A Research On Innovation Network Of Home Appliance Industry In Guangdong

Guangdong Province is a main origin of home appliance products, and the goods are welcomed by the market. But the items made in Guangdong still lack of core technologies, and Guangdong home appliance industry needs innovation. But its construction of innovation network has a large gap with developed countries’. This paper presents innovation status, and analyzes the innovation network structure of Guangdong home appliance industry. First, we summarized the innovation input-output of representative companies. Then the article applied SWOT model to evaluate the environment and strategy to illustrate the necessity of improving innovation network of home appliance industry. Besides, we induced the social network method into home appliance industry, and used the UCINET software to display the visualized diagram of network structure. The numerical results of indicators reflected that innovation network of Guangdong home appliance industry had a low density; the centralized phenomenon was obvious; cliques did not affect the completeness of network.Results of social analysis show that relations among home appliance companies are not close; the cooperation of manufacturers and colleges does not achieve the expected effects; intermediaries are far from perfect. We suggest enhancing participation and awareness for small and medium-sized enterprises; widely establishing unions of industry-study-research to increase conversion and industrialization rate of technological achievements; encouraging intermediary institutions to be more independent to organize innovation alliances and provide consulting service. In addition, government could optimize its functions to promote innovation by establishing ownership clearly; broadening financing channel; cultivating innovative atmosphere and so on. With analyses of innovation network of Guangdong home appliance industry, we expand the application fields of innovation network and social network theories. In this study, suggestions for innovation subjects promote innovative cooperation and technological competitiveness, helping Guangdong Province to change from manufacturing center to innovation center.