Comparing the innovation strategies of Chinese and European wind turbine firms through a patent lens

Pan, Meijuan; Zhou, Yuan; Zhou, Dillon K.

doi:10.1016/j.eist.2017.12.003

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Patent data were used to analyze the knowledge creation and flow within industries and across national borders [33], [34]. The Derwent Innovation database 5 is used as the data source [35], [36] and the Chinese State Intellectual Property Office database is used as a Chinese patent data source for Chinese and English matching [37]. With enterprises as nodes, citations were used as ties to build a knowledge network.…”

Section: B Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Network Proximity and Communities in Innovation Clusters Across Knowledge, Business, and Geography: Evidence From China

Zhou

Liu

et al. 2021

IEEE Trans. Eng. Manage.

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The notion of proximity for innovation clusters needs to expand compared to traditional agglomeration literature because it involves multiple dimensions such as geography, business, and knowledge; however, limited research probed into thisit requires multidimensional data and novel methods. This article, therefore, proposes a three-layered framework that uses multisource heterogeneous data and network methods to measure the cluster-proximity in innovation clusters, in order to understand better the combined proximity between organizations within/across network communities. First, we developed a threelayered framework to map the network-based innovation cluster by integrating patent citation, business transaction, and geographic data. Second, in the innovation cluster, we identified the network communities in knowledge, business, and geographic layers, respectively. Third, we measured the cluster proximity within/across communities by using a combined index. We selected A City's machine tool sector in China as a case. This article found that machine-tool firms/organizations have higher cluster proximity within geographic communities that are enriched mostly by business connections. In comparison, they have lower cluster proximity across geographic communities, but the proximity is enhanced both by business connections and knowledge linkages. This may imply that knowledge linkages are more important in across-community proximity, and this needs more policy attention.

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Section: B Data Collectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Network Proximity and Communities in Innovation Clusters Across Knowledge, Business, and Geography: Evidence From China

Zhou

Liu

et al. 2021

IEEE Trans. Eng. Manage.

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“…Until recently, the patent lens was frequently used in the literature to characterize knowledge bases [45,[50][51][52]. Patent propensity has long been used as a well-founded proxy for evaluating technological innovations [36].…”

Section: Patent Analysis Methods and Datamentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing the Technology Trajectories of Solar PV and Solar Water Heaters in China: Using a Patent Lens

et al. 2018

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China invests more in renewable energy than any other countries, such as in solar energy. The traditional literature maintains that these government-supported industries are more innovative than grassroots industries such as solar or thermal, which leads to debate. This study uses mixed methods, combining qualitative and quantitative approaches to compare the technology trajectories of leading solar water heater (SWH) and solar photovoltaic (PV) firms in China. It concentrates on the following three aspects: trajectories of key technologies, patent citation network, and type of collaboration. Our analyses show that technology trajectories differ significantly between leading SWH firms and PV firms in China. We find that the Chinese SWH firms are core to international knowledge networks, and are following a market-driven innovation mode. In contrast, Chinese PV firms are close to the center of the network and government-driven. Research suggests that grassroots innovation, by doing, using, and interaction (DUI), can create short-term market development models relying on China's traditional industry model, but cannot create a long-term international leading innovation model; only integrated science, technology, innovation modes (STI), and DUI innovation modes tend to result in international leadership in innovation.Solar PV and SWH are both low-carbon technologies that contribute to China's sustainable development. Yet, they have different technological, economic, and social characteristics and dynamics [7]. China is awakening to the need to fundamentally rethink the innovation pathways by which the two industries are developed and managed, for more effectively solving development bottlenecks, such as a lack of breakthrough innovations in the SWH industry and a lagging domestic market for the PV industry.This study uses mixed methods, combining qualitative and quantitative research approaches to compare the technology trajectories of leading solar water heater (SWH) and solar photovoltaic (PV) firms in China.This paper builds on previous research by Urban et al. [7] and uses patent analysis to examine the innovations of Chinese SWH and solar PV enterprises. Our main goal is to determine to what extent and how the PV and SWH patent knowledge bases differ in China.There is some literature on patent analysis for solar PV development in China [8], but less on SWH, and a knowledge gap exists regarding firm-level [9-11] technology pathways and innovation from a comparative-analysis perspective. According to Hu and Wang [12], 95% of SWH in China has the evacuated tube design. China Greentech Initiative (CGTI) estimates that Chinese firms hold 95% of the patents for core technologies of SWH worldwide [13]. However, academic research underpinning these figures is scarce. To observe the impact of technological innovation on enterprise expansion and market shares, and to provide empirical evidence for policy recommendations, this paper also explores the relationship between sales income and patent degree centrality through em...

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“…The third research stream went beyond focusing on China and drew comparisons between European and Chinese firms in the wind turbine industry (Lema et al, 2016; Pan et al, 2017; Poulsen & Lema, 2017). These studies demonstrate that the innovation paths in Europe (e.g., Germany and Denmark) and Asia (China and India) show signs of convergence (Lema et al, 2016).…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

A cluster analysis of the global wind power industry: Insights for renewable energy business stakeholders and environmental policy decision makers

2022

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In light of an ongoing climate change and an increasing fragility of fossil energy supply due to global political tensions, the adoption of renewable energy sources is of utmost importance for economic and social prosperity. This study targets to endeavor major value chain configurations within the global wind power industry network based on a data set of 326 relationships established by the 10 globally leading wind turbine firms covering a time span of 15 years. We discuss the demand side and provide an overview of the main wind power investment target countries and compare the importance of different regions. On the supply side, we analyze and identify eight important firm clusters within the global wind power business network. Concerning our sample, we elaborate horizontal and vertical relationship links, their collaboration patterns, regional partner preferences, and their value chain competences, thus providing valuable insights into the competitive structures of the wind power industry. By doing so, we open the debate on appropriate and efficient firm strategies within renewable industries. As consequence, we provide robust empirical evidence on global wind power industry architectures and corresponding competitive firm forces for the future. As we found that the industry is currently divided into eight main global industry clusters, our study delivers valuable industry network insights addressing managerial, political, and socioeconomic decision makers in order to secure future ecological and economic prosperity in a challenging world.

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Comparing the innovation strategies of Chinese and European wind turbine firms through a patent lens

Cited by 13 publications

References 19 publications

Network Proximity and Communities in Innovation Clusters Across Knowledge, Business, and Geography: Evidence From China

Network Proximity and Communities in Innovation Clusters Across Knowledge, Business, and Geography: Evidence From China

Comparing the Technology Trajectories of Solar PV and Solar Water Heaters in China: Using a Patent Lens

A cluster analysis of the global wind power industry: Insights for renewable energy business stakeholders and environmental policy decision makers

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