Call for papers: Technology Management and Innovation in ChinaA special issue of
International Journal of Chinese Culture and ManagementWith China’s importance on the global scale set to grow faster than ever, this Special Issue offers a unique window to observe the state of the art of innovation and technology management that will chart the course of the future in this region of the world.
The access of China into the World Trade Organization (WTO) has led to opportunities and challenges to international communities. However, the sophistication of technology transfer has resulted in some misunderstandings in the operations of international joint venture projects in China. The many failed international joint ventures indicate that, to some extent for foreign firms, operating in China is risky. Strategic decision makers, practitioners and international organisations increasingly recognise the importance of practical know-how, based on sound theoretical and empirical grounds, for managing social connections, networks and collaborations, technology management, technology and knowledge transfer within China.
The OECD says China still has a long way to go to build a modern, high-performance national innovation system. R&D spending has increased at an annual rate of 19% since 1995 to reach USD 30 billion (at current exchange rates) in 2005, the sixth worldwide. China has made very impressive investments in R&D, human resources and R&D infrastructure to date, but at the same time, China has still a long way to go to build a full-fledged and mature national innovation system. However, much of this focuses on the high-technology sector, updating equipment and facilities, and experimental research for new products rather than on basic research, the foundation of long-term innovation. More investment is needed in sectors such as services, energy, environmental technology and basic research.
Despite a series of reforms since the mid-1980s, the innovative capabilities of the Chinese business sector remain weak. Further reform of China’s financial system which is still dominated by state-owned banks would help business innovation. Fostering more open and efficient capital markets would also enable entrepreneurs to take greater risks and invest in sectors, such as biotechnology, which require long-term investments.
To encourage domestic firms to innovate and benefit more from closer ties with R&D centres of foreign companies, the government should enforce intellectual property rights (IPRs) more effectively and strengthen competition.
Universities play a key role in China’s innovation system. They run more than one in ten Chinese science and technology (S&T) firms, account for one in five patents granted each year and provide venture capital to promising start-ups. Further reform of these public research organisations would help increase the quality and efficiency of researchers: this is important because current demand for talented managers or highly qualified researchers exceeds supply. China should also improve its governance of science and innovation policy.
Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Total innovation management
- Managing open innovation
- Managing indigenous innovation capability
- Innovation policy
- National/regional innovation systems
- Knowledge management
- Globalisation of R&D and Technology Transfer
- Managing core technology and competence
- Measurement of R&D performance
- Managing the human side of innovation
- IT innovation and e-commerce
- Managing service innovation
- Entrepreneurship, venture capital and innovation
- Universities
Important DatesContact with Editors: ASAP
Submission of manuscripts: 30 June 2008
Notification to authors: 15 July 2008
Final versions due: 30 July 2008
