Exploring innovation ecosystems across science, technology, and business: A case of 3D printing in China
研究构建了一个分析框架，考察中国3D打印领域在科学、技术和商业三个子生态系统中的创新能力，发现其在科技方面表现良好，可能走出基于基础研究和技术的新发展路径，对产业界、研究者和政策制定者有参考价值。
The concept of the innovation ecosystem is receiving increasing attention worldwide. Governments and industrialists are keen to foster innovation ecosystems to systematically cultivate favourable environments and encourage local innovators to create knowledge and capture business value. In particular, innovation ecosystems require specific attention when faced with fast-developing emerging industries that closely link science, technology, and business. This study, therefore, develops a framework to investigate the innovation capacities of a multi-layered innovation ecosystem that involves science, technology, and business sub-ecosystems, when considering two core attributes of the innovation ecosystem: the integrated value chain and the interactive network. Furthermore, this framework analyses the interplays across science, technology, and business layers; on that basis, a four-quadrant diagram can be plotted to denote innovation pathways. China's 3D printing ecosystem was selected as a case study. This study found that China's 3D printing ecosystem performs well in science and technology, and may have new development pathways that originate from basic research and technology rather than from duplicating technologies and low-cost production. This study contributes to the literature on innovation ecosystems and has implications for industrialists, researchers, and policymakers.