BRIDGING THE GAP: INNOVATION BROKERAGE IN CHINA

Bridging the Gap: Innovation Brokerage in China explores the crucial role of innovation intermediaries in China's rapidly evolving technological and industrial landscape. Through a collection of reviews and case studies, the book investigates how intermediaries — both public and private — facilitate collaboration, bridge knowledge gaps, and accelerate innovation across sectors.

The book provides an analysis of a broad range of innovation intermediaries, shifting from the Chinese government and private sector leaders like Baidu to broader frameworks such as the engagement ecosystem. Special attention is given to various industries, including aircraft and construction sectors, where brokerage is necessary for aligning technological advancements with sustainability goals.

Furthermore, the book delves into the challenges and opportunities presented by transnational innovation, with insights into academic cooperation between Italy and China, and the role of innovation platforms in enhancing the innovative capacities of SMEs.

By examining both domestic and international perspectives, the book offers a comprehensive analysis of how innovation intermediaries serve as drivers for technological development and economic growth in China.

Contents:

• Collaborative Efforts for Boosting Innovation: The Complex Role of Innovation Intermediaries in China (Antonio Crupi, Dominique Lepore, and Francesca Spigarelli)
• Role and Significance of Public Innovation Intermediaries in China: The Case Study of China Society of Technical Economics (CSTE) (Yanming Ren and Federico Pasini)
• The Role of the Chinese Government as an Innovation Broker in the Chinese Commercial Aircraft Industry (John R McIntyre and James R Hoadley)
• The Role of Innovation Intermediaries in Low-Medium-Technology Sectors in China: Evidence from Chinese Construction Industry (Giuseppe Lanfranchi, Tiago Branco Coelho, and Antonio Crupi)
• Preparing Lab Technologies for the Market: Proof-of-Concept Centers in China (Xinhua Jiang and Ya-Feng Zhang)
• Navigating Transnational Innovation: Best Practices in Academic Cooperation between Italy and China (Marco Begani, Marco Bonaglia, Michele Bonino, Anna Facchinetti, Antonio Frisoli, Lorenzo Gonzo, and Maria Gottardo)
• How to Improve Open Innovation in China's SMEs? The Role of Open Innovation Networks and Platforms (Nan Wang and Liya Wang)
• Building an AI Open Innovation Ecosystem: The Case of Baidu (Jacopo Cricchio, Alberto Di Minin, and Dominique Lepore)
• Sustainable Supply Chain Management as the Innovation Intermediary: Analysis on Frugal Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Manufacturing Enterprises in China (Nan Wang and Baolian Chen)
• The Engagement Ecosystem as an Innovation Broker: A Case from China (Chuanjuan Wu, Lei Cui, and Guofeng Shen)

Readership: Primary Market: Graduate-level students (Master's and PhD programs) in the following disciplines (although it could also be used in advanced undergraduate courses): Innovation Management; Technology Transfer; Public Policy; Business Administration; Economics; Sustainability Studies; Asian Studies (with a focus on Chinese economic development). Secondary Market: Industry Professionals/Practitioners such as: Innovation Managers; Technology Transfer Officers; R&D Directors; Sustainability Officers; Public Policy Makers; Consultants in Innovation and Technology Commercialization; Entrepreneurs, especially those working with or in China or interested in entering Chinese markets.