Calls for papers

 

International Journal of Chinese Culture and Management

 

Special Issue on: "Technology Management and Innovation in China"

Guest Editors:
Miltiadis Lytras, University of Patras, Greece
Patricia Ordóñez de Pablos, University of Oviedo, Spain

With China’s importance on the global scale set to grow faster than ever, this Special Issue offers a unique window to observe the state of the art of innovation and technology management that will chart the course of the future in this region of the world.

The access of China into the World Trade Organization (WTO) has led to opportunities and challenges to international communities. However, the sophistication of technology transfer has resulted in some misunderstandings in the operations of international joint venture projects in China. The many failed international joint ventures indicate that, to some extent for foreign firms, operating in China is risky. Strategic decision makers, practitioners and international organisations increasingly recognise the importance of practical know-how, based on sound theoretical and empirical grounds, for managing social connections, networks and collaborations, technology management, technology and knowledge transfer within China.

The OECD says China still has a long way to go to build a modern, high-performance national innovation system. R&D spending has increased at an annual rate of 19% since 1995 to reach USD 30 billion (at current exchange rates) in 2005, the sixth worldwide. China has made very impressive investments in R&D, human resources and R&D infrastructure to date, but at the same time, China has still a long way to go to build a full-fledged and mature national innovation system. However, much of this focuses on the high-technology sector, updating equipment and facilities, and experimental research for new products rather than on basic research, the foundation of long-term innovation. More investment is needed in sectors such as services, energy, environmental technology and basic research.

Despite a series of reforms since the mid-1980s, the innovative capabilities of the Chinese business sector remain weak. Further reform of China’s financial system which is still dominated by state-owned banks would help business innovation. Fostering more open and efficient capital markets would also enable entrepreneurs to take greater risks and invest in sectors, such as biotechnology, which require long-term investments.

To encourage domestic firms to innovate and benefit more from closer ties with R&D centres of foreign companies, the government should enforce intellectual property rights (IPRs) more effectively and strengthen competition.

Universities play a key role in China’s innovation system. They run more than one in ten Chinese science and technology (S&T) firms, account for one in five patents granted each year and provide venture capital to promising start-ups. Further reform of these public research organisations would help increase the quality and efficiency of researchers: this is important because current demand for talented managers or highly qualified researchers exceeds supply. China should also improve its governance of science and innovation policy.

Subject Coverage
Topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Total innovation management
• Managing open innovation
• Managing indigenous innovation capability
• Innovation policy
• National/regional innovation systems
• Knowledge management
• Globalisation of R&D and Technology Transfer
• Managing core technology and competence
• Measurement of R&D performance
• Managing the human side of innovation
• IT innovation and e-commerce
• Managing service innovation
• Entrepreneurship, venture capital and innovation
• Universities

Notes for Prospective Authors

Submitted papers should not have been previously published nor be currently under consideration for publication elsewhere

All papers are refereed through a peer review process. A guide for authors, sample copies and other relevant information for submitting papers are available on the Author Guidelines page

Important Dates

Contact with Editors: ASAP

Manuscripts due by: 30 June 2008

Notification to authors: 15 July 2008

Final versions due by: 30 July 2008