Journal of the National Research University Higher School of Economics

This article is devoted to an analysis of the mechanisms and tools that promote innovative activity at Chinese companies. We describe and evaluate the model of the Chinese innovation ecosystem with its major subsystems and their interconnections. Personnel training and development are considered an element of the subsystem “Education” within the innovation ecosystem, which serve as tools for the formation of human resources to ensure the transformation of the national economy into a global center of innovation. The authors analyze the main challenges connected with level of development of the environment and the socioeconomic institutions that may impede the effective management of human resources and the various practices for training personnel at innovative companies in China. The data analyzed for this empirical study on training and development practices includes structured interviews at 60 medium and large innovative companies in China. Objective economic indicators of innovative activity were taken as measures. The analysis results allow one to identify four clusters of companies: “Innovators,” “Leader in Training,” “Stars,” and “Lagging behind,” describing the different company approaches to providing personnel training and development. Clusters vary in quantitative and qualitative indicators for personnel training and development processes, as well as economic indicators of innovation activity. The results prove that a relationship exists between approaches to personnel training and development and innovative activity results and suggest that training and development initiatives are effective tools for managing innovative companies.