Abstract

The literature on catch-up cycles has not yet systematically conceptualized how catch-up dynamics differ between the various industries that are emerging in the green techno-economic paradigm. We address this gap by connecting catch-up cycle theory with an industry typology from global innovation systems (GISs) literature, which distinguishes four generic industry types with footloose, spatially sticky, market-, and production-anchored innovation system characteristics. Catch-up patterns in early industry lifecycle stages are expected to systematically differ between these four industry types. This assumption is explored based on a comparative case study of the solar photovoltaics, wind power, solar water heaters, and membrane bioreactors industries, each of which exemplifies one of the four generic GIS configurations. We find that the speed and disruptiveness of early leadership changes differ significantly between the four industries, and that the effectiveness of capability upgrading strategies and catching-up policies are contingent on the innovation and valuation characteristics of each industry’s underlying GIS type.

中文翻译：

---

行业生命周期早期阶段的追赶动态—四个清洁技术行业的类型学和比较案例研究

摘要

关于追赶周期的文献尚未系统地概念化绿色技术经济范式中新兴行业之间追赶动态的差异。我们通过将追赶周期理论与全球创新系统（GIS）文献中的行业类型联系起来来解决这一差距，该文献将四种具有普遍性，空间粘性，市场和生产锚定的创新系统特征的通用行业加以区分。在这四个行业类型之间，行业早期生命周期阶段的追赶模式有望系统地有所不同。基于对太阳能光伏，风能，太阳能热水器和膜生物反应器行业的比较案例研究，探索了这一假设，每个案例都示例了四种通用GIS配置之一。