The Formation Mechanism of the Global Science-technology Knowledge Contribution Pattern from the Industry Chain View

Scientific and technological strength has become a key factor determining a country's global status. Exploring the formation mechanism of the global science-technology knowledge contribution pattern from the perspective of the industrial chain is beneficial for proposing suggestions to optimize industrial innovation resources. This study takes the lithium-ion battery industry as a case. It explores the formation mechanism of the global science-technology knowledge contribution pattern from the perspective of the industrial chain. The findings are as follows: (1) The center of science-technology knowledge contribution influence is shifting towards the eastern Asian region. Through local spatial autocorrelation analysis, it can be observed that the countries in the high-high region include Canada, the United States, and South Korea. China only emerged in the downstream from 2010 to 2014. The number of countries involved in the low-low region has increased over time, with a concentration in the African region. (2)The country's contribution of scientific and technological knowledge has a significant reciprocal effect in the three links of the industrial chain, as well as in all elements except the separator and recycling. This reflects the reciprocal nature of knowledge spillover. Moreover, the role of intermediary countries has inhibited the formation of the knowledge contribution relationship between the other two countries. A country’s higher number of knowledge contribution relationships will hinder the establishment of new knowledge relationships. In the upstream, battery and battery pack elements, a large number of knowledge absorption relationships will hinder the country from establishing new knowledge relationships. (3)The knowledge contribution of the knowledge-exporting country to the knowledge-receiving country in the previous period will promote the maintenance of the same relationship in the next period, and this applies to all elements and links. It indicates that the relationship of knowledge flow has a certain degree of stability. (4) Distance has no significant impact on the formation of the knowledge contribution relationship. Institutional proximity (WTO cooperation) only has a significant promoting effect in the upstream. Having the same language has a promoting effect on the establishment of the knowledge contribution relationship in the upstream, midstream, and downstream links, as well as in the battery management, electrode, separator, and application elements.