Journal article

Publication year: 2014

Pages: 49-69

Journal: International Journal of Technology Management

Volume number: 65

Issue number: 1-4

ISSN: 0267-5730

eISSN: 1741-5276

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1504/IJTM.2014.060950

Publisher: Inderscience

Abstract: 
China's quest for innovation and upgrading has motivated a growing number of analyses of innovation and upgrading processes, their main drivers and typical outcomes in China. Most of these studies are concerned with large foreign-invested and state-owned firms. They have found integration into global production networks (GPN) as well as strong governmental support to be important success factors. In contrast, little has been published about the innovation and upgrading behaviour of private small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This paper addresses the upgrading of private SMEs based on a sample from the electronics industry of the Pearl River Delta (PRD). We find that a number of success factors usually assumed to stimulate upgrading in China have no influence. These include GPN integration, government contacts and other inter-personal linkages. The upgrading of private SMEs can instead be best explained through a focus on the growing domestic market, overcoming typical resource constraints and a reliance on internal capabilities.

Harvard Citation style: Peighambari, A., Hennemann, S. and Liefner, I. (2014) Success factors for upgrading and innovation in the electronics industry: an analysis of private small and medium-sized enterprises in the Pearl River Delta, International Journal of Technology Management, 65(1-4), pp. 49-69. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJTM.2014.060950

APA Citation style: Peighambari, A., Hennemann, S., & Liefner, I. (2014). Success factors for upgrading and innovation in the electronics industry: an analysis of private small and medium-sized enterprises in the Pearl River Delta. International Journal of Technology Management. 65(1-4), 49-69. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJTM.2014.060950