|
|
|
| The Cooperation Mode of Key Generic Technology Innovation Based on Patent Information: An Example from the Biotechnology Industry |
| Li Yang1,Tang Yujie2 |
| (1.School of Management, Henan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450001, China;2.College of Economics and Management, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou 450000, China) |
|
|
|
Abstract Key generic technology has played an important role in the national economic development and breaking the bottleneck of industrial upgrading. As the quasi-public goods, key generic technology has certain risks, such as complexity and unpredictability in research, a long development cycle and negative externality, which lead to inefficiencies and organizational failures in companies. That means it is difficult for a single company or organization to complete the key generic technology innovation independently. In such a context, the R&D cooperation mode which consists of companies, universities, and research institutions, is a useful way to crack the “bottleneck problem” of key generic technology. It is generally accepted that interfirm cooperation and university-institution-research (UIR) are the two major types of R&D cooperation mode, and that cooperation size and technology diversity are the two major characteristics of the key generic technology innovation process. However, existing studies have failed to combine the cooperation types with the cooperation characteristics, and have yet to answer the question of the difference in the impact of the two types of cooperation on key generic technology innovation, and the impact of the cooperation size and technology diversity in different cooperation types. As there is a lack of discussion on the influence mechanisms of interfirm cooperation and UIR on key generic technology innovation, this paper proposes a novel configuration selection model for key generic technology innovation and helps the policy-maker choose the right R&D cooperation mode, avoiding problems like low innovation efficiency and so on.
This paper takes the biotechnology industry as an example,and the reason is that the biotechnology industry is patent-intensive and the patent data can reflect the key generic technology innovation of the biotechnology industry. In addition, due to the technical foundation and interdisciplinary characteristics of biotechnology, R&D cooperation to apply for a patent is generally common in the biotechnology industry. According to the IPC code for identifying biotechnology patents revised by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in 2016, this paper uses a Patyee database to search for patents that were applied by Chinese companies in the biotechnology industry from 1985 to 2021. Then this paper further screens the patent data from 1987 to 2019 by using a 5-year rolling time window. Finally, this paper obtains 108 878 patent data, which includes 12 269 patent data by R&D cooperation (4 099 patents by interfirm cooperation and 8 170 by UIR). It verifies the hypotheses by defining variables and constructing the multiple linear regression model. To further testify the regression results, this paper performs robustness tests based on a 3-year rolling time window by replacing the dependent variable.
The results show that firstly technology cooperation has a positive impact on key generic technology innovation, and UIR has a greater impact. Secondly the cooperation size has no significant positive effect on the key generic technology innovation, but technology diversity has a significant inverted U-shaped effect on the key generic technology innovation. Thirdly the cooperation type moderates the relationship between cooperation size and key generic technology innovation, and weakens the negative effect of technology diversity on key generic technology innovation.
This paper has the following implications for companies and governments on how to construct an R&D cooperation mode for key generic technology. (1) Compared with interfirm R&D cooperation, UIR plays a more positive role in promoting key generic technology innovation. (2) Interfirm R&D cooperation with multiple companies (large, medium, and small companies) on the industrial chain has a positive impact on key generic technology innovation, while UIR with a limited number of organizations plays a greater influence on key generic technology innovation. (3) To meet the needs of industrial upgrading, governments should encourage companies to concentrate their technological advantage, avoiding spanning too many technology fields. But when there is the need to span multiple different technology fields to break through key generic technology, companies should strengthen cooperative relationships with universities and research institutions, alleviating the problems of high communication and management costs.
|
|
Received: 04 January 2022
|
|
|
|
|
|
[1] 虞锡君. 产业集群内关键共性技术的选择——以浙江为例[J]. 科研管理,2006, 27(1): 80-84.
[2] 赵彦飞,王孝炯,王丽. 国家关键技术选择:三维综合指数方法研究[J]. 科学学研究,2021, 39(6): 1015-1025.
[3] 朱桂龙,黄妍. 产学研合作对共性技术研发创新影响的实证检验——以生物技术领域为例[J]. 科技进步与对策,2017, 34(11): 47-54.
[4] 马永红,杨晓萌,孔令凯. 关键共性技术合作网络演化机制研究——以医药产业为例[J]. 科技进步与对策, 2021, 38(8): 60-69.
[5] 周源. 制造范式升级期共性使能技术扩散的影响因素分析与实证研究[J]. 中国软科学,2018,33(1): 19-32.
[6] 郑月龙,王琳. 多企业共性技术合作研发行为的演化动态[J]. 系统工程, 2018, 36(2): 71-79.
[7] 周国华,谭晶菁. 复杂产品装备关键共性技术合作研发模式研究[J]. 科技管理研究, 2018, 38(6): 99-105.
[8] 樊霞,陈双丽. 产学研合作更有利于产业共性技术研发创新吗——对USPTO中国专利数据的实证检验[J]. 科技进步与对策,2016, 33(13): 59-65.
[9] 郑月龙,刘思漫,白春光. 考虑多主体参与的产业共性技术研发模式比较研究[J]. 中国管理科学, 2021, 29(8): 44-56.
[10] 孙福全,李纪珍,顾淑林,等. 如何促进我国产业共性技术的研发[J]. 中国科技论坛,2006,22(5): 3-7.
[11] PARK H W, HONG H D, LEYDESDORFF L. A comparison of the knowledge-based innovation systems in the economies of South Korea and the Netherlands using Triple Helix indicators[J]. Scientometrics, 2005, 65(1): 3-27.
[12] TASSEY G.The disaggregated technology production function: a new model of university and corporate research[J]. Research Policy, 2005, 34(3): 287-303.
[13] YUAN C, LI Y, VLAS C O, et al. Dynamic capabilities, subnational environment, and university technology transfer[J]. Strategic Organization, 2018, 16(1): 35-60.
[14] GOERZEN A. Managing alliance networks: emerging practices of multinational corporations[J]. Academy of Management Perspectives,2005, 19(2): 94-107.
[15] WANG C, SUNG H, CHEN D, et al. Strong ties and weak ties of the knowledge spillover network in the semiconductor industry[J]. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 2017, 118(5): 114-127.
[16] EHLS D, POLIER S, HERSTATT C. Reviewing the field of external knowledge search for innovation: theoretical underpinnings and future (Re-)search directions[J]. Journal of Product Innovation Management,2020, 37(5): 405-430.
[17] KATILA R, AHUJA G. Something old, something new: a longitudinal study of search behavior and new product introduction[J]. Academy of Management Journal,2002, 45(6): 1183-1194.
[18] KNEELAND M K, SCHILLING M A, AHARONSON B S. Exploring uncharted territory: knowledge search processes in the origination of outlier innovation[J]. Organization Science, 2020, 31(3): 535-557.
[19] DEGENER P, MAURER I, BORT S. Alliance portfolio diversity and innovation: the interplay of portfolio coordination capability and proactive partner selection capability[J]. Journal of Management Studies,2018, 55(8): 1386-1422.
[20] WANG C,CHEN M,CHANG C.The double-edged effect of knowledge search on innovation generations[J]. European Journal of Innovation Management,2019, 23(1): 156-176.
[21] O'REILLY N M, ROBBINS P, SCANLAN J. Dynamic capabilities and the entrepreneurial university: a perspective on the knowledge transfer capabilities of universities[J]. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship,2019, 31(3): 243-263.
[22] ZAHRA S A, GEORGE G. Absorptive capacity: a review, reconceptualization, and extension[J]. Academy of Management Review,2002, 27(2): 185-203.
[23] LI Y, TANG Y. A dynamic capabilities perspective on pro-market reforms and university technology transfer in a transition economy[J]. Technovation,2021, 103(5):1-15.
[24] XU L, LI J, ZHOU X. Exploring new knowledge through research collaboration: the moderation of the global and local cohesion of knowledge networks[J]. The Journal of Technology Transfer,2019, 44(3): 822-849.
[25] 栾春娟. 战略性新兴产业共性技术测度指标研究[J]. 科学学与科学技术管理,2012, 33(2): 11-16.
[26] WANG C, RODAN S, FRUIN M, et al. Knowledge networks, collaboration networks, and exploratory innovation[J]. Academy of Management Journal,2014, 57(2): 484-514.
|
|
|
|
