Abstract:

Since its introduction, the theory of National Innovation System (NIS) has become an important theoretical basis for the Chinese government to formulate innovation policies, and has had a wide impact on China's scientific and technological economic development. However, NIS theory typically treats government as an actor alongside firms and universities. This perspective is insufficient for explaining the coordinating and organizational functions that the Chinese government has played in building the NIS. To address this limitation, this article argues that the Chinese government occupies two structural positions within the NIS. First, as architectural role (Type I), it operates outside the system to design rules and define the division of responsibilities. Second, as interventionist role (Type II), it enters the system to mobilize resources and correct operational deficiencies. By examining five stages in the development of China’s NIS, this study finds that the relative importance of these two roles has shifted dynamically in response to changing national objectives, and the two roles have evolved into a governance pattern characterized by a clear distinction between external design and internal intervention. Based on this experience, the article offers three contributions to the NIS literature. First, the role of government should transcend its conventional positioning as merely an institutional provider; second, the government’s role is closely intertwined with national objectives; and third, the governance of latecomer NIS requires a stronger emphasis on dynamic adaptability.

Key words: national innovation system, role of government, government intervention, rule maker

摘要：

国家创新体系(NIS)理论自引进以来即成为中国政府制定创新政策的重要理论依据,对我国科技经济发展产生了广泛影响。然而,NIS理论通常把政府视为与企业、高校并列的行动者(Actor),这一定位难以解释我国政府在创新体系建设中所发挥的统筹性、组织性作用。由此,本文提出我国政府在NIS中同时占据两个结构性位置:作为体系架构者(Ⅰ型角色)站在体系之外设计规则、确立分工,作为直接干预者(Ⅱ型角色)进入体系内部组织资源、矫正运行。通过梳理我国NIS建设的五个阶段,本文发现两类角色的权重随国家目标的变迁而动态调整,并在转型期形成了内外有别、协同治理的格局。基于这一经验,本文对NIS理论提出三点讨论:政府角色应突破传统理论中的体系内主体定位、政府角色与国家目标存在阶段性耦合、后发国家的创新治理需要强化动态适配性。

关键词: 国家创新体系, 政府作用, 政府干预, 规则制定