Chinese innovation and the EU
Chinese companies dominate global manufacturing. Cooperating with such organisations gives European counterparts the opportunity to learn. The EU-funded E.N.T.I.C.E. (Explaining the nature of technological innovation in Chinese enterprises) project established a suitable multidisciplinary exchange programme. Researchers investigated the main sources of Chinese technological innovation and competitiveness. The purpose was to assess the potential impacts on EU innovation strategies. Apart from management science and engineering topics, the study also examined organisational behaviour, cognitive psychology and behavioural factors associated with the neurology of creativity. As a result of significant exchanges and first-hand insights, the team developed a broader view of the Chinese intellectual property issues that transcends mere legal protection. They also discovered potential gaps in Chinese enterprises' knowledge processing that may explain the past, present and likely future of Chinese innovation models. E.N.T.I.C.E. also developed a suitable people-centred work system intended to enhance innovation. A second area involved creation of the nucleus of a EU-China innovation and technology network. The goal was to use researcher exchanges and collaborations to stimulate sustainable innovative ventures. Hence, the team created extended partnerships for further future researcher mobility networks. E.N.T.I.C.E.'s extensions to technology innovation management shed a new light on the Chinese intellectual property situation, in addition to relevant organizational cognitive issues. At the same time, the increased familiarity with China and Chinese research environment benefited EU researchers and policymakers.
Keywords
Innovation, competitiveness, E.N.T.I.C.E., Chinese enterprises, intellectual property
