Regional innovation policy mix complexity and enterprise technology innovation: evidence from China

Purpose Technology innovation in enterprises is a powerful driver of national competitiveness and sustainable corporate development. At the same time, the regional innovation policy mix serves as a core factor at the macro level, guiding and influencing enterprise technology innovation. Therefore, this paper addresses a critical question in innovation studies: the impact of the regional innovation policy mix complexity on enterprise technology innovation. Additionally, we also investigated the internal mechanisms and boundary conditions within this framework. Design/methodology/approach A dual-mode network model of local government-regional innovation policy is developed to capture the complexity of the regional innovation policy mix. The complexity index is calculated iteratively using the R language. The paper employs quantitative and empirical analysis, drawing on a sample of 622 regional innovation-related policy documents from 31 Chinese provinces (municipalities and autonomous regions). Findings The results reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between policy mix complexity and enterprise technological innovation. The analysis further shows that university-industry cooperation intensity mediates this relationship, while regional knowledge absorptive capability moderates the impact of regional innovation policy mix complexity on enterprise technological innovation. Originality/value This paper highlights the influence of regional innovation policy mix complexity on enterprise technological innovation and underscores the role of university-industry cooperation intensity and regional knowledge absorptive capability. The findings offer valuable insights into the dynamics of enterprise innovation and inform effective government policy governance for fostering innovation.