Research types and innovation performance: the mediating effect of paper influence and patent novelty

ABSTRACT

In order to clarify which types of research is more conducive to improving innovation performance, we use the panel data of key universities in China from 2009 to 2017 for empirical research. The results show that basic research intensity is significantly positive correlated with innovation performance, while paper influence, patent novelty plus the interaction between paper influence and patent novelty are all playing a mediating role between basic research intensity and innovation performance. Furthermore, we use applied research intensity, experimental development intensity and provincial panel data for variables substitution and sample subdivision to carry out robustness test, clarifying the functional mechanism and the heterogeneity of boundary conditions between different types of research intensity and innovation performance. Relevant conclusions are of great theoretical and practical value for optimising the allocation of S&T resources and enriching the theoretical system of innovation research.

KEYWORDS:

• Basic research
• paper influence
• patent novelty
• innovation performance

Acknowledgements

We sincerely thank the two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments.

Disclosure statement

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

Notes

1 Data source: http://www.moe.gov.cn/s78/A16/A16_tjdc/.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shunli Qiu

Shunli Qiu is a PhD candidate in the Economics and Management school, Wuhan University. His research interests are mainly innovation, entrepreneurship and human resource management.

Qinwei Cao

Qinwei Cao is a PhD candidate in the Economics and Management school, Wuhan University. His research interests are mainly S&T policy, innovation management and strategic management.

Meng Jiao

Meng Jiao is a Master in the Economics and Management school, Wuhan University. Her research interests are mainly innovation management and strategic management.

Sijing Liang

Sijing Liang is a Master in the Economics and Management school, Wuhan University. Her research interests are mainly finance and banking.