Local enterprises such as Huawei, Tencent and BYD have been ranked among China’s top 100 enterprises in terms of scientific innovation capability, according to a list released at a forum Sunday.
The report, compiled by Southern Weekly Scientific Innovation Capability Research Center, focused on the performances of 6,000 Chinese companies listed on the stock exchanges of the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong and the U.S. over the past three years.
According to Huang Jinping, director of the center, the report evaluates enterprises with 27 indicators in three dimensions based on their annual reports, patent data in major countries and regions and science and technology awards they have received.
The listed companies’ disclosures showed the enterprises in information transmission, software and information technologies have invested most in research and development. They are followed by telecommunication transmission equipment and construction industries. Scientific innovation is not simply limited to input in research and development. The talent factor is also vital for an enterprise’s innovation with more and more research-type talents starting their own companies.
Innovation in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in some niche markets is even stronger than big enterprises due to the agility of SMEs to market and their professionalism in specific fields, according to the report.
At the forum, Sun Fuquan, a researcher and vice president of the Chinese Academy of Science and Technology for Development, suggested that enterprises enhance basic research and original innovation, and the government should work out incentives to spur enterprise input in basic research and policies to support the development of SMEs.