Enterprises’ response strategies towards a mission-oriented innovation initiative – a reflection on China’s indigenous innovation

ABSTRACT

Mission-oriented innovation initiatives hold significant value for nations worldwide. Responses of innovative actors account for the final outcomes and achievements of these initiatives, while which are still unexplored. Based on the institutional logics perspective, we develop a framework to elucidate the response strategies of different kinds of enterprises towards the indigenous innovation proposed in the National Middle and Long-Term Program for Science and Technology Development 2006–2020 (MLP), the most influential mission-oriented innovation policy in China during the past 20 years. By combining primary interview materials with secondary data, we initially analyse the logic conflicts that enterprises face, the changes in logic conflict scenarios under this initiative (including the types and degrees of conflicts), and the potential benefits they can get from this initiative. We then delve deeper into investigating their response strategies. Our research provides a new lens for researchers and policymakers.

KEYWORDS:

• Mission-oriented innovation initiative
• indigenous innovation
• institutional logics
• enterprise
• response strategy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 State Council of the People’s Republic of China, National Middle and Long-Term Program for Science and Technology Development 2006–2020, http://www.gov.cn/jrzg/2006-02/09/content_183787.htm, accessed in March 2021.

2 The Ministry of Finance, Interim Measures for the Confirmation of the Preservation and Appreciation of State-Owned Capital in Financial Enterprises, http://www.mof.gov.cn/zhengwuxinxi/caizhengxinwen/200805/t20080519_24996.htm, accessed in January 2021.

3 State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, Interim Measures for the Confirmation of the Preservation and Appreciation of State-Owned Capital in Enterprises, http://www.sasac.gov.cn/n2588035/n2588320/n2588335/c4259593/content.html, accessed in January 2021.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 71932009].

Notes on contributors

Xielin Liu

Xielin Liu is a professor in management science at the School of Economics and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences. He is an expert in innovation management, public policy and innovation ecosystem. He directly participated in the development of science and technology strategy and planning, innovation policy-making in China, contributing significantly to the development of national innovation system. He has published many papers in SSCI journal with profound influence, like Research Policy, Technovation, and Technological Forecasting and Social Change.

Peipei Yang

Peipei Yang obtained a Ph.D. degree in Innovation Management from University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. She is a postdoc researcher in Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research ISI. She is also pursuing a Ph.D. degree in International Business from Aalborg University Business School currently. She has published several papers in peer-reviewed international journals such as Management and Organization Review. Her research interests include innovation strategy, public policy and innovation ecosystem.

Si Zhang

Si Zhang is an associate professor in management science at the School of Economics and Management, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences where she practices teaching and research in technology economics, international development and international business. She obtained her PhD in Economics from the University of Reading, UK and worked as a post-doc researcher in Tsinghua University. She has published in the Journal of Technological Forecasting and Social Change, IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management, R&D Management, Journal of Engineering and Technology Management and other SSCI journals.