Abstract: The high-quality development of the innovation chain revolves around driving industrial growth through technological innovation, optimizing existing industrial capacity, and promoting deep integration between technologies and industries. However, there lacks a unified understanding concerning the essential features, collaborative mechanisms, and process analysis within the context of the innovation chain, which in turn restricts its potential to unleash greater momentum in fostering new-type industrialization and expediting the emergence of novel productive forces. In response, this paper commences by systematically tracing the theoretical divisions and evolving conceptual connotations of the innovation chain. Subsequently, utilizing bibliometric analysis and qualitative methods, it decouples the core perspectives of understanding the innovation chain into three dimensions: the innovation entities, collaborative innovation, and the innovation process, thus constructing a comprehensive conceptual framework and theoretical system of the innovation chain. Moreover, amidst the inward-turning trend of global value chains, this paper thoroughly discerns the distinctive new characteristics, functional advantages, and theoretical underpinnings of the innovation chain vis-à-vis other concepts. Finally, grounded in the contemporary domestic and international context and empirical research, this paper advances a refined understanding of the essence and mechanism of the innovation chain, and further explores its practical implications for innovation entities, industries, and relevant policy formulation.

摘要： 创新链的高质量发展是以科技创新催生产业增量、优化产业存量，及推动科技与产业深度融合发展的有效抓手。但当前关于创新链的内涵主体认识、协同机制与过程解析等尚未形成统一认识，制约着创新链在构建新型工业化与加快形成新质生产力中更大动能的释放。基于此，本研究首先对创新链的理论分野与概念内涵流变进行研究脉络梳理。其次，通过文献计量与质性分析，解耦了创新链内涵认识主要包括创新主体、创新协同与创新过程三个视角/维度，建构了创新链概念内涵与理论体系。再次，在全球产业链内向化趋势下，全面辨析创新链相较于创新系统、创新生态系统等概念，在创新主体、协同与过程三个维度的新特征、功能优势与理论逻辑。最后，结合新时代的内外情境与研究，提出了创新链内涵与机理，并分析了其对创新主体、产业及相关政策的实践启示。