Conclusions

Abstract

The final chapter summarizes the key findings in the study and draw some constructive policy implications therefrom. Echoing with the research questions posed in Chap. 1, the study has firstly provided potent evidence of the triggering effect of FDI on the regional innovation performance, which demonstrated the role of external knowledge spillover in the formation of a regional innovation system in latecomer regions. Apart from meso-level evidence, the study has utilized the first-handed survey data to demonstrate firm-level evidence for the positive role of interactive learning, supported by informal Guanxi with business partners, relatives and friends, in promoting the innovation outcomes for the electronics firms. However, unstable role of social proximity in innovation is shown, suggesting the absence of supported institutions and related organizations for complex and highly risky innovation activities. By an inter-city comparative case study, the study has uncovered the path-dependent nature of initial governance modality for shaping a mature regional innovation system. Future research direction concerns the theoretical and empirical endeavors for other mechanisms of distributive system on the regional level and the negative effect of informal Guanxi network in innovation, as well as the methodological issues in collecting survey data. Having recognized the systematically weak performance of market-based systems, the study ends with three domains of policy interventions that can be undertaken to strengthen the distributive power of the innovation system at the regional level.