Mutual Evolution of Innovation and Civilization

With the theme of “Mutual evolution of innovation and civilization,” we can talk about the evolution of the Schumpeterian growth paradigm, the relationship between innovation and civilization, the impact of innovation on civilization, and civilization’s guidance on innovation. As for the Schumpeterian growth paradigm, it is widely acknowledged that entrepreneurs dominate the innovations in Schumpeterian economics. The relationship between innovation and civilization can be traced back to agricultural civilization. The economic form is based on self-sufficient agricultural activities mode of production, which can explain the laws of economic operation for most of the history of human civilization. When humankind then entered the industrial society, economic activities were based mainly on the large-scale production of machines, which gradually evolved into an industrial (manufacturing) based economy. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, with the gradual deposition of technological capital, various resources have been gradually shifted from the production of tangible goods to intangible service production. After the middle of the twentieth century, the birth of the computer became an icon. Information produces value, and humankind entered the information civilization. In terms of the influence of civilization on innovation, the main innovation paradigms of each country are different, and the degree of civilization and innovation varies from country to country, so we need a specific analysis. We are not only focusing on the role of innovation in promoting agricultural, industrial, and information civilizations but also on the impact of different civilizations on innovation. We are exploring the two-way mechanism between human civilization and innovation so as to enhance mutual learning and upgrade civilizations.