关键词: 专利合作网络, 网络能力, 吸收能力, 创新绩效, 科技型中小企业

Abstract: Technology-based SMEs are important carriers of strategic emerging industries and core strength of modern industrial systems. Increasing the cultivation and support of technology-based SMEs are an important starting point for going deep into the implementation of innovation-driven development strategies. In the context of patents surging, technology-based SMEs still face bottlenecks of the lack of innovative resources. Although enterprises actively seek to cooperate with other organizations through applying for patents to establish a patent cooperation network, for integrating innovative resources, however, there are some problems. There is a hollow of internal technological innovation caused by excessive dependence on external technologies. On the other hand, there is a dilemma that it is difficult to sustain innovation due to technical rigidity. How much of the rich patent cooperation resources really transfer into a core competitive advantage that promotes the improvement of enterprises′ innovation performance? In an open network competition environment, enterprises must transform from traditional growth methods that rely on its internal accumulation to collaborative development methods that integrate external resources. So it is very important to select and embed a patent cooperation network that is compatible with the development of the enterprises, in this way it can truly promote the improvement of innovation performance. How to build a patent cooperation network that adapts to the growth of the enterprises? How to cultivate the key capabilities to achieve the transformation of patent cooperation resources to internal core competitiveness? How to adjust the evolution path of the patent cooperation network dynamically to achieve a breakthrough in the growth bottleneck? These are the key issues that need to be discussed and solved in the study of the use of patent cooperation networks to promote the sustainable growth of technology-based SMEs. But the unsatisfactory situation is, the existing researches are not deep enough on some aspects, such as how to choose different modes of enterprise patent cooperation networks, and how to establish a coordination mechanism between cooperative enterprises to improve the innovation performance of enterprises. 
     This research used 5,169 effective cooperative invention patent data from 485 listed technology-based SMEs in the ICT industry and the pharmaceutical industry, constructing four patent cooperation networks modes by different combinations of patent cooperation breadth and depth, which are: "compact type" (high-breadth & high-depth), "exploration type" (high-breadth & low-depth), "utilization type" (low-breadth & high-depth) and "loose type" (low-breadth & low-depth). Based on network characteristics differences and multiple regression analysis, this study explores and verifies the impact of patent cooperation networks on corporate innovation performance. 
       This study draws some important research results. The study found that in the four patent cooperation network modes based on different cooperation breadth and depth, the "compact type" mode patent cooperation network affects innovation performance of enterprises positively without curve effect; the "exploration type" mode affects innovation performance of enterprises positively, and has "U" shape curve influence effect; the "utilization type" mode affects innovation performance of enterprises positively, with an "inverted U" shape curve effect; the "loose type" mode affects innovation performance of enterprises negatively. 
The study further explores the influence mechanism of different modes patent cooperation networks on enterprise innovation performance by analyzing enterprise network capability and absorptive capability. Enterprise network capability plays a full mediating effect between three modes and enterprise innovation performance, the three modes are: "compact type", "exploration type" and "utilization type". Enterprise absorption capacity has different effects on moderating in the process of different modes of patent cooperation networks affecting innovation performance through network capability. 
     The research proposes a breakthrough path for technology-based SMEs to dynamically adjust the patent cooperation network and improve the innovation performance by optimizing the patent cooperation behavior: The first is to optimize the patent cooperation network mode. Technology-based SMEs should focus on strengthening their links with other entities from the view of breadth and depth of cooperation. Priority should be given to selecting effective cooperation entities, and actively constructing a "utilization type" patent cooperation network by increasing the frequency of cooperation and deepening the use of resources. Moreover, on the basic of fully possessing an excellent cooperation mechanism, the scope and frequency of cooperation should be expanded in two directions, and the model will be transformed into a "compact type" patent cooperation network mode. For other enterprises, the transformation from the "exploration type" to the "compact type" patent cooperation network can also be considered under some conditions, such as the government′s cultivation and support. 
    The second is to focus on cultivating the dynamic network capability of enterprises. Technology-based SMEs need to use key capabilities to balance the degree of embedding different types of patent cooperation subnets. At the same time as patent cooperation develops, it is necessary to form a dynamic network capability that matches the organizational changes and adjusts to the changes of the external network environment. By actively embedding to occupy the optimal position in the network, and strengthening interaction through effective communication, technology-based SMEs should effectively identify and integrate the information possessed by the external network, and jointly promote the establishment of cooperation. 
      The third is to enhance the absorption capacity by enterprises investing according to external resources. Enterprises should enhance their absorptive capacity by cultivating and introducing high-end talents, strengthening internal research and development capabilities, promoting the effective flow of knowledge within the organizations and building a learning culture. When the depth of cooperation between enterprises is low, we should focus on the ability to coordinate and match. While developing the absorptive capacity, attention should be paid to moderate openness, which makes the organic combination of enterprise resource openness and external knowledge absorption. So as to promote the core competitive advantage, we need to work on both inside and outside. 
    The fourth is to build an efficient patent cooperation network collaborative innovation sharing platform. The sharing platform should be built and cultivated from the government level. The government should introduce sharing cooperation policies and mobilize various innovation entities for resource sharing. In this way, the effective flow of knowledge, technology and information is promoted. Also, it helps to achieve the value-added knowledge and enhance the innovation performance of technology-based SMEs through more efficient patent cooperation networks. 

Key words: patent cooperation network, network capability, absorption capacity, innovation performance, technology-based SMEs