Comprehensive Evaluation Of The Innovation-oriented City

After thirty years high economic growth in China, the traditional growth pattern has already been challenged by energy shortage, rise in resource price and environmental pollution, so we have to find a new way out, and innovation is the root of future growth. At present, the self-innovation capability in our country is still frail. Many cities have set the goal of constructing innovative city in future after the concept of innovative country construction was brought up by Chairman Hu Jintao. Then how can we build up an innovative city? Basically, we need to be very familiar of the city's innovative capability. Cities on the way to innovation also have the needs to know where they are. All of these call for the comprehensive evaluation of innovative city.We don't aim at a result of city rank in innovation capability, but hope to know clearly the influence of every step in evaluation on the final result throught analysis of the estimation process, especially the build of indices and the choice of evaluation method, so that we can overcome the randomness of the final result originated from it. If the result is not able to reflect the truth, it will mislead the policy decision, which is contrary to the original intention of evaluation.On the basis of literature review on innovative city research, we find that former indicator system was not firmly built on theory and the universally acknowledged analysis structure has not been formed yet. Most of the indices were based on personal experience and they have some kind of randomness. In order to overcome the weakness, we have established the pathway model of innovative city, on the basis of which the indicator system is constructed.The literature review of innovative research also reveals that former study just used one evaluation method to form the conclusion without appraisal of the method adaptability. The casual attitude towards the method choice will make the result unreliable. Very few studies use two or more methods, however, they don't provide a final conclusion or the way to it. For managers pursuing multi-objectives, it is hard to make the choice. In the study, based on the innovation data of thirty cities in China, we use eight kinds of method to do the evaluation and we also talk about the adaptability here of each method. Then, we go on to find a best resolution based on the eight methods. The improved compatibility&difference theory is the most suitable theory in decision making.Compared with other studies, this essay has several improvements listed below:(1)Indicator system is based firmly on innovation theory.Different from fomer indices built on experience, ours are constructed according to pathway model. It overcomes the weakness of frail theoretical basis and unfixed analysis structure which often lead to randomness in indicators forming, so that every index has its reason to be there.(2)Several data synthesis methods are used in the study and their adaptability here is discussed. Different from other studies which use just one or two methods, this paper uses eight kinds of methods to synthesize the innovation data, and we also talks about the adaptability of them, which gives us a new way of comprehending the final result. (3)The step of methods optimization is added here, which is seldom included in other studies. However, we face the problem of making an exclusive decision from the eight programs. How can we do? To choose one or to form a new one? In the study, we have used three theories to make the decision, and it proves that the suitable decision is made upon forming a new resolution based on the eight programs.(4)The best optimization theory of programs is established. The study has found the problem of compatibility&difference theory and made improvements. The improved compatibility&difference theory could absorb the advantages of several methods, so that it can provide a objective result.Indicator system and evaluation methods are not enough for the evaluation of innovative city. The indices should be based on precise appreciation of innovation city. If possible, we'd better use several methods, then we can reach a final conclusion using improved compatibility&difference theory. Only so, the result will be objective and accurate, and could be used efficiently in policy making.