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Overcoming the Innovation Challenge: Examining the Determinants of New Product Innovation in Chinese SMEs

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Abstract

Since China began its opening-up and reform process over three decades ago the economic policies introduced by the government have led to a huge growth in the number of private small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) (Chen, Sun, Newman, & Xu, 2012). The SME sector has been a major driving force in the rapid development of the Chinese economy through contributions to innovation and productivity improvements (Newman, Gunessee, & Hilton, 2012). Presently, SMEs account for a significant proportion of economic activity and innovation output (Anderson, Li, Harrison, & Robson, 2003; Chen, 2006).

This chapter received financial support from the Youth Project of China National Social Science Foundation (Project No. 12CJY040). The authors are thankful for support from this project.

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Authors

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Douglas Cumming Michael Firth Wenxuan Hou Edward Lee

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© 2015 Douglas Cumming, Michael Firth, Wenxuan Hou, and Edward Lee

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Newman, A., Gao, Y., Zheng, J. (2015). Overcoming the Innovation Challenge: Examining the Determinants of New Product Innovation in Chinese SMEs. In: Cumming, D., Firth, M., Hou, W., Lee, E. (eds) Developments in Chinese Entrepreneurship. Palgrave Macmillan, New York. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137412508_2

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