Technological innovation progress in Central China: a survey to 42 firms

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report a recent technological innovation investigation to the Chinese enterprises with different ownerships. The goal of this research is to discuss whether there are innovation mechanisms in place, and to test the influence of the innovation mechanisms and the government policies to the Chinese enterprises' innovation performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The investigation and analyses are based on a survey to the firms (n=42) from different sectors in central China, for which a research framework and analytical model of firm‐level innovation in China was developed.

Findings

The paper finds that the innovation mechanisms in the Chinese firms are to a certain extent in place, and the market factor has become the driving force for the enterprises' innovation. By using the pooled‐variance t‐test for comparing means, the authors further tested that innovation mechanisms and the government innovation policies have positive influences on the innovation performance of the Chinese enterprises.

Originality/value

The first‐hand technological innovation situation of the Chinese firms are evaluated by the relevant firm leaders (insiders) and analyzed by a Western research team (outsiders), which is of great significance to the Western academic and practitioners.

Citation

Ren, L., Zeng, D. and Krabbendam, K. (2010), "Technological innovation progress in Central China: a survey to 42 firms", Journal of Knowledge-based Innovation in China, Vol. 2 No. 2, pp. 152-170. https://doi.org/10.1108/17561411011054797