Innovation platforms as a tool for anchoring non-local knowledge: smart specialisation strategies in Guangdong, China

Figures & data

Table 1. Industrial development strategy of National 11th Five-Year Plan.

Development task	Relevant industries
Prioritise path development	Vigorously develop the equipment manufacturing industries: 1) Major technical equipment 2) Automobiles 3) Shipbuilding
	Accelerate the development of high-tech industries: 1) Electronic information 2) Bioindustry 3) New materials 4) Aerospace
Upgrade and diversify paths	Optimize the development of the energy industries: 1) Coal 2) Electric power 3) Petroleum and natural gas 4) Renewable energy
Upgrade existing paths	Promote the level of light and textile industries: 1) Textiles and clothes 2) Household appliances 3) Plastics
Restructure and confine paths	Adjust the structure of the raw material industries: 1) Building materials industry 2) Metallurgical industry 3) Chemical industry

Source: China 11^th Five-Year Plan.

Figure 1. Industrial output shares in Nanhai (2006–2019, in percent). Note: Traditional industries include textiles and clothing, non-metallic minerals, and metals. Equipment manufacturing industries include general and special purpose machinery, transport equipment, electronic equipment, and measuring instruments.

Table 2. Path diversification and platform projects in Nanhai.

Prioritized Industry	Branching direction	Attracted firms and research institutions (Examples)
Equipment manufacturing industries
Major technical equipment	Robotics and precision engineering	Firms: Subsidiaries of several domestic robotics firms Academic Institutions: At least three robotics R&D institutes jointly established with domestic technology firms and/or universities including Guangdong University of Technology
Automobiles	New energy vehicles	Firms: Subsidiaries of several domestic car companies and the FAW-VW joint venture. Subsidiaries of numerous supplier firms for the Guangzhou-based Japanese auto joint ventures and for FAW-VW Academic Institutions: At least two new hydrogen and fuel cell R&D institutes jointly established with domestic labs and universities, including Wuhan University of Technology
High-tech Industries
Electronic information	Optoelectronic devices and chips	Firms: Subsidiaries of several domestic and Greater China firms Academic Institutions: Several new optoelectronics and semiconductors R&D institutes jointly established, inter alia, with universities from the province (e.g. Sun Yat-sen University) and neighbouring Hong Kong (Hong Kong University of Science & Technology) as well as various institutes of the Chinese Academy of Sciences
Biomedicine	Dental medical equipment	Firms: Subsidiaries of domestic pharmaceutical companies Academic Institutions: At least one biomedicine R&D institute, jointly established with the Chinese Academy of Sciences
New materials	Nonwoven fabrics for medical use, Energy-saving materials	Firms: Subsidiaries of domestic materials firms Academic Institutions: Materials R&D institutes jointly established with labs and universities from the province

Source: Nanhai FYPs; NY (2002–2019)

Table 3. Innovation platform projects by two platform partners.

Type of innovation platforms	Foshan GDUT Institute	Foshan IET Institute
Entrepreneurship platforms	▪▪	▫
Applied R&D platforms	▪▪	▪
Technology service platforms	▪▪	▪
Technology training platforms	▫	▪▪

Source: Own compilation based on material provided by institutes.

Note: ▪ denotes number and scope of platforms related to given intermediary function.

Table 4. Characteristics of two innovation platform models.

	Lahti Model	Guangdong Model
Purpose	Local knowledge recombination	Non-local knowledge anchoring
Priority identification	Bottom-up identification based on inter-sectoral stakeholder conversations	Top-down identification of priority areas and bottlenecks
Entrepreneurial discovery	Collective discovery process around a composite theme (e.g. megatrend), facilitated by a systemic intermediary	Engaging non-local actors to perform specific intermediary functions; discovery of profitable technology transfer business models
Policy support	Policies to support resource formation along the new growth path	Policies to support the platform’s importation and anchoring of growth paths