The Mechanisms Of Knowledge Synergy Innovation Between University And Industry In Regional Innovation Ecosystems

To accelerate the transition process from efficiency-driven to innovation-driven economic growth, China is still facing important challenges that need to be addressed urgently, such as "Valleys of Death and Darwinian Seas" and "Knowledge Paradox" for science, technology and innovation. In recent years, the administrative decentralization and the economic reform in China shows a localizing trend in knowledge flows from university to industry, the "black box" of university knowledge innovation for regional growth should be explored. Furthermore, in the new normal economy, knowledge synergy innovation (KSI) from the interaction through knowledge network embedded ties (KNET) of university and industry should be a key channel for constructing regional innovation ecosystems (RIE) with innovation-driven development.However, all of the available research on university-industry collaboration or technology transfer of university mainly focus on the "one-way flow of knowledge" (such as licensing), usually overlooking the KSI with "two-way dynamic flow of knowledge" (such as joint research). At the same time, the spill-over theory could ndt consider the important impact of innovation network on KSI; the research on knowledge network with lots of solid evidence showed that embedded ties was very useful for inter-organization synergy innovation, but not take account of knowledge networking capabilities for network development, and not pay attention to the critical facts:networks are embedding institutional environment and "networks are carriers of institutional effects".With above practical and theoretical consideration, to explore the determinants and consequences of university-industry knowledge network embedded ties, this paper constructs a theoretical logic of "regional institutional environment and university knowledge networking capabilities-knowledge network embedded ties--knowledge synergy innovation performance" by integrating regional innovation ecosystems theory, views on the role of university, knowledge innovation theory, embedded ties theory and new institutionalism in organizational analysis from the perspective of embedded ties, and raise four research questions as follows:(1) how does knowledge network embedded ties impact knowledge synergy innovation performance; (2) how does university knowledge networking capabilities impact knowledge network embedded ties; (3) how does regional institutional environment impact knowledge synergy innovation performance; (4) how does foster knowledge synergy innovation by policy of university and its region.To solve above research questions, this paper conducts four sub-study by using both theoretical analysis and empirical study:(1) proposing research propositions on the relationship between institutional environment, knowledge networking capabilities, knowledge network embedded ties and knowledge synergy innovation performance on the basis of systematic review for literature and exploratory multi-case studies; (2)constructing theoretical model and proposing research hypotheses on the relationship between institutional environment, knowledge networking capabilities, knowledge network embedded ties and knowledge synergy innovation performance according to these research propositions, theoretical derivation and research interviews; (3) testing the model and hypotheses through collecting data by questionnaire, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factory analysis, reliability analysis, moderated multiple regression and structural equation modeling, and then discussing the results;(4) based on the modified theoretical model, putting forward policy recommendations respectively for regional government and university building and developing knowledge network embedded ties from the perspective of organizational forms innovation and institutional set-up.The main conclusion of this paper include following four items:(1) knowledge network embedded ties positively affects knowledge synergy innovation performance; (2) knowledge networking capabilities of university positively affects knowledge network embedded ties; (3) regional institutional environment plays a positive mediating effect in the relation of knowledge networking capabilities and knowledge network embedded ties; (4) knowledge network embedded ties as the core channels and conduits for knowledge synergy innovation need to be constructed jointly by university and its region.Compared with the available research achievements on network embedded ties, regional innovation systems, university technology transfer and entrepreneurial university, the main theoretical innovation and contribution of this paper can be summarized three points:(1) social network theory and embedded ties theory could be enriched and outreached by research on the relation of networking capabilities, institutional environments, embedded ties and synergy innovation performance; (2) the hypothesis on knowledge spill-over theory reversed is tested in Chinese context form more comprehensive dimensions by research on the effects of university knowledge networking capabilities and regional institutional environments on knowledge network embedded ties and knowledge synergy innovation performance; (3) on the base of core concept---knowledge synergy innovation, this research on the mechanisms of r the two-way dynamic flow of knowledge and interactive learning between university and industry in the region, not only enrich the views on the role of university, but also develop the mechanisms of knowledge valorization.