关键词: 多维邻近性, 产学研合作, 互动学习, 技术创新阶段

Abstract:

With the growing importance of University-Industry cooperative innovation (U-I cooperative innovation) in regional innovation, there is an increasing concern over the factors influencing U-I cooperative innovation. While U-I cooperative innovation features a process of knowledge transfer, multi-dimensional proximity is an appropriate analytical perspective to study the influencing factors of U-I cooperative innovation. This paper argues that geographical proximity, cognitive proximity and social proximity are essential elements of a conceptual framework for the analysis of U-I cooperative innovation, which contains heterogeneous organization. As such multi-dimensional proximities represent an important factor in the promotion of U-I cooperative innovation, interactive learning has been proved to be the way to realize knowledge transfer under the influence of multi-dimensional proximities for cooperative subjects—since frequent and continuous interaction between U-I cooperative subjects can enhance the level of U-I cooperation. By constructing a theoretical framework of "Multi-dimensional proximities, geographical proximity and related proximities→Interactive learning→Level of cooperation", and based on a multi-case study methodology, this research takes high-tech enterprises in the Guangzhou Development District as an example and explores the influence of multi-dimensional proximities on "point to point" U-I cooperative innovation. The research findings show that: (1) while geographical proximity, cognitive proximity and social proximity all contribute to the level of U-I cooperation, these positive effects vary at different stages of technological innovation; (2) whilst interactive learning has significant moderating effects on multi-dimensional proximities and the level of U-I cooperation, there are noticeable periodic characteristics in its effects in terms of content, way and intensity; (3) geographical proximity, cognitive proximity and social proximity, respectively, have complementary and substitutive effects on the level of U-I cooperative innovation, although the effects may vary in different stages. In the interaction between different types of proximities, the positive influence of complementary effects is usually greater than that of substitutive effects. The conclusion is useful for us to understand the interaction process between the innovation subjects under different circumstances of proximities; in addition, it can also provide evidence for policy-making as regards rational distribution of scientific and technological resources, selection of U-I cooperative partners, as well as appropriate responses to different circumstances of proximities in the process of technological innovation cooperation.

Key words: multi-dimensional proximities, U-I cooperation, interactive learning, technological innovation stage