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Modeling and simulation of knowledge creation and diffusion in an industry-university-research cooperative innovation network: a case study of China’s new energy vehicles

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Abstract

Taking the industry-university-research cooperative innovation network in the field of new energy vehicles in China as the research object, a model of knowledge creation and diffusion is constructed based on the interaction between network structure and knowledge creation and diffusion. Complex network theory and simulation analysis methods are applied to analyze the evolution law of knowledge creation and diffusion in the industry-university-research cooperative innovation network. The results show that the industry-university-research cooperative innovation network in the field of new energy vehicles has the characteristics of a weighted scale-free network. The overall knowledge level of the network first shows a trend of slow growth and then one of rapid growth, while the growth rate of knowledge first shows a trend of gradually decreasing first and then stable. The greater the degree of the innovator and the higher its knowledge level, the more stable that innovator’s cooperative relationships are and the stronger its knowledge diffusion capacity. The knowledge diffusion model and network structure cause the emergence of sudden changes in the network. Knowledge diffusion constraints and network structure are the keys to knowledge creation and diffusion. With the passage of time, the differentiation among innovators in terms of knowledge level gradually increases, and the role of hub university-research institutions in knowledge creation and diffusion becomes increasingly prominent. Finally, we provide some countermeasures and suggestions to promote the development of the new energy vehicle industry.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the financial support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 71473055) and Harbin Engineering University Scholarship Fund. At the same, we acknowledge the academic support provided by Xia Cao’s work paper (https://assets.researchsquare.com/files/rs-107986/v1_stamped.pdf).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Economics and Management, Harbin Engineering University, Harbin, 150001, China

    Xia Cao, Chuanyun Li, Jinqiu Li & Yunchang Li

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  1. Xia Cao
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  2. Chuanyun Li
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  3. Jinqiu Li
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  4. Yunchang Li
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Correspondence to Chuanyun Li.

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Cao, X., Li, C., Li, J. et al. Modeling and simulation of knowledge creation and diffusion in an industry-university-research cooperative innovation network: a case study of China’s new energy vehicles. Scientometrics 127, 3935–3957 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-022-04416-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-022-04416-4

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