关键词: 科技型中小企业, 专利合作网络, 探索型, 利用型, 影响因素

Abstract: Patent cooperation network has become an important way for technology-based small and mid-sized enterprises (TSMEs) to break through the lack of innovation resources. At present, the patent cooperation relationship between TSMEs and multiple innovation entities has gradually changed to the proximity of social network. The keys to enhance innovation performance and manage patent cooperation network resources are to study the patent cooperation network mode characteristics and the influencing factors of TSMEs. In this regard, it is necessary to construct the network structure visualization by using more objective data of patent cooperation. Exploring the formation mechanism of patent cooperation network and analyzing the influence factors of different modes of patent cooperation network cooperative innovation degree are also essential. Ultimately, it can provide breakthroughs and development suggestions for TSMEs to obtain new resources and improve the ability of innovation by relying on the patent cooperation network. Whether TSMEs prefer to choose existing patent partners or different patent partners to cooperate extensively can affect the allocation of cooperative network resources and the adjustment of enterprises' corresponding capabilities. Current research lacks the distinction of patent cooperation networks under different enterprise-centered modes. Therefore,this paper classifies the patents cooperation network model of technology-based small and mid-sized enterprises from the perspective of self-centered network and the interaction of enterprise behavior and capability. The formation of inter-firm patent cooperation network and the sustainability of cooperation network are affected by different proximity. However, the existing studies neglect the intrinsic relationship of different proximity and the influence of their interaction. By distinguishing the cooperation situation of cooperation, like the breadth and depth of cooperation, this paper explores the key factors and the differences in their roles affecting the construction of patent cooperation network for technology-based small and mid-sized enterprises. In this study, 591 technology-based small and mid-sized enterprises belonging to the ICT industry and the pharmaceutical industry listed in Small and Medium Enterprise Board and Growth Enterprise Market are selected as the research objects. 5169 items of cooperation patents are effectively authorized.First of all, this study conducts dualistic structure division of the patent cooperation network using the breadth and depth of patent cooperation. According to their characteristics of patent cooperation, the technology-based small and mid-sized enterprises patent cooperation network is divided into four modes such as strong exploration patent cooperation network, strong utilization patent cooperation network, weak exploration patent cooperation network and weak utilization patent cooperation network. From the network topology characteristics, strong exploration patent cooperation network and strong utilization patent cooperation network is superior to the weak exploration patent cooperation network and weak utilization patent cooperation network.Then, this paper analyzes the influence and difference of cooperation innovation degree of different patents cooperation networks of three kinds of proximity which are geographical proximity, social proximity and technical accessibility. The empirical results show that geographical proximity in patent cooperation network formation plays a positive role in promoting. Geographical proximity can facilitate knowledge exchange between cooperative enterprises. In the process of innovation, enterprises can share the tacit knowledge they need. However, the regression coefficient of geographical proximity to the degree of cooperative innovation among patent cooperative enterprises is small. Therefore, it is not an important factor to improve the degree of cooperation and innovation among enterprises. This paper also finds that social proximity in the formation of patent cooperation networks plays a more important positive role than geographical proximity. By strengthening personnel exchanges among patent partners, the barriers caused by distance can be served by customers who can increase the frequency of cooperation and promote the degree of cooperation and innovation of enterprises. Although technological proximity can reduce the uncertainty of technical cooperation and strengthen the patent cooperation in specific technological areas, it hinders those technology-based enterprises which wish to improve their cooperative innovation ability by expanding the scope of patent cooperation. This is not conducive to those enterprises to carry out technological diversification of cooperative innovation. This study puts forward the following suggestions on the management and development of patent cooperation network resources for technology-based small and mid-sized enterprises: The first is to optimize the structure of patent cooperation network. It is indispensable to give full play to the positive impact of geographical proximity and social proximity on the degree of patent cooperative innovation network of technology-based small and mid-sized enterprises. Throughrelying on high-tech industrial clusters, it can promote the horizontal coupling between innovation chain and industrial chain. And through constructing a patent cooperation network platform, it can promote the vertical coupling between innovation chain and industry chain which be propitious to constantly gather innovative resources. Ultimately it hopes to enhance the degree of cooperative innovation of small and medium-sized technology-based enterprises. The second is to promote the development of multi-knowledge network embedding. This paper explores the patent cooperation resources that enterprises have not utilized and depend on the patentee or inventor linkage and patent technology linkage in patent cooperation network. The construction and application of multi-patent cooperation network model can help to play the role of patent strategy. It provides real-time and dynamic decision-making reference for enterprise patent R&D investment strategy, technology transfer strategy and commercialized innovation strategy. Third,this study expands the scope of enterprise patent cooperation. Strong exploratory patent cooperation network is the most obvious way to improve the innovation cooperation of enterprises. Therefore, the exchanges and cooperation among technology-based small and mid-sized enterprises should be strengthened. The government should help to widely publicize the policies of the state, provinces and regions on promoting intellectual property strategy. At the same time, the government should strengthen media propaganda and create a patent cooperation atmosphere. In this study, only ICT industry and pharmaceutical industry are selected. There are few industries involved which cause the conclusions limited. In the follow-up study, expanding the industrial research field is a scientific paradigm worthy of attention in order to continuously improve the patent cooperation network research.

Key words: TSMEs, patent cooperation network, exploration, utilization, influence factors