Title: Establishing a CoPs-based innovation ecosystem to enhance competence - the case of CGN in China

Authors: Jian Chen; Xielin Liu; Yimei Hu

Addresses: School of Economics and Management, Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China; Sino-Danish Center for Education and Research, Beijing, 100190, China ' School of Economics and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China ' Department of Business and Management, Aalborg University, Fibigerstræde 4, 9220 Aalborg East, Denmark

Abstract: This research investigates how complex product systems (CoPs)-based innovation ecosystem is created in terms of structure and interactions among players, as well as how technology, value and capability evolve at different stages of an innovation ecosystem. Based on an exploratory case study on the innovation ecosystem of a nuclear power giant-China general nuclear power group (CGN) for the period 1987-2014, this paper presents a framework to explicate the micro-foundation of the formation mechanism of an innovation ecosystem for CoPs. Three ecosystem stages are identified: ecosystem incubation, ecosystem figuration and ecosystem self-renewal. Through the three stages, CGN has been extending its ecosystem gradually from core business to extended network and ecosystem periphery. This study provides theoretical and managerial implications for building and managing innovation ecosystems in developing countries.

Keywords: innovation ecosystems; ecosystem incubation; ecosystem configuration; ecosystem self-renewal; complex product systems; CoPs; co-evolution; technology systems; value networks; competence; case study; General Nuclear Power Group; CGN; China; nuclear energy; developing countries.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2016.080549

International Journal of Technology Management, 2016 Vol.72 No.1/2/3, pp.144 - 170

Received: 01 Jul 2015
Accepted: 26 Jul 2016
Published online: 29 Nov 2016 *

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