How Can Industry Chain Leader Achieve Breakthroughs in Key Core Technologies by Megaproject:Based on the Perspective of Network Orchestration
Currently,in the face of the historical opportunities and chal-lenges presented by a new wave of technological revolution and industrial transformation,it is imperative to fully leverage the robust resource al-location and organizational mobilization capabilities of the new national system to achieve critical breakthroughs in core technology innovation and to support scientific and technological self-reliance.Elevating the pursuit of key core technologies to a national strategic level not only un-derpins economic and social development as well as national strategic se-curity,but also facilitates domestic substitution and independent research to overcome foreign technological blockades.Tackling key core technol-ogies is a systematic and complex endeavor;for instance,major national projects like China's shield tunneling technology,high-speed rail,the Chinese space station,and the'Hualong No.1'nuclear power plant have all been realized through reliance on major engineering initiatives.These projects embody system innovations of complex products,facing chal-lenges such as multi-actor coordination,the integration of multiple engi-neering stages,and the incorporation of interdisciplinary technologies.They require the coordination and incentivization of various innovative entities to engage in technological endeavors,achieving both individu-al and integrated technological breakthroughs.The modern industrial chain leader is an exploration of the new national system;by positioning leading enterprises at the core and adopting a market-oriented approach,it aggregates diverse innovation elements and resources,promoting col-laborative innovation and integrated development across upstream and downstream sectors,as well as among large,medium,and small enter-prises.The industrial chain leader plays an irreplaceable guiding role in leading major engineering projects and implementing national strategies,with the resource and capability advantages necessary to achieve break-throughs in key core technologies.In the context of leveraging major engineering projects to achieve break-throughs in key technologies,the process of an industrial chain leader spearheading the construction of such projects involves knowledge exchange and collaborative innovation with upstream and downstream entities within the supply chain.However,there is insufficient theoretical research on how these leaders utilize major projects to promote multi-ac-tor collaboration,and the theoretical explanations remain inadequate.In light of this,the research questions of this paper are as follows:How do industrial chain leaders,by leveraging major engineering projects,influ-ence the collaborative innovation activities of other entities?How do they exercise their role as leaders in technological breakthroughs?By address-ing these questions,this paper aims to contribute to the theoretical and literature discourse on industrial chain leaders and network coordination.Furthermore,it seeks to provide valuable insights on how to maximize the advantages of chain leaders under the new national system,align with the national strategy for technological innovation,and achieve success in overcoming key technological challenges.This study aims to explore how industrial chain leaders leverage major engineering projects to contribute to breakthroughs in key technologies,with a focus on the question of"how"chain leader firms operate.Essen-tially,this research concentrates on the process and in-depth explanatory mechanisms,addressing"how"and"why"questions,making it suitable for a case study approach.This study interprets the network orchestration theory in the context of the management practices of China's industrial chain leaders.Based on the dimension of managing network stability,this research further focuses on the intensity of management participation,specifically the continuous,proactive,and high-intensity involvement of participants in technological breakthroughs within the context of indus-trial chain leaders.The rationale is as follows:First,the success of key technology breakthroughs under China's new national system does not lie in preventing the exit of innovation entities within the network.Instead,despite the instability brought about by entry or exit,chain leader firms can still ensure the network's normal function-ing.Second,major engineering projects involve numerous participants,each of whom influences the overall project progress to varying degrees,impacting the achievement of technological advancements.Even if par-ticipants remain within the innovation network and engage in technical collaboration with other entities,their lack of sufficient commitment in terms of time,energy,and attitude could be detrimental to technological breakthroughs.Third,industrial chain leaders act as supporters of foun-dational industrial capabilities,leaders of developmental direction,and organizers of collaborative efforts.They wield substantial influence in various areas,such as technology,finance,talent,and markets,enabling them to set industry standards,guide the evolution of industry technolo-gy,and even affect the formation and dissolution of relationships among network members.Compared to previous literature,the main contributions of this paper are as follows:First,by integrating the management practices of China's in-dustrial chain leaders,this study identifies the particularities of network orchestration theory within the Chinese context,refining the original dimension of managing network stability to focus on the intensity of participation management,thereby contributing to the development of network orchestration theory.Second,the study constructs the pathway through which industrial chain leaders leverage major engineering projects to achieve breakthroughs in key technologies,contributing to the body of research on industrial chain leadership.Third,it explores how chain leader firms utilize major engineering projects to accomplish multi-technology integration and achieve breakthroughs in core tech-nologies,thereby enriching the theoretical discourse on key technology breakthroughs.Existing research on critical technology breakthroughs primarily focuses on the systematic advancements of specific products or technologies,with limited attention to how these technologies are industrialized through major engineering projects post-breakthrough.The application of technology in engineering is crucial for commercial-ization.This study extends the current literature by examining how chain leader firms facilitate the engineering of technology through major proj-ects,encompassing foundational technological breakthroughs,research and development advancements,and process technology innovations.It further explores the innovation of construction techniques and methods arising from technology engineering,which highlights the uniqueness of technology breakthroughs within major engineering projects.
Industry Chain LeaderEffect of the Industry Chain Lead-erNetwork OrchestrationBreakthroughs in Key Core TechnologiesMegaproject
万方数据
