Path Optimization of Technological Innovation Efficiency Improvement in China’s High-Tech Industries Based on QCA and GA-PSO-BP Neural Network

Innovation is the main driving force to promote national technological progress. It is of great significance to explore the optimal path to improve innovation efficiency by using the qualitative method and neural network prediction model to promote the high-quality development of the national economy. This study focuses on high-tech industries in the eastern, central and western regions of China; a factor-dependent research framework for innovation efficiency improvement in high-tech industries is constructed in China. The fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis method (QCA) is used to explore multiple paths to enhance the innovation efficiency of China’s high-tech industries. Then, a GA-PSO-BP neural network is used to construct an optimization model for the enhancement path of technological innovation efficiency, which clarifies the optimal path for the enhancement of innovation efficiency of high-tech industries in the eastern, central and western regions of China. Finally, innovation management strategies for high-tech industries are presented with regional features. The study finds that none of the individual conditions are necessary to promote the innovation efficiency of China’s high-tech industries, and only the linkage effect of the factors can achieve the goal of improving the innovation efficiency level of China’s high-tech industries. There are four configuration paths to improve the innovation efficiency of China’s high-tech industries, which are: “Multinational company (MNC) innovation—economic development—government support”; “MNC innovation—government support”; “economic development—government support”; and “economic development”. The characteristics of regional heterogeneity make differences in the optimal paths of innovation efficiency improvement in high-tech industries in eastern, central and western regions of China.