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This study analyses the industrial catch-up in four sectors in China. The technological regime of sectors affects the chance for latecomers to catch up, but the final outcomes also depend on the actions of governments and firms. A successful catch-up requires the growth of indigenous firms rather than dependence on foreign direct investment. The government has an important role, but different forms of intervention across sectors must be identified. For firms, adopting a path-following strategy does not bring ultimate success, whereas leapfrogging is often required. Any uniqueness in the catch-up pattern of China can be attributed to its large size leading to bargaining power in technology transfer. The Chinese markets with several segments also help to nurture indigenous firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a survey of local firms in Zhongguancun Science Park in Beijing, China, this paper examines the impact of intellectual property management practices on the patent propensity of small firms. With a particular focus on two aspects of intellectual property management, we find that R&D personnel-related management practices, such as training and rewarding mechanism, are more effective in enhancing a firm's willingness to patent and encouraging the patenting behavior within the firm. Monitoring the R&D process in intellectual property right (IPR) management, such as proposal and outcome evaluation, is less influential in fostering manufacturing firms to patent. One implication emerged from the analysis is that a firm can speed up or intensify its generation of IPR assets by introducing well-developed management practices, even without reorienting its intellectual property strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a survey administered in Zhongguancun Science Park in Beijing, China, this paper investigates the impact of R&D personnel-related intellectual property management practices on the patent propensity of small technology-based firms. It is found that R&D personnel-related management practices, including training and reward mechanisms, are effective in enhancing a firm's willingness to patent. In particular, we find that reward mechanisms can negatively moderate the effect of size on a firm's willingness to patent. One implication that emerged from the analysis is that a small firm can counteract its size disadvantage in patenting by introducing a well-developed reward mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper highlights a new emerging division of labour among Chinese Research and Development (R&D) workers in Beijing's Zhongguancun Science Park, which emphasises learning through external networks. Such learning relies on the ability to develop common practices and ‘translate’ external knowledge to the firm. The discussion highlights the significant costs that can be associated with developing and establishing such skills and the underlying practices that can support this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper empirically studies the determinants of domestic patenting at a regional level in China. Applying a stochastic frontier approach to a panel of data published by China government for 30 provinces from 1998 to 2004, I explore the relationship between domestic patent grants and variables associated with R&D inputs and time-varying nuanced factors. Results imply that region-specific factors affect the efficiency in the production of three types of patents (namely, invention, utility model, design) quite differently. Industrial structure is one influential factor which determines the efficiency levels of all three types of patenting. High technology industries are not as efficient and innovative as expected. Although the role of educational institution and government support is important in patenting inventions and utility models, it is not significant in patenting designs. Firms' commitment in innovation helps promote the efficiency in patenting utility models and designs only. It does not significantly affect the efficiency in patenting inventions. It is found that the estimated mean efficiency level is higher in the case of utility model patenting than in other two cases, while the production of design patents is found the most inefficient. Ranking regions by an order of estimated mean efficiency levels, I find that a pattern of center-periphery in innovation efficiency is only observed in the case of invention and utility model patenting, not in the case of design patenting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "In-house R&D, technology purchase and innovation: empirical evidences from Chinese hi-tech industries, 1995-2004," by Xibao Li and Guisheng Wu is presented.