IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v161y2022ics0301421521005917.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How latecomers catch up to build an energy-saving industry: The case of the Chinese electric vehicle industry 1995–2018

Author

Listed:
  • Xiong, Jie
  • Zhao, Shuyan
  • Meng, Yan
  • Xu, Lu
  • Kim, Seong-Young

Abstract

This research identifies how windows of opportunity (WOP) emerge and influence the catching up process of the Chinese electric vehicle (EV) industry between 1995 and 2018 by analyzing technological, institutional, and market demand elements of the WOP. Our case study indicates that government policies play a vital role. Along with the development of Chinese EV industry, government policies evolve from initiation to consolidation and finally reposition. Meanwhile, WOP emerge but diverge in their patterns; from institutional to technological and finally to the market demand WOP. Our study further elaborates the interplay of the above-mentioned three kinds of WOP, which provide feedback to the government authorities and work jointly to facilitate the catching up of Chinese EV industry. Based on the evidence of the Chinese EV industry, we continue the discussion of the emergence and interplays of WOP during the industrial catching up in latecomer countries like China, who is eager to build an energy-saving industry. Our case study provides a fine-grained analysis of policy evolution and its role in opening the different kinds of WOP, which eventually contribute to the successful catching up of a latecomer industry. It also offers new insights for policymakers when building a sustainable system.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiong, Jie & Zhao, Shuyan & Meng, Yan & Xu, Lu & Kim, Seong-Young, 2022. "How latecomers catch up to build an energy-saving industry: The case of the Chinese electric vehicle industry 1995–2018," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:161:y:2022:i:c:s0301421521005917
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112725
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421521005917
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.enpol.2021.112725?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Lee, Keun & Lim, Chaisung, 2001. "Technological regimes, catching-up and leapfrogging: findings from the Korean industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 30(3), pages 459-483, March.
    2. Samira Guennif & Shyama V. Ramani, 2012. "Explaining divergence in catching-up in pharmaceuticals between India and Brazil using the National System Innovation framework," Post-Print hal-01345868, HAL.
    3. Qiu, Yueming & Ortolano, Leonard & David Wang, Yi, 2013. "Factors influencing the technology upgrading and catch-up of Chinese wind turbine manufacturers: Technology acquisition mechanisms and government policies," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 305-316.
    4. Yap, Xiao-Shan & Truffer, Bernhard, 2019. "Shaping selection environments for industrial catch-up and sustainability transitions: A systemic perspective on endogenizing windows of opportunity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 1030-1047.
    5. Shuyan Zhao & Seong-Young Kim & Han Wu & Jie Yan & Jie Xiong, 2019. "Closing the gap: the Chinese electric vehicle industry owns the road," Post-Print hal-03004555, HAL.
    6. Jun-Youn Kim & Tae-Young Park & Keun Lee, 2013. "Catch-Up by Indigenous Firms in the Software Industry and the Role of the Government in China: A Sectoral System of Innovation (SSI) Perspective," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 3(1), pages 100-120, June.
    7. Shin, Jang-Sup, 2017. "Dynamic catch-up strategy, capability expansion and changing windows of opportunity in the memory industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 404-416.
    8. Lee, Keun & Malerba, Franco, 2017. "Catch-up cycles and changes in industrial leadership:Windows of opportunity and responses of firms and countries in the evolution of sectoral systems," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 338-351.
    9. Rasmus Lema & Xiaolan Fu & Roberta Rabellotti, 2020. "Green windows of opportunity: latecomer development in the age of transformation toward sustainability," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 29(5), pages 1193-1209.
    10. Franco Malerba & Richard Nelson, 2011. "Learning and catching up in different sectoral systems: evidence from six industries," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 20(6), pages 1645-1675, December.
    11. Jie Xiong & Ke Wang & Jie Yan & Lu Xu & Han Huang, 2021. "The window of opportunity brought by the COVID-19 pandemic : an ill wind blows for digitalisation leapfrogging," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) hal-03395445, HAL.
    12. Kang, Hyo & Song, Jaeyong, 2017. "Innovation and recurring shifts in industrial leadership: Three phases of change and persistence in the camera industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 376-387.
    13. Yuan Zhou & Zhongzhen Miao & Frauke Urban, 2020. "China’s leadership in the hydropower sector: identifying green windows of opportunity for technological catch-up," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 29(5), pages 1319-1343.
    14. Shuyan Zhao & Seong-Young Kim & Han Wu & Jie Yan & Jie Xiong, 2019. "Closing the gap: the Chinese electric vehicle industry owns the road," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) hal-03004555, HAL.
    15. Guennif, Samira & Ramani, Shyama V., 2012. "Explaining divergence in catching-up in pharma between India and Brazil using the NSI framework," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 41(2), pages 430-441.
    16. Gungah, Aarti & Emodi, Nnaemeka Vincent & Dioha, Michael O., 2019. "Improving Nigeria's renewable energy policy design: A case study approach," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 89-100.
    17. Jie Xiong & Ke Wang & Jie Yan & Lu Xu & Han Huang, 2021. "The window of opportunity brought by the COVID-19 pandemic : an ill wind blows for digitalisation leapfrogging," Post-Print hal-03395445, HAL.
    18. Giovanni Dosi & Christopher Freeman & Richard Nelson & Gerarld Silverberg & Luc Soete (ed.), 1988. "Technical Change and Economic Theory," LEM Book Series, Laboratory of Economics and Management (LEM), Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy, number dosietal-1988, November.
    19. Axsen, Jonn & Orlebar, Caroline & Skippon, Stephen, 2013. "Social influence and consumer preference formation for pro-environmental technology: The case of a U.K. workplace electric-vehicle study," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 96-107.
    20. Du, Jiuyu & Ouyang, Minggao & Chen, Jingfu, 2017. "Prospects for Chinese electric vehicle technologies in 2016–2020: Ambition and rationality," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 584-596.
    21. Moosup Jung & Keun Lee, 2010. "Sectoral systems of innovation and productivity catch-up: determinants of the productivity gap between Korean and Japanese firms," Industrial and Corporate Change, Oxford University Press and the Associazione ICC, vol. 19(4), pages 1037-1069, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Lu Xu & Jie Xiong & Jie Yan & Richard Soparnot & Zhe Yuan, 2023. "Technological Uncertainty and Catch-Up Patterns: Insights of Four Chinese Manufacturing Sectors," Post-Print hal-04011634, HAL.
    2. Khatua, Apalak & Ranjan Kumar, Rajeev & Kumar De, Supriya, 2023. "Institutional enablers of electric vehicle market: Evidence from 30 countries," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    3. Charles Lincoln Kenji Yamamura & Harmi Takiya & Cláudia Aparecida Soares Machado & José Carlos Curvelo Santana & José Alberto Quintanilha & Fernando Tobal Berssaneti, 2022. "Electric Cars in Brazil: An Analysis of Core Green Technologies and the Transition Process," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-19, May.
    4. Lu Xu & Jie Xiong & Jie Yan & Richard Soparnot & Zhe Yuan, 2023. "Technological Uncertainty and Catch-Up Patterns: Insights of Four Chinese Manufacturing Sectors," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) hal-04011634, HAL.
    5. Lee Branstetter & Guangwei Li, 2024. "The Challenges of Chinese Industrial Policy," Entrepreneurship and Innovation Policy and the Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 3(1), pages 77-113.
    6. Yu, Liukai & Zheng, Junjun & Ma, Gang & Jiao, Yangyang, 2023. "Analyzing the evolution trend of energy conservation and carbon reduction in transportation with promoting electrification in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PD).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Na Zhang & Chao Sun & Min Xu & Xuemei Wang & Jia Deng, 2023. "Catching Up of Latecomer Economies in ICT for Sustainable Development: An Analysis Based on Technology Life Cycle Using Patent Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-29, June.
    2. Lei Guo & Marina Yue Zhang & Mark Dodgson & David Gann & Hong Cai, 2019. "Seizing windows of opportunity by using technology-building and market-seeking strategies in tandem: Huawei’s sustained catch-up in the global market," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 36(3), pages 849-879, September.
    3. Lee, Keun & Malerba, Franco, 2017. "Catch-up cycles and changes in industrial leadership:Windows of opportunity and responses of firms and countries in the evolution of sectoral systems," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 338-351.
    4. Kwak, Kiho & Kim, Namil, 2022. "Industrial Leadership Changes without Technological Discontinuity: Modularization, Institution-Led Market Discontinuity, and Market Development Strategy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    5. Li, Daitian & Malerba, Franco, 2024. "Technological change and the evolution of the links across sectoral systems: The case of mobile communications," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    6. Yuzhe Miao & Jaeyong Song & Keun Lee & Chuyue Jin, 2018. "Technological catch-up by east Asian firms: Trends, issues, and future research agenda," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 35(3), pages 639-669, September.
    7. Lu Xu & Jie Xiong & Jie Yan & Richard Soparnot & Zhe Yuan, 2023. "Technological Uncertainty and Catch-Up Patterns: Insights of Four Chinese Manufacturing Sectors," Post-Print hal-04011634, HAL.
    8. Si Zhang & Shirong Gu & Yuxuan Tang, . "How does policy create an opportunity window for China’s digital economy?," UNCTAD Transnational Corporations Journal, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    9. Lu Xu & Jie Xiong & Jie Yan & Richard Soparnot & Zhe Yuan, 2023. "Technological Uncertainty and Catch-Up Patterns: Insights of Four Chinese Manufacturing Sectors," Grenoble Ecole de Management (Post-Print) hal-04011634, HAL.
    10. Giachetti, Claudio & Mensah, Deborah Tiniwah, 2023. "Catching-up during technological windows of opportunity: An industry product categories perspective," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).
    11. Landini, Fabio & Lee, Keun & Malerba, Franco, 2017. "A history-friendly model of the successive changes in industrial leadership and the catch-up by latecomers," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 431-446.
    12. Yuanyang Teng & Yicun Li & Xiaobo Wu, 2024. "Exploring the mechanism of path-creating strategy for latecomers: a combined approach of econometrics and causal machine learning," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-18, December.
    13. Deyu Li & Floor Alkemade & Koen Frenken & Gaston Heimeriks, 2023. "Catching up in clean energy technologies: a patent analysis," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 48(2), pages 693-715, April.
    14. Minaee, Mohammadreza & Elahi, Shaban & Majidpour, Mehdi & Manteghi, Manoochehr, 2021. "Lessons learned from an unsuccessful “catching-up” in the automobile industry of Iran," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    15. Soltanzadeh, Javad & Rahmani, Soma & Majidpour, Mehdi, 2024. "Technological catch-up in the Iranian steel industry: Integrating regime-based and complex product systems approaches," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    16. Tiago Couto Porto & Keun Lee & Sunil Mani, 2021. "The US–Ireland–India in the catch-up cycles in IT services: MNCs, indigenous capabilities and the roles of macroeconomic variables," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 11(1), pages 59-82, March.
    17. Ramani, Shyama V. & Urias, Eduardo, 2018. "When access to drugs meets catch-up: Insights from the use of CL threats to improve access to ARV drugs in Brazil," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(8), pages 1538-1552.
    18. Lee, Keun & Ki, Jee-hoon, 2017. "Rise of latecomers and catch-up cycles in the world steel industry," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 365-375.
    19. Giachetti, Claudio & Marchi, Gianluca, 2017. "Successive changes in leadership in the worldwide mobile phone industry: The role of windows of opportunity and firms’ competitive action," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 352-364.
    20. Paulo N. Figueiredo & Janaina Piana, 2021. "Technological learning strategies and technology upgrading intensity in the mining industry: evidence from Brazil," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 46(3), pages 629-659, June.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:161:y:2022:i:c:s0301421521005917. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/enpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.