social innovation: Cases of social entrepreneurship in South Korea and Singapore

AbstractSocial innovation is a useful mechanism to address unmet needs in local societies and tackle wicked problems through innovative products and services. Policymakers and practitioners have increasingly become interested in effective policies and strategies for facilitating social innovation to deliver sustainable development; however, a lack of coherent analytical framework persists. To address this gap, we propose the Social Innovation System framework, by adapting the Technological Innovation Systems approach widely used in innovation management and policy. Providing a holistic and comprehensive perspective to explore complex interactions among different actors and institutions involved in social innovation, our framework allows more systematic understanding of the development of social entrepreneurship and relevant ecosystems. We employ this framework to analyze social innovation ecosystems in South Korea and Singapore. The results indicate systemic challenges to overcome owing to the collective and interactive nature of social innovation.

Chinese New System for Mobilizing Resources Nationwide: Background Study, Theoretical Transmutation and Process Analysis

The establishment of a new national system focused on breakthroughs in core technologies is a crucial step in perfecting the scientific and technological innovation system and enhancing the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system. This study systematically examines the new national system, delving into its theoretical characteristics, historical evolution, and global perspectives. It provides insights into the contemporary context, theoretical transformations, and historical experiences surrounding this system, highlighting its significance and implications for national development.

The political economy of mini-grid electricity development and innovation in Kenya

Accessible and affordable energy services are a prerequisite for socioeconomic growth and poverty reduction. Yet it is estimated that 600 million people in sub-Saharan Africa will not have access to electricity in 2030. Recent research suggests that universal access to electricity will be achieved through a mix of centralized and decentralized systems and that the diffusion of these technologies is a socio-technical process involving multiple actors. These actors include firms, networks, energy users, and government agencies that interact within a political landscape to deliver innovation within energy service systems. Thus, factors related to the political economy can impact the process of innovation and warrant analysis. This study aims to provide an analysis of the political economy factors that can influence the emergence of mini grid electricity development in the African context exemplified in Kenya as a case study. The study uses the Technology Innovation Systems (TIS) lens as an analytical framework to provide a critical analysis of how political economy factors have influenced the development of mini grid electricity in Kenya. The result shows that despite the presence of some favorable conditions for innovation, political economy factors significantly impede the deployment of mini grids in Kenya. Power and vested interests have created negative competition between public and private developers, limiting knowledge and information diffusion between actors and stalling mini grid developments where they are most needed.

The role of financial literacy in enhancing firm’s sustainable performance through Fintech adoption: a moderated mediation analysis

Purpose This study aims to explore the intricate relationship between financial literacy, digital transformation, Fintech adoption, competitiveness and sustainable firm performance, particularly focusing on how financial literacy empowers firms in the evolving digital landscape. Leveraging technological innovation systems (TIS) and resource-based view (RBV), this research suggests a model that incorporates these concepts, focusing on the moderating role of financial literacy in essential interactions. Design/methodology/approach This study employed a survey-based methodology, collecting data from employees across five major Pakistani banks. The survey yielded 426 responses, from which 387 valid ones were selected for analysis. The analysis utilized partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), complemented by the Hayes Process Model for moderated mediation analysis. This approach ensured robust examination of the relationships between the constructs of the proposed model. Findings The study's findings validate that digital transformation significantly enhances sustainable performance, with Fintech adoption and competitiveness acting as crucial mediators. Financial literacy is highlighted as a key moderator, influencing the effects of digital transformation on Fintech adoption and competitiveness, although its direct impact on sustainable performance is less pronounced. This comprehensive analysis underscores the complex interplay among these factors in driving sustainable performance in the banking sector. Originality/value This research enriches the theoretical and practical comprehension of how digital transformation and Fintech integration, underpinned by financial literacy, bolster sustainable business outcomes. It sheds light on the synergy between technology, strategy and organizational success, offering key insights for the banking industry's navigation through the digital era's challenges.

Blockchain unlocking collaborative opportunities for environmental sustainability through innovation intermediaries

AbstractThis paper delves into the growing need for collaborative technological solutions to address environmental challenges, with a focus on the underexplored potential of Industry 4.0 technologies, in particular as regards blockchain technology (BCT) in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Recognizing the obstacles faced by SMEs when embracing green and digital transformation, this research aims to investigate how innovation intermediaries are able to unlock the collaborative potential of BCT for SMEs so as to enhance their environmental sustainability. When assessing and analysing the role of innovation intermediaries, we have also considered their interconnections and interactions with other actors: universities, government institutions and firms (the so-called “stakeholders”). Our research is based on a multiple case study of a still largely unexplored intermediary in the European context, the digital innovation hub (DIH), which extends the applicability of the technological innovation system framework. This approach contributes to research both on innovation intermediaries and on the development of collaborative partnerships for digitalization. The findings reveal the challenges encountered by DIHs, particularly in legitimizing BCT-based solutions. To address these, identified, weaknesses, the paper proposes a conceptual roadmap aimed at improving collaboration among DIHs, SMEs, and their stakeholders. This roadmap outlines three essential functions: enabling, core, and facilitating effective partnerships and innovation processes.

CCS technological innovation system dynamics in Norway

CO2 Capture and Storage (CCS) is today seen as a key technology to cut carbon emissions in many hard-to-abate sectors such as energy-intensive processing industries and the waste sector. Although CO2 capture is technically possible, key challenges for realizing CCS persist. Over the past decade, CCS has taken a new direction with more focus on application in energy-intensive industries rather than the energy sector. For CCS value chains to materialize, innovation and implementation thus needs to occur amongst an array of actors, with different innovation modes, institutions, and policy regimes, and with varying sectoral capacities for adaptation and change. There has so far been limited social science research on CCS innovation dynamics, which we suggest approaching as a socio-technical change process. To better understand this process, we draw on the sustainability transitions research field and employ the Technological Innovation System (TIS) framework to study the CCS innovation system in Norway. We find that, overall, the Norwegian CCS TIS displays systemic weaknesses for example in the form of market formation and resource mobilization, yet recent developments suggest a relatively positive momentum for this technological field which is key to meeting Norwegian and global climate mitigation targets.

A Study on the Impact of ESG Ratings on the Innovation Capability of Chinese-Listed Companies

According to the report "Global Innovation Index 2023" released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), China's global innovation index(GII)ranks 12th, indicating that the government must speed up the construction of the technological innovation system. Enterprises also need to increase investment in innovation. At the same time, enterprises inevitably face the issue of sustainable development. ESG rating is an indicator to measure the ability of sustainable development and the potential of enterprises. In recent years, the Chinese government has advocated a new concept of high-quality development, which is positively aligned with the ESG concept. However, some companies also believe that the ESG concept is a policy requirement and rule limitation and cannot improve the competitiveness of the enterprise. At the same time, domestic scholars lack research on ESG, mainly on the relationship between ESG and financial indicators. This article selects listed companies from 2013 to 2022 as research samples to study the relationship between ESG ratings and patent applications, conduct regression analysis, and clarify the positive effect of ESG indicators on the innovation ability of enterprises. At the same time, heterogeneity testing is conducted for different market sizes, and this promoting effect is more significant for large-scale enterprises. The conclusion provides direction for further promoting the implementation of ESG concepts in enterprises. The government, society, and enterprises should all play their roles to jointly promote the high-quality development of enterprises.

Research on the Impact of Environmental Protection Tax on Green Technology Innovation of Enterprises

Research on the Impact of Environmental Protection Tax on Green Technology Innovation of Enterprises

Coordination between scientific and technological innovation and the high-quality development of Baijiu industry: The coupling and decoupling perspective.

The Baijiu industry is a significant contributor to both the food industry and the light industry. Its high tax characteristics effectively promote the sustainable development of the regional economy. First, the evaluation index system of scientific and technological innovation (STI) and high-quality development of Baijiu industry (HQDBI) were constructed. The entropy-improved CRITIC method was used to measure the weights. Second, the coordination relationship and evolution trend of STI and HQDBI were explored using the coupling coordination model and the Tapio decoupling model. Then, the transfer law and key influencing factors were further investigated using the Markov chain and grey correlation, respectively. The main contribution is the dynamic evolution of the coupling and decoupling relationships from the perspective of multiple Baijiu provinces, and deeply depicts the coordination relationship and evolutionary trends of STI and HQDBI. The results show that: the spatial distribution of the coupling coordination degree shows high values in the east-west and low values in the north-south characteristics. In 2021, a pattern of coordinated development in Baijiu provinces has emerged along the Yangtze River basin. The decoupling state is mainly strong decoupling, but it remains poor in Shanxi. The coordination process is unstable and difficult to achieve leapfrog development. Coordination, sustainability and innovation environment have a greater impact on the coordination of subsystems.

Correlation between Scientific and Technological Achievements of Universities and Regional Innovation System in Ensuring Sustainable Economic Development at the Meso Level

The transformation of scientific and technological achievements of universities is of great importance for regional economic development and the development of scientific and technological innovation. Based on three aspects — the input of innovative resources, the output of scientific and technological achievements and the transformation of scientific and technological achievements — this study selected 13 indicators, such as scientific and technical expenditures, the number of scientific and technical personnel, the results of publication activities, intellectual activity, patents, contracts and income from the transformation of scientific and technological achievements, to build an indicator system for the transformation of scientific and technological achievements of colleges and universities; at the same time 7 indicators were selected, such as the number of scientific and technological personnel, funding, the number of patents and scientific and technological business-incubators, to build a regional system for assessing scientific and technical potential, a system for assessing regional scientific and technical innovation potential. Based on the factor analysis method, the transformation scores of scientific and technological achievements of universities and regional scientific and technological innovations in each region of China in 2019–2021 were calculated; secondly, using the Coupling coordination degree model, the degree of relationship and coordination between the university system of transformation of scientific and technological achievements and the regional scientific and technological innovation system in different regions of China was calculated. The study showed that the level of scientific and technological achievements is uneven and not high; points of innovative development of Chinese regions have been identified. Thus, the transformation of scientific and technological achievements of universities is a necessary path for the scientific, technological and economic development of regions, when it is necessary to combine the needs of regional development, take measures to strengthen support for scientific and technological personnel, create platforms for sharing resources, and improve policies in the field of intellectual property in order to promote the industrialization of scientific and technological achievements, promote regional scientific and technological innovations and develop regional industry.

Analysis and Exploration of Achievement Transformation Models in Chinese and Japanese Universities

With the global economy entering the knowledge economy era, technological innovation has become the core driving force for the development of various countries. Only by transforming technological achievements into goods or services can their economic and social value be truly realized. Especially in developing countries like China, whether technological achievements can be quickly and effectively transformed into real productivity is of decisive significance for economic growth, industrial upgrading, and international competitiveness enhancement. The outline of China's 14th Five Year Plan proposes to accelerate the construction of a strong country in science and technology and enhance the country's capacity for scientific and technological innovation. Universities, as the main base for talent cultivation and the main force of the national scientific and technological innovation system, should become an important platform for achievement transformation. However, the conversion rate of patent achievements in Chinese universities has always been low. This article reviews and draws on Japan's experience and practices in promoting achievement conversion, and explores new models of achievement conversion that are suitable for China's national conditions.

Actors and sectors in technological innovation systems: patterns of knowledge development in the field of second generation biorefineries

ABSTRACT This paper investigates the relationships between a focal technological innovation system (TIS), its surrounding sectors, and other TISs, through a value chain perspective. We examine how firm actors from sectors with different value chain positioning contribute to the function of the knowledge development in an emerging TIS. By assigning patents to value chain steps in the context of second generation biorefinery technologies, our findings indicate that sectors differ in their knowledge generation patterns in the focal TIS, and that multiple sectors can contribute to knowledge development along the whole TIS value chain. We also differentiate four types of TIS actors based on the way they develop new knowledge to approach the focal TIS: (1) actors from existing sectors that directly enter the focal TIS; (2) diversifying actors that enter the focal TIS but also its adjacent TISs; (3) actors dedicated to the innovation niche; and (4) actors that emerge and operate solely in the focal TIS.