中介组织在创新系统中的作用层次与功能演进:研究综述与展望

The Influence Level and Functional Evolution of Intermediaries in the Innovation System:A Literature Review

随着创新系统复杂度的快速增加,中介组织对创新的重要促进作用受到广泛关注,产生了一系列最新成果。根据创新系统理论的研究模块,从企业、区域、国家3个层面切入,在回顾大量文献的基础上,梳理了中介组织在创新系统中的功能演进。结果表明,中介组织在企业层面由信息传递向创新链节点功能发展,在区域层面由创新网络桥梁向多层次资源配置主体演进,在国家层面由创新系统的辅助角色向创新政策塑造和系统转型催化功能转变,在此基础上从4个方面对中介组织的未来研究方向进行了展望。

With the increasing complexity of the innovation system,the important role of the intermediary in promoting innovation has received widespread attention.Since Freeman has put forward National Innovation System theory(NIS),the collaboration level of the innovation network on a global scale has been greatly enhanced,and the interaction between various subjects in the system has become more prominent in innovation activities.The highly complex systemic perspective makes intermediaries present diverse patterns and functions,and gradually transform from auxiliaries to subjects in the innovation system,resulting in a series of latest research results.From the perspective of research modules of NIS,there are three core research fields including enterprise innovation system,regional innovation system and national innovation system.According to the modular structure of NIS,this study carries out the literature review from perspectives of enterprise,regional and national level.On the basis of reviewing a large number of literatures,the functional evolution characteristics of intermediaries are summarized.The results show that(1)the functions of intermediaries have evolved from information transmission to innovation chain supporting at enterprise level.As the information transmission in the innovation process develops from bilateral exchange to platform-based sharing,intermediaries are encouraged to display diversified functions in bilateral relations around the enterprise innovation chain.(2)The functions of intermediaries have evolved from innovative network bridges to multi-level resource allocation entities at regional level.The development of regional innovation system theory has expanded the functions of intermediaries inside the innovation network.Moreover,intermediaries are also required to play a role of communication and connection between innovation networks,as well as innovation networks and innovation institutions,so that the influence of intermediaries is further improved.(3)At national level,the functions of intermediaries have shifted from an auxiliary role of the innovation system to innovation policy shaping and the catalyst for system transformation.Intermediaries have an important influence in the formation of innovation policies by lobbying government on behalf of specific groups and working as institutional intermediaries.Intermediaries can also promote the knowledge flow between decision makers in the protection space and central government policy makers under the situation of disruptive technology development.Meanwhile,intermediaries have a catalytic effect on promoting sustainable transformation with differentiated influence at multiple stages.In conclusion,this study suggests that there are four more issues worthy of further exploration.Firstly,under the background of economic globalization,the mechanism of how intermediaries promote transnational innovation activities needs to be explored.Secondly,the functions of intermediaries in the innovation system of developing countries are rarely discussed.Thirdly,the role of intermediaries in the formation and implementation of innovation policies is easily overlooked and deserves further research.Finally,due to the trend of service-oriented logic,the change in the working mechanism of intermediaries between customers and manufacturers requires detailed analysis on user intermediaries under various situations.To meet the requirements of a more open and complex innovation system,intermediaries continue to expand service content and improve service quality in innovation practices,resulting in their increasing importance at enterprise,regional and national level.The analysis and conclusions on functional evolution of intermediaries are a useful supplement to relevant research.