This edited volume explores the learning and innovation of Chinese firms. In particular, it examines the difficulties and obstacles affecting the technological collaboration between Chinese firms and foreign partners as well as some of the key organizational and institutional challenges of innovation facing Chinese firms. Despite enjoying rapid economic growth in previous decades, learning and innovation of Chinese firms has received relatively limited attention among management and international business scholars in the past. However, some significant changes in the Chinese institutional environment have occurred in recent years. On one hand, the Chinese central government has devised a number of policy initiatives to promote and support innovative activities in China, ranging from the Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation by All to the latest Made in China 2025. On the other hand, we have witnessed an increasing number of indigenous Chinese firms (e.g. Alibaba, Baidu, Tencent, Huawei and DJI) adopting business model innovation with global inputs and impacts in different business sectors, namely electronic commerce, telecommunication network equipment, social media, mobile payment and drones. In view of these recent developments, we aim to further our understanding about the learning and innovation processes of Chinese firms in this edited volume.
Part I: Introduction and Background
Chapter 1
Introduction
The chapter presents a current overview of the innovation of Chinese firms
and outlines the contributions in this edited volume. Jacky Hong and Shenxue
Li
Part II: Technology transfer and innovation
This part explores the link between foreign technology transfer and
indigenous innovation in China. For example, how do Chinese firms collaborate
with foreign partners to promote technology transfer and innovation? What are
the difficulties and obstacles affecting the technological collaboration
between Chinese firms and foreign partners?
Chapter 2
Foreign direct investments and innovation in China
This chapter explores the impact of foreign direct investment on
technological innovation in China
Current status of foreign direct investment in China
Technological innovation in Chinese firms
The roles of foreign direct investment on fostering technological innovation
Pervez Ghauri
Chapter 3
Knowledge transfer in international joint ventures
This chapter investigates how international joint venture can serve as a
major channel for promoting knowledge transfer to China
Types of knowledge
Barrier of knowledge transfer in international joint venture
Case studies
Eric W.K. Tsang
Part III: Entrepreneurship, learning and innovation
This part identifies the characteristics of technological entrepreneurs in
China. For example, what are the social, financial, cultural and political
challenges facing technological entrepreneurs in China? How do Chinese
entrepreneurs contribute to innovative ventures in China?
Chapter 4
Sensemaking processes in Chinese entrepreneurial firms
This chapter explores the sensemaking process that unfolds in entrepreneurial
firms by investigating how entrepreneurial firms navigate through uncertainty
and equivocality
Entrepreneurial learning as sensemaking
Sensemaking processes in entrepreneurial firms
Case studies
Xi Zhou, Jacky Hong and Robin Snell
Chapter 5
Guanxi networks and Chinese entrepreneurship
This chapter reviews the development of guanxi network in China and the
impact on entrepreneurship
The concept of guanxi
Proliferation of guanxi networks in China
Use of guanxi for Chinese startups
Chris Rowley
Chapter 6
Developing learning organization in China
This chapter assess the potential and obstacles for Chinese firms to become
the learning organizations
Spiritual foundations of learning organization
Chinese Confucian values
Case studies
Carry Mak and Anders Örtenblad
Part IV: Institutions and innovation
This part explores the roles played by the regional and national government
in China for promoting innovation and learning of Chinese firms. For example,
how do various institutional actors such as VCs, universities, research
institutes interact with each other in shaping the process of innovation in
China? How do innovation ecosystems (e.g. regional clusters, science parks
and R&D networks) take shape in China?
Chapter 7
Innovation ecosystems in China
This chapter explores how the key actors in innovation ecosystem interact
with each other in shaping the process of innovation in China
An ecosystem perspective of innovation
A Chinese ecosystem of innovation
Innovative behaviors of Chinese firms
Jiangyong Lu
Chapter 8
Public-private partnerships and innovation in China
This chapter draws on a conceptual framework of public-private partnerships
to investigate how partner organizations can develop effective innovation in
China
Motives of cooperation
Innovation within public-private partnerships
Case studies
Nelson Santos António
Part V: Conclusion
Chapter 9
Concluding remarks
The chapter summarizes the key organizational and institutional challenges of
innovation facing Chinese firms. Some areas for future research will also be
proposed. Jacky Hong and Shenxue Li
Jacky Hong is a Professor of Management at the University of Macau. He received his PhD from Lancaster University. His research interests fall into the areas of organizational learning, knowledge management in multinational firms and management of Chinese enterprises. He has recently written and edited books on the subjects: Organizational Learning in Asia: Issues and Challenges (Elsevier) and Cross-cultural Knowledge Management (Routledge).
Shenxue Li is a senior lecturer in strategy at the University of Kent, UK. Her research focuses on knowledge management, organizational learning, dynamic capabilities, core competence development, and cultural and institutional distance. Her empirical research examines the nature, mechanisms, processes, and internal and external conditions of learning, knowledge management, and capability development of Western MNCs operating in China. Her work appears in both academic and practitioner oriented journals.