Evaluation of Technological Innovations and the Industrial Ecosystem of Science Parks in Shanghai: An Empirical Study

Abstract

Science parks and innovation policies have a major mission in driving innovative resources and nurturing emerging industries, while the government-academia-industry collaborations and the establishment of an ecosystem are essentials. To investigate the key driving forces for sustainable development of the collaborative ecosystem, this article evaluates the technological innovations and the ecosystem of Science Parks in Shanghai based on historical data obtained from Shanghai Zhangjiang Science Park (Zhangjiang Park in short). Systems thinking and causal loop analysis are adopted to explore the structure of the collaborative ecosystem and reflections of the policy impact on the science park. The role of the government in science parks and innovation ecosystems is identified with systems mapping and empirical study. The economic impact of Zhangjiang Park policies and the performance of innovation activities in Shanghai are further evaluated. Lessons learnt from the benchmarked science parks and policy implications for facilitating the innovation ecosystem are addressed.