Title: Evolution of collaborative innovation network in China's wind turbine manufacturing industry

Authors: Yantai Chen; Ke Rong; Lan Xue; Laijun Luo

Addresses: CISME, School of Economics and Management, Zhejiang University of Technology, Room A505, Building Bo-Yi, No. 288, Liuhe Road, Xihu District, Hangzhou, 310023, China ' Business School, Bournemouth University, Executive Business Centre EB401, 89 Holdenhurst Road, Bournemouth, BH8 8EB, UK ' China Institute for Science and Technology Policy, Buiding Shunde, Haidian District, 100086, Beijing, China; School of Public Policy and Management, Tsinghua University, Building Shunde, Haidian District, 100086, Beijing, China ' School of Economics, Renmin University of China, Ming-de Main Building, No. 59, Zhongguancun Street, Haidian District, Beijing 100872, China

Abstract: This paper studies the 'catching-up' process of China's emerging wind turbine manufacturing ecosystem, and analyses the dynamics of the shifting collaborative innovation network for the period 1980-2011. We have focused on the leading wind turbine manufacturers [i.e., manufacturers of entire wind turbine system integrators (EWSIs)], as well as manufacturers of the turbines' sub-ecosystems (i.e., four key component provider manufacturers: blade, gearbox, generator and control system). A network analysis method was adopted to depict the evolutionary process of the wind turbine manufacturing ecosystem. In summary, this research explores: 1) the different technology accumulation/localisation patterns in four different phases of the manufacturing ecosystem, and the collaborative innovation network; 2) the different roles and their interactions in the wind turbine manufacturing ecosystem in China; 3) the driving forces of the evolution of the wind turbine manufacturing ecosystem. The findings aim to demonstrate the evolutionary trajectory of China in terms of the 'catching-up' of this industry, and contribute to theories of the business ecosystem lifecycle and complementary assets.

Keywords: wind turbine manufacturing; collaborative innovation networks; technology accumulation pattern; business ecosystem lifecycle; BELC; complementary assets; interactive learning; China; collaborative networks; wind turbines; wind power; wind energy; technology accumulation; technology localisation; technology catch-up.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2014.060954

International Journal of Technology Management, 2014 Vol.65 No.1/2/3/4, pp.262 - 299

Received: 02 Jul 2012
Accepted: 28 Jul 2013
Published online: 30 Jun 2014 *

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