经济与管理研究2026，Vol.47Issue(2)：55-71,17.DOI:10.13502/j.cnki.issn1000-7636.2026.02.004
与星同行:突破式创新、网络结构与技术扩散
Following the Stars:Breakthrough Innovation,Network Structure,and Technology Diffusion
摘要
Abstract
Innovation diffusion serves as a vital pathway for advancing China's core technologies and accelerating the achievement of greater self-reliance and strength in science and technology.In the policy context of strengthening breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields,it remains unclear whether and how breakthrough innovation(BI)more effectively facilitates technology diffusion,and how network structures condition this process.Addressing these questions is crucial for optimizing the configuration of the national innovation system and enhancing its overall efficiency. Therefore,this paper constructs a large-scale technology diffusion network based on more than five million inter-firm patent citation links among Chinese listed companies.Using this network,this paper systematically examines the micro-level mechanisms and structural features of technology diffusion in China.Preliminary evidence indicates that firms exhibit a pronounced tendency to cite BI achievements produced by technological frontier firms,leading to a distinct star-following phenomenon.This observation motivates the argument of the paper:Beyond their superior technological value,BI generates stronger external identification signals,while reciprocal and transitive structures within innovation networks enhance the visibility and influence of these signals.As a result,technology diffusion emerges from a composite mechanism linking BI,network structures,and diffusion dynamics. This paper identifies both the direct effect of BI on technology diffusion and the interaction effect of network structures.Employing the temporal exponential random graph model(TERGM)alongside the linear probability model(LPM),the empirical analysis yields three main findings.First,BI increases the likelihood of being cited by external firms,providing robust evidence for the star-following phenomenon in China's technology diffusion process.Second,reciprocal and transitive network structures strengthen the diffusion-enhancing effect of BI,indicating that diffusion is not driven solely by technological value,but rather unfolds through a network-based"signal amplification"mechanism.Third,this mechanism exhibits pronounced resource-based heterogeneity.Firms with abundant resources and strong knowledge bases tend to engage in targeted search to selectively absorb high-quality BI achievements,whereas resource-constrained firms are more inclined toward broad exploration through more dispersed citation behavior. This paper develops an integrated analytical framework that explicitly links innovative capability with network structures,shedding light on their interactive role in shaping technology diffusion.Methodologically,by constructing a comprehensive,nationwide,and industry-wide inter-firm technology diffusion network and applying advanced social network econometric techniques,this paper addresses key limitations in prior research on sample coverage and identification,thereby enhancing the generalizability and explanatory power of the findings.Empirically,it provides the systematic evidence of resource-based structural differentiation in China's technology diffusion process,offering a new foundation for subsequent research.Moreover,these findings carry important policy implications.关键词
技术扩散/突破式创新/网络结构/时间指数随机图模型Key words
technology diffusion/breakthrough innovation/network structure/temporal exponential random graph model分类
管理科学引用本文复制引用
王群勇,武文杰..与星同行:突破式创新、网络结构与技术扩散[J].经济与管理研究,2026,47(2):55-71,17.基金项目
国家社会科学基金一般项目"社会网络的计量经济理论与应用研究"(22BJY160) （22BJY160）
