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Theories and Methods of Science of Science

Total Innovation: Concepts, Frameworks and Policy Implications from an Institutional Perspective

Chen Jin1,2 , Zhu Ziqin1,2 , Yang Shuo1,2 , Zhang Keren1,2 

(1. School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; 2. Research Center for Technological Innovation, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

Abstract: Total innovation is an important guarantee for China to implement the innovationdriven development strategy and achieve Chinese path to modernization, and it can maximize the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system and the institutional advantages of the new national system. The idea of total innovation has been highly concerned and achieved positive practical results at the policy level in China, but the theoretical research on total innovation is relatively lagging behind. First, as a new paradigm of scientific and technological innovation re⁃ search, the concept and theoretical framework of total innovation are still in the initial stage ofconstruction, which have not been broken down and reconstructed to form a mature and consis⁃ tent conceptual connotation and research framework. Second, the existing researches on total in⁃ novation are more limited to focus on the production method innovation at the micro level of en⁃ terprises, and to some extent ignore the institutional theoretical innovation at the macro and meso levels, especially those that rise to the level of production relations, lacking in-depth ex⁃ ploration of total innovation theory from the institutional perspective. Third, the logical mecha⁃ nism of supporting total innovation based on coordination among sub-institutional systems has not been clarified, so as to form a logical chimeric basic institutional system supporting total in⁃ novation. In order to fill the existing research gap, the research focuses on the theoretical trace⁃ ability and institutional perspective of total innovation, and deeply explores the conceptual con⁃ notation, theoretical framework and basic institutional system construction ideas supporting total innovation from the institutional perspective. Specifically, the research systematically analyzes the theoretical foundations supporting total innovation such as innovation-driven development theory, national innovation system theory, institutional economics theory, and basic system of so⁃ cialist market economy. This paper also identifies the theoretical research gaps in total innova⁃ tion, then proposes the conceptual connotation and theoretical framework of total innovation from the institutional perspective and discusses the basic system of logical chimerism supporting total innovation. Based on the existing research, this paper puts forward the research prospect of con⁃ structing and improving the theoretical system of the basic system of total innovation that is inter⁃ connected at macro, meso and micro levels, designing the framework system of total innovation that suits the Chinese context, and improving the basic system of supporting total innovation in the new era. 

Key words: total innovation; basic system; national innovation system; Chinese path to mod⁃ ernization