IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/jtecht/v37y2012i6p812-827.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The third mission stalled? Universities in China’s technological progress

Author

Listed:
  • Weiping Wu
  • Yu Zhou

Abstract

This paper outlines China’s progress in developing endogenous capacity for knowledge diffusion and commercialization in the higher education sector. Despite a promising start in the 1980s and early 1990s, academic technology transfer has not kept pace with rapid growth of the country’s overall technological endeavors. But there is evidence of institutional evolution in that university-industry linkages are moving from more hierarchical and rigid forms established under the centrally planned economy into more flexible and market-based arrangements. After probing what underscores the stalling of universities’ new found mission, the paper offers layered policy suggestions on what can be done to overcome the conundrum. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2012

Suggested Citation

  • Weiping Wu & Yu Zhou, 2012. "The third mission stalled? Universities in China’s technological progress," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 37(6), pages 812-827, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:jtecht:v:37:y:2012:i:6:p:812-827
    DOI: 10.1007/s10961-011-9233-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1007/s10961-011-9233-8
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10961-011-9233-8?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. Yu Zhou, 2005. "The Making of an Innovative Region from a Centrally Planned Economy: Institutional Evolution in Zhongguancun Science Park in Beijing," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 37(6), pages 1113-1134, June.
    2. Rebecca Henderson & Adam B. Jaffe & Manuel Trajtenberg, 1998. "Universities As A Source Of Commercial Technology: A Detailed Analysis Of University Patenting, 1965-1988," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 80(1), pages 119-127, February.
    3. Eun, Jong-Hak & Lee, Keun & Wu, Guisheng, 2006. "Explaining the "University-run enterprises" in China: A theoretical framework for university-industry relationship in developing countries and its application to China," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(9), pages 1329-1346, November.
    4. Rodrigo Arocena & Judith Sutz, 2002. "Innovation Systems and Developing Countries," DRUID Working Papers 02-05, DRUID, Copenhagen Business School, Department of Industrial Economics and Strategy/Aalborg University, Department of Business Studies.
    5. Weiping Wu, 2010. "Managing and incentivizing research commercialization in Chinese Universities," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 203-224, April.
    6. Yu Zhou & Yifei Sun & Y. H. Dennis Wei & George C. S. Lin, 2011. "De-centering 'spatial fix'--patterns of territorialization and regional technological dynamism of ICT hubs in China," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 11(1), pages 119-150, January.
    7. Wesley M. Cohen & Richard R. Nelson & John P. Walsh, 2003. "Links and Impacts: The Influence of Public Research on Industrial R&D," Chapters, in: Aldo Geuna & Ammon J. Salter & W. Edward Steinmueller (ed.), Science and Innovation, chapter 4, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    8. Wu, Weiping, 2007. "Cultivating Research Universities and Industrial Linkages in China: The Case of Shanghai," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 35(6), pages 1075-1093, June.
    9. Joanna Poyago-Theotoky & John Beath & Donald S. Siegel, 2002. "Universities and Fundamental Research: Reflections on the Growth of University--Industry Partnerships," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 18(1), pages 10-21, Spring.
    10. Liefner, Ingo & Schiller, Daniel, 2008. "Academic capabilities in developing countries--A conceptual framework with empirical illustrations from Thailand," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 276-293, March.
    11. Hershberg, Eric & Nabeshima, Kaoru & Yusuf, Shahid, 2007. "Opening the Ivory Tower to Business: University-Industry Linkages and the Development of Knowledge-Intensive Clusters in Asian Cities," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 35(6), pages 931-940, June.
    12. Rory O’Shea & Harveen Chugh & Thomas Allen, 2008. "Determinants and consequences of university spinoff activity: a conceptual framework," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 33(6), pages 653-666, December.
    13. Albert N. Link, 2007. "Entrepreneurship, Innovation, and Technological Change," Technical Reports 070716, Brandmeyer Center for Applied Economics, School of Business, University of Kansas.
    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. Aihua Chen & Donald Patton & Martin Kenney, 2016. "University technology transfer in China: a literature review and taxonomy," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 41(5), pages 891-929, October.
    2. Zhiyan Zhao & Anders Broström & Jianfeng Cai, 2020. "Promoting academic engagement: university context and individual characteristics," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 304-337, February.
    3. Yonghua Zou & Wanxia Zhao, 2014. "Anatomy of Tsinghua University Science Park in China: institutional evolution and assessment," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 39(5), pages 663-674, October.
    4. Wang, Wenjing & Lu, Shan, 2021. "University-industry innovation community dynamics and knowledge transfer: Evidence from China," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    5. Christian Fisch & Tobias Hassel & Philipp Sandner & Joern Block, 2015. "University patenting: a comparison of 300 leading universities worldwide," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 40(2), pages 318-345, April.
    6. Yuandi Wang & Jiashun Huang & Yantai Chen & Xiongfeng Pan & Jin Chen, 2013. "Have Chinese universities embraced their third mission? New insight from a business perspective," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 97(2), pages 207-222, November.
    7. Boeing, Philipp & Mueller, Elisabeth & Sandner, Philipp, 2016. "China's R&D explosion—Analyzing productivity effects across ownership types and over time," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(1), pages 159-176.
    8. Lachang Lyu & Weiping Wu & Haipeng Hu & Ru Huang, 2019. "An evolving regional innovation network: collaboration among industry, university, and research institution in China’s first technology hub," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(3), pages 659-680, June.
    9. Gao, Yuchen & Hu, Yimei & Liu, Xielin & Zhang, Huanren, 2021. "Can public R&D subsidy facilitate firms’ exploratory innovation? The heterogeneous effects between central and local subsidy programs," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(4).
    10. Yutao Sun & Chen Zhang & Robert A. W. Kok, 2020. "The role of research outcome quality in the relationship between university research collaboration and technology transfer: empirical results from China," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 122(2), pages 1003-1026, February.
    11. Ingo Liefner & Sabine Jessberger, 2016. "The use of the analytical hierarchy process as a method of comparing innovation across regions: The examples of the equipment manufacturing industries of Shanghai and Xiamen, China," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 48(6), pages 1188-1208, June.

    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. Zhiyan Zhao & Anders Broström & Jianfeng Cai, 2020. "Promoting academic engagement: university context and individual characteristics," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 45(1), pages 304-337, February.
    2. Weiping Wu, 2010. "Managing and incentivizing research commercialization in Chinese Universities," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 35(2), pages 203-224, April.
    3. Yuandi Wang & Jiashun Huang & Yantai Chen & Xiongfeng Pan & Jin Chen, 2013. "Have Chinese universities embraced their third mission? New insight from a business perspective," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 97(2), pages 207-222, November.
    4. Robert Huggins & Shougui Luo & Piers Thompson, 2014. "The competitiveness of China's Leading Regions: Benchmarking Their Knowledge-based Economies," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 105(3), pages 241-267, July.
    5. repec:wip:wpaper:4 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Pluvia Zuniga, 2011. "The State of Patenting at Research Institutions in Developing Countries: Policy Approaches and Practices," WIPO Economic Research Working Papers 04, World Intellectual Property Organization - Economics and Statistics Division, revised Dec 2011.
    7. Aihua Chen & Donald Patton & Martin Kenney, 2016. "University technology transfer in China: a literature review and taxonomy," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 41(5), pages 891-929, October.
    8. Kafouros, Mario & Wang, Chengqi & Piperopoulos, Panagiotis & Zhang, Mingshen, 2015. "Academic collaborations and firm innovation performance in China: The role of region-specific institutions," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(3), pages 803-817.
    9. Banal-Estañol, Albert & Jofre-Bonet, Mireia & Lawson, Cornelia, 2015. "The double-edged sword of industry collaboration: Evidence from engineering academics in the UK," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(6), pages 1160-1175.
    10. Yonghua Zou & Wanxia Zhao, 2014. "Anatomy of Tsinghua University Science Park in China: institutional evolution and assessment," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 39(5), pages 663-674, October.
    11. Ming Chu Leung & John A. Mathews, 2011. "Origins and dynamics of university spin-offs: the case of Hong Kong," International Journal of Transitions and Innovation Systems, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 1(2), pages 175-201.
    12. Isabel Maria Bodas Freitas & Aldo Geuna & Federica Rossi, 2011. "University–Industry Interactions: The Unresolved Puzzle," Chapters, in: Cristiano Antonelli (ed.), Handbook on the Economic Complexity of Technological Change, chapter 11, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    13. Hsu, David W.L. & Yuan, Benjamin J.C., 2013. "Knowledge creation and diffusion of Taiwan's universities: Knowledge trajectory from patent data," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 172-181.
    14. Cornelia Storz & Tobias ten Brink & Na Zou, 2022. "Innovation in emerging economies: How do university-industry linkages and public procurement matter for small businesses?," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(4), pages 1439-1480, December.
    15. Albert Banal-Estañol & Mireia Jofre-Bonet & Cornelia Meissner, 2008. "Theimpact of industry collaboration on research: Evidence from engineering academics in the UK," Economics Working Papers 1190, Department of Economics and Business, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, revised Aug 2010.
    16. Cassiman, Bruno & Veugelers, Reinhilde & Zuniga, Pluvia, 2009. "Diversity of science linkages and innovation performance: some empirical evidence from Flemish firms," Economics Discussion Papers 2009-30, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    17. Michael Roach & Wesley M. Cohen, 2012. "Lens or Prism? Patent Citations as a Measure of Knowledge Flows from Public Research," NBER Working Papers 18292, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    18. Michael Fritsch & Stefan Krabel, 2012. "Ready to leave the ivory tower?: Academic scientists’ appeal to work in the private sector," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 37(3), pages 271-296, June.
    19. Gersbach, Hans & Sorger, Gerhard & Amon, Christian, 2018. "Hierarchical growth: Basic and applied research," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 434-459.
    20. Marie-Laure Cabon-Dhersin & Emmanuelle Taugourdeau, 2015. "Research clusters: How public subsidies matter?," Université Paris1 Panthéon-Sorbonne (Post-Print and Working Papers) hal-01159523, HAL.
    21. Hanna Hottenrott & Cornelia Lawson, 2014. "Research grants, sources of ideas and the effects on academic research," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(2), pages 109-133, March.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    University-industry linkages (UILs); Technology transfer; R&D; Innovation; Higher education reform; China; O33 I23;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • I23 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Higher Education; Research Institutions

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:kap:jtecht:v:37:y:2012:i:6:p:812-827. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    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.