Li, Li
(2024)
AGGLOMERATION IN ACTION -
DO CHINESE HEALTH SCIENCES PARKS FOSTER INNOVATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH?
PhD thesis, University of Liverpool.
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201540241_Aug 2014.pdf - Author Accepted Manuscript Download (4MB) | Preview |
Abstract
This thesis examines the integration of the Triple Helix model in Chinese health sciences parks, where academia, industry, and government collaborate to drive innovation and economic development. While health sciences parks worldwide promote innovation through co-location and resource clustering, or agglomeration, China’s model strategically combines these benefits with policies designed to advance national biotechnology and health sector goals. This study explores how Chinese health sciences parks contribute to regional and national development, functioning as adaptive ecosystems that exemplify the Triple Helix framework and leverage agglomeration to amplify innovation. Starting with a global overview of science parks, the analysis compares Chinese health sciences parks with international examples such as Research Triangle Park in the United States and Cambridge Science Park in the UK. Driven by policies like the ‘Torch Plan,’ almost half of China’s national-level industrial parks are now dedicated to health sciences, positioning them as essential to China’s vision for a high-tech, knowledge-driven economy. Through case studies of five prominent Chinese health sciences parks—Zhangjiang China Pharmaceutical Valley, Shenzhen Biomedicine Innovation Industrial Park, Suzhou’s BioBay, Xi’an Biomedical R&D Cluster, and Zhongguancun Life Science Park—this thesis employs the Triple Helix Theory to analyse how the dynamic interplay between government, academia, and industry influences each park's development. This approach provides a nuanced understanding of how each park addresses unique challenges and leverages its strengths, influenced by the distinct roles and contributions of each helix component. The research illustrates the flexibility of the Triple Helix model in fostering academic collaboration, commercial viability, and government support, ultimately creating robust, self-sustaining innovation ecosystems. Findings underscore the importance of long-term strategic planning, technological adaptability, and balanced Triple Helix collaboration, all enhanced by the advantages of agglomeration in health sciences industry. The thesis concludes with policy and practical recommendations, emphasizing China's health sciences parks as models for other emerging economies. China’s experience highlights how government-facilitated infrastructure, combined with Triple Helix integration and the benefits of agglomeration, creates resilient clusters that drive innovation and contribute to economic growth, offering valuable insights for science park development globally.
| Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) |
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| Divisions: | Faculty of Science and Engineering Faculty of Science and Engineering > School of Environmental Sciences |
| Depositing User: | Symplectic Admin |
| Date Deposited: | 21 Jan 2025 15:33 |
| Last Modified: | 08 Feb 2025 03:09 |
| DOI: | 10.17638/03187990 |
| Supervisors: |
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| URI: | https://livrepository.liverpool.ac.uk/id/eprint/3187990 |
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