Title: A New Perspective on the Integration of Industrial Chain and Innovation Chain: Research on Technological Growth in the Dual Evolution of Inter-Industry Production Networks and Knowledge Networks
Speaker: Zheng Jianghuai, Dean, School of Economics, Nanjing University; Vice Dean, Business School, Nanjing University; Ph.D. Supervisor, Department of Industrial Economics, Nanjing University; Academic Committee Member of the Yangtze River Delta Economic and Social Development Research Center, a Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education. He won the 5th Liu Shibai Economics Award and has won the Outstanding Achievements in Humanities and Social Sciences Awards of the Ministry of Education and Jiangsu Province for many times. In recent years, he has undertaken a number of projects including Major Projects of the National Social Science Foundation of China and National High-End Think Tank Projects. He has long been engaged in teaching and research on industrial economics and development economics, and his current research focuses on industrial innovation, structural transformation and development, global production division and economic growth.
Abstract: This study explores the innovation structure changes and industrial technological growth in the integration of production networks and innovation networks, aiming to provide references for the formulation of innovation and industrial policies and the construction of a strong science and technology country. The study constructs a production network using inter-regional input-output tables from 2002 to 2015, and an innovation network using citation relationships of invention patents in China, obtaining a total of 3750 observations. Through analysis, four typical facts are found: Economic development promotes the enhancement of production and innovation connections among industries, and science-based industries occupy a high position in the network; Production and innovation networks show a power-law distribution, with central industries agglomerating innovation resources; The production network in eastern China is dominated by science-based industries, while the leading industries in innovation networks in other regions and various regions are different; Industries with high network status have "technological growth peaks". Empirical results show that the improvement of production and innovation network status significantly promotes industrial technological growth, and the conclusion is reliable after robustness tests and endogeneity treatment. Mechanically, the improvement of network status attracts the agglomeration of R&D personnel, expands technological boundaries, increases the share of value-added, and promotes the convergence of production efficiency. In terms of regional heterogeneity, the technological growth effect of production networks in some regions is not obvious, and the role of innovation networks is crucial. Among industries with innovation heterogeneity, science-based industries have significant innovation spillover effects. Based on this, this paper puts forward policy suggestions such as cultivating science-based industries, improving the market-oriented allocation of factors, and promoting the in-depth integration of industrial chains and innovation chains.
Date & time: 31 August 2025, 15:00
Venue: B336, Zhixin Building, Central Campus, Shandong University
