An innovation systems approach to decoding China’s technological catch-up: the case of the semiconductor industry

Abstract

China’s rise as a global power has been supported by rapid technological catch-up. The aim of this study is to decode the functioning of the technological innovation system in China and to unravel the role played by different actors. To achieve this, we employ a widely used analytical framework in innovation studies, the technological innovation system (TIS) framework. To address the lack of actor agency in TIS approach, the paper proposes a two-dimensional TIS framework, which is tested in the case of China’s semiconductor innovation system. This paper contributes to the literature by adapting the TIS framework to the Chinese context, enhancing TIS analysis by drawing out actor agency and revealing the subtle temporal dynamics and public–private interactions underlying TIS functions.