Title: Regional technical innovation suitability and economic growth in China

Authors: Qing Zhou; Dan Zhu; Liqin Ren

Addresses: Institute of Management Decision and Innovation, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China. ' School of Business Administration, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China. ' Institute for Innovation and Governance Studies, University of Twente, P.O. Box 217, 7500 AE Enschede, The Netherlands

Abstract: This paper aims to use quantitative method to analyse the suitability of regional technical innovation and further compare its influence to regional economic growth in China. Based on literature review, the authors develop an evaluation index system containing four aspects (namely, innovators, innovation resources, economic environment and technical environment). By using the Niche-Fitness Model, 31 Chinese provinces' regional technical innovation suitability is assessed into a square matrix. Using the public data, the regression analysis of technical innovation suitability and economic growth of each province is carried out and correlation is found existing in regional technical innovation suitability and regional economic growth: the higher technical innovation suitability is, the bigger contribution of technical innovation to economic growth.

Keywords: technical innovation; innovation suitability; regional growth; economic growth; contribution value; regional development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJISD.2012.050873

International Journal of Innovation and Sustainable Development, 2012 Vol.6 No.4, pp.441 - 452

Received: 25 Oct 2011
Accepted: 01 Oct 2012

Published online: 31 Oct 2014 *

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