Improving the innovation ability of engineering students

A Science and Technology Innovation Community organisation network analysis

Bibliographic Data

ID4098840
AuthorsJingxiao Zhang (0000-0002-0857-6835, School of Economics and Management, Chang’an University, Shaanxi Xi’an, People’s Republic of China, corresponding author), Rui Li (0000-0001-9744-7965, School of Economics and Management, Chang’an University, Shaanxi Xi’an, People’s Republic of China), Hui Li (0000-0001-9355-1116, School of Civil Engineering, Chang’an University, Shaanxi Xi’an, People’s Republic of China), Martin Skitmore (0000-0001-7135-1201, School of Civil Engineering and Built Environment, Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Brisbane, Australia), Pablo Ballesteros-Pérez (0000-0002-4629-9664, De Ingeniería Mecánicay Diseño Industrial, Escuela Superior de Ingeniería, Universidad de Cádiz Cádiz, Spain)
Year2021
Volume46
Issue4
Pages851-865
Publication date2021-04-03
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueStudies in Higher Education (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0307-5079 • E-ISSN: 1470-174X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/03075079.2019.1659761
OpenAlexW2971817801
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited28

Science and Technology Innovation Communities (STICs) are student-led partnerships that bring together businesses, research centres, and university staff. They constitute an effective way of promoting student innovation ability. However, the students’ position within the STICs organisation network may condition how their innovation ability is effectively acquired. Using Social Network Analysis (SNA), this study measures how the STICs organisation network promotes the innovation ability of its actors. The paper finds that network centrality and structural holes of the STICs organisation network are positively correlated with student innovation ability. The results are validated through robustness tests in three different STICs, involving engineering students from China’s Chang’an University. Semi-structured interviews are also conducted with 20 relevant actors of STICs. The conclusion suggests that a higher involvement of core actors, more support from schools, and more restrictive entry requirements are necessary to improve the organisation management and training level of engineering students in STICs

Business · Centrality · China · Higher education · Knowledge management · Political science · Social capital · Social network analysis · Sociology · Computer Science · Innovation and Knowledge Management · Knowledge Management and Sharing · Online Learning and Analytics

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