| Innovation is fundamental to economic growth, which is the most important factor of competitive advantage, whether to country, region or enterprise. China has looked on improving the independence innovation abilities as a strategic goal. But if this strategy is taken into real action, the regionalization study of independent innovation will be very significant. Many scholars have carried out comprehensive and in-depth research on different aspects of regional innovation. As one of the principal parts in the regional innovation system, the independent innovation capability of the enterprises determines the whole region's to some degree.Using a panel data set of China's 31 provincial regions for the period 1999–2005, this paper investigates the main sources and factors of enterprises'independent innovation capability. We begin by estimating the R&D stock of large and medium-sized industrial enterprises as well as universities based on the perpetual inventory method. Then, we investigate the contribution of R&D input, knowledge spillovers from university R&D, regional human capital, and firm size to innovation capability of large and medium-sized industrial enterprises of China's 31 provincial regions. We also study the interrelationship of interregional enterprises'innovation activities by employing a spatial panel data model. The estimation results can be summarized as follows:First, the R&D stock estimation shows that both the enterprises'and universities'R&D stock are increasing with a growing pattern to faster one, while the intensity of in-house R&D has grown sowly or even declined softly,which indicates that R&D input of enterprises independent innovation is still inadequate. Governments and enterprises should further expand the channels to enhance R&D input of their independent innovation.Second,using panel data model sets to test the determinant factors of regional enterprises'independent innovation capability, we find that: (1) In-house R&D input, both the R&D capital and R&D personnel, plays a significant role in the enterprise innovation achievement, and it is the main driver of enterprises'independent innovation, while the R&D capital contributes more than the R&D personnel. (2) knowledge spillovers from university R&D contributes obviously to the innovation capability of large and medium-sized industrial enterprises of China's 31 provincial regions. More universities'R&D and more cooperation between enterprises and universities may improve enterprises'innovation capability effectively. (3) Human capital has positive but not obvious impact on provincial enterprises'innovation capability. It may because that the level of human capital has not fully met the requirements of independent innovation yet. (4) Firm size plays negative impact on enterprises'innovation. Previous studies show that it is confusion about the relationship between firm size and R&D efficiency. It means that firm size can not explain the differences of R&D efficiency between large and small firms.At last, we find that innovation activities in different regions'enterprises will impact on each other. There is a special-dependence in enterprises'innovation activities. It spills-over beyond the administrative scope into neighbouring regions. Innovation outputs are not only affected by local R&D input, but also by innovation activities and innovation policy of the neighbouring regions.According to the empirical study and the reality of China, favourable polices are that: the dominant position of enterprises in the regional innovation system should be strengthen, and the intensity of in-house R&D input should be increasing vigorously. Cooperation between enterprises and universities should be enhanced, while improving the academy-industry interaction mechanisms. And, to strengthen the innovation cooperation between regions, increase spacial spillover effect of R&D. through these, the innovation capability of regional enterprises may be promoted effectively. |
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