The impact of enterprises’ scientific capabilities on innovation performance: evidence from an empirical analysis and simulation model

Abstract As the interaction between science and technology intensifies, the role of science in driving technological innovation has become increasingly significant. Enterprises, as key actors in market competition and innovation, can gain a substantial competitive advantage and contribute to industr...

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Main Authors: Weijie Zhu, Wucheng Han, Ruoyu Lu, Jiasu Lei
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2025-04-01
Series:Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04808-w
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author Weijie Zhu
Wucheng Han
Ruoyu Lu
Jiasu Lei
author_facet Weijie Zhu
Wucheng Han
Ruoyu Lu
Jiasu Lei
author_sort Weijie Zhu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract As the interaction between science and technology intensifies, the role of science in driving technological innovation has become increasingly significant. Enterprises, as key actors in market competition and innovation, can gain a substantial competitive advantage and contribute to industrial transformation by engaging in basic research. This study focuses on science-based enterprises, defining enterprises’ scientific capabilities in two dimensions: internal scientific capabilities and external scientific capabilities. Through a combination of empirical and simulation research, this study examines the mechanisms by which scientific capabilities influence innovation performance. The results demonstrate that internal scientific capabilities significantly enhance enterprise innovation, underlining the importance of engaging in basic research to foster scientific innovation performance. External scientific capabilities, particularly in terms of quantity, also contribute positively to innovation performance, emphasizing the value of industry-university-research collaborations and the effective absorption of scientific knowledge. Furthermore, scientific innovation intensity mediates the relationship between scientific capabilities and innovation performance, with science-based innovation acting as a bridge between scientific discoveries and technological advancement. While scientific research funding moderates the impact of internal scientific capabilities on innovation performance, it shows no significant moderating effect on external scientific capabilities. Based on these findings, the study proposes four pathways for enterprises to enhance innovation performance: independent innovation, collaborative R&D, scientific knowledge absorption, and technical iteration. This research advances both enterprise capability theory and technological innovation theory by addressing the gap in understanding how enterprises’ scientific capabilities influence innovation and providing actionable insights for the development of science-based enterprises.
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spelling doaj-art-b910c6d9826a42d687d005d019b6255b2025-08-20T02:17:53ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922025-04-0112111810.1057/s41599-025-04808-wThe impact of enterprises’ scientific capabilities on innovation performance: evidence from an empirical analysis and simulation modelWeijie Zhu0Wucheng Han1Ruoyu Lu2Jiasu Lei3School of Management and Economics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaWestern China Transformation Center for Advanced Technological AchievementsSchool of Management and Economics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of ChinaSchool of Economics and Management, Tsinghua UniversityAbstract As the interaction between science and technology intensifies, the role of science in driving technological innovation has become increasingly significant. Enterprises, as key actors in market competition and innovation, can gain a substantial competitive advantage and contribute to industrial transformation by engaging in basic research. This study focuses on science-based enterprises, defining enterprises’ scientific capabilities in two dimensions: internal scientific capabilities and external scientific capabilities. Through a combination of empirical and simulation research, this study examines the mechanisms by which scientific capabilities influence innovation performance. The results demonstrate that internal scientific capabilities significantly enhance enterprise innovation, underlining the importance of engaging in basic research to foster scientific innovation performance. External scientific capabilities, particularly in terms of quantity, also contribute positively to innovation performance, emphasizing the value of industry-university-research collaborations and the effective absorption of scientific knowledge. Furthermore, scientific innovation intensity mediates the relationship between scientific capabilities and innovation performance, with science-based innovation acting as a bridge between scientific discoveries and technological advancement. While scientific research funding moderates the impact of internal scientific capabilities on innovation performance, it shows no significant moderating effect on external scientific capabilities. Based on these findings, the study proposes four pathways for enterprises to enhance innovation performance: independent innovation, collaborative R&D, scientific knowledge absorption, and technical iteration. This research advances both enterprise capability theory and technological innovation theory by addressing the gap in understanding how enterprises’ scientific capabilities influence innovation and providing actionable insights for the development of science-based enterprises.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04808-w
spellingShingle Weijie Zhu
Wucheng Han
Ruoyu Lu
Jiasu Lei
The impact of enterprises’ scientific capabilities on innovation performance: evidence from an empirical analysis and simulation model
Humanities & Social Sciences Communications
title The impact of enterprises’ scientific capabilities on innovation performance: evidence from an empirical analysis and simulation model
title_full The impact of enterprises’ scientific capabilities on innovation performance: evidence from an empirical analysis and simulation model
title_fullStr The impact of enterprises’ scientific capabilities on innovation performance: evidence from an empirical analysis and simulation model
title_full_unstemmed The impact of enterprises’ scientific capabilities on innovation performance: evidence from an empirical analysis and simulation model
title_short The impact of enterprises’ scientific capabilities on innovation performance: evidence from an empirical analysis and simulation model
title_sort impact of enterprises scientific capabilities on innovation performance evidence from an empirical analysis and simulation model
url https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-025-04808-w
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