From path-following to path-creating, some paradigm shifts in China's catching-up

The traditional image of China as an imitation-oriented producer of low-cost products remains, but its increasing advancements in some high-tech sectors are trying to change this image. Some leading domestic firms are adopting the different technological trajectories from those of the forerunning global firms. With less predictability of technological performance and high market uncertainties, a path-creating catching-up under the emerging contexts is more likely to happen by the evolving inter-firm collaboration under the continuous institutional support. In this paper, an in-depth case of developing new generation mobile system in China is studied to explore such a paradigm shift.

Keywords: path following, path creating, technology catching-up, paradigm shifts, China, mobile systems, indigenous enterprise, market uncertainties, 3G systems, inter-firm collaboration, stakeholders, high-tech sectors