Research on the Impact of Inter-Industry Innovation Networks on Collaborative Innovation Performance: A Case Study of Strategic Emerging Industries

Abstract

As global economic competition intensifies, collaborative innovation in strategic emerging industries has become a key factor in promoting economic growth and business development, attracting widespread attention. To delve into the mechanisms of collaborative innovation among China’s strategic emerging industries, this study employs a social network analysis. It investigates the characteristics of these industries by analyzing 8,775,496 invention patents, exploring the impact of inter-industry innovation networks on collaborative innovation. Furthermore, this study incorporates industry knowledge acquisition as a mediating variable and the network density within individual industries as a moderating variable, to more comprehensively explain this impact mechanism. We find that relational and structural embeddings within inter-industry innovation networks significantly positively affect collaborative innovation performance, highlighting the importance of partnerships and the critical role of network configurations. Additionally, the breadth and depth of knowledge acquisition mediate the relationship between relational embedding in inter-industry innovation networks and collaborative innovation performance, emphasizing the pivotal role of knowledge acquisition in fostering collaborative innovation. Lastly, the network density within individual industries positively moderates the relationships between both relational and structural embedding in inter-industry innovation networks and collaborative innovation performance, revealing specific impacts of both internal and external industry innovation network characteristics on collaborative innovation. These findings not only provide practical guidance for collaborative innovation across industries but also offer new insights and implications for policy-making and academic research. In future industrial development, special emphasis should be placed on establishing and maintaining partnerships, optimizing inter-industry innovation networks, and enhancing the breadth and depth of knowledge acquisition to foster sustainable development of collaborative innovation. This is crucial for enhancing corporate competitiveness, creating more job opportunities, and driving innovative economic development.