A co-innovation network in Northeast China oriented to high-quality development

Innovation is the primary driving force and important support for Northeast China's revitalisation strategy to move toward 'high-quality development'. Based on 1985–2016 data, this study aimed to explore structural characteristics and organisational patterns of a co-innovation network from a high-quality development perspective based on social network analysis. Previous literature on the co-innovation network only emphasise network scale expansion and network density increases, ignoring the optimisation of network structure. The evolutionary analysis showed that the co-innovation network in Northeast China presents high growth, openness, hierarchy, assortativity, accessibility and clustering. Regarding organisational patterns, the network's top-level structure was reconstructed, developing from 'dual-core drive' to 'multi-core resonance', forming a 'multi core and semi core and peripheral city' structure. To improve the high-quality network development, it is necessary to strengthen the radiation-driving ability of core cities, clarify the function orientation of non-core cities, eliminate administrative barriers and guide the professional and differentiated development of non-core cities.