Measuring the synergy between technological and management innovation in megaprojects: Empirical evidence from China

Abstract

In the national innovation system, the synergistic development of technological and management innovation in megaprojects plays a critical role in achieving high-quality project delivery. This study aims to develop a quantifiable three-dimensional coordination measurement framework to explore the collaborative mechanisms between technological and management innovation and validate practical applicability. First, key influencing factors of both technological and management innovation are identified through a systematic literature review and expert interviews. Based on these factors, an innovation status measurement model is constructed using a combined subjective and objective weighting approach. Next, the coupling degree function is applied to assess the coordination levels of three subsystems: structural coordination, behavioral coordination, and performance matching. Moreover, the overall coordination degree is calculated by integrating these results using a power function. A case study of the Shuozhou-Huanghua Railway reveals that the structural coordination degree is low level, the behavioral coordination degree is medium level, the performance matching degree is medium level, and the overall coordination degree is medium level. These findings suggest that while collaboration at the behavioral level is relatively effective, there remains significant potential for improvement in structural and performance coordination. The proposed three-dimensional coordination framework and associated quantitative tools demonstrate strong diagnostic capability in evaluating the synergy, offering theoretical support for dynamic strategy formulation and resource optimization.