文/謝祖樨譯/史小今
何為中國創(chuàng)新驅(qū)動(dòng)力?
文/謝祖樨1譯/史小今

中國有創(chuàng)新的能力嗎?這是一個(gè)飽受爭(zhēng)議的問題。很多人,尤其是西方人對(duì)中國的創(chuàng)新能力充滿懷疑。然而,不僅很多外國人不相信中國的創(chuàng)新能力,許多中國人一樣嘲諷“中國創(chuàng)新”的概念。
Is China capable of innovating? This is a controversial question. Plenty of people, especially those in the West are doubtful of China’s innovative capabilities. But it’s not just outside of China where you find non-believers, many Chinese also mock the concept of “Chinese innovation”.
[2]2014年春,我在《歐洲的世界》發(fā)表文章《不要小看中國的創(chuàng)新潛力》,闡述我對(duì)中國創(chuàng)新潛力的觀點(diǎn)。2015年10月,在《經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)人》的熊彼得專欄里,中國被認(rèn)為在某些方面具備創(chuàng)新的能力。而“某些方面”主要是指中國為適應(yīng)快速變化的環(huán)境在業(yè)務(wù)模式創(chuàng)新上做出敏捷反應(yīng)的能力。
[2] In the spring of 2014, I published inEurope’s Worldan article entitled“Don’t Belittle the Potential of China’s Innovation”. In this article, I described my perspective on China’s innovation potential. In October, 2015, in the Schumpeter22《經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)人》2009年開設(shè)的專欄,以美籍奧地利政治經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)家約瑟夫·熊彼得(Joseph Schumpeter,1883—1950)的名字命名。熊彼得是少數(shù)能以客觀眼光看待商業(yè)的知識(shí)分子。他認(rèn)為經(jīng)濟(jì)進(jìn)步的核心就是創(chuàng)新,創(chuàng)新讓新企業(yè)有機(jī)會(huì)取代老企業(yè),同時(shí)也給予新企業(yè)以創(chuàng)新的動(dòng)力。他曾將資本主義比作“具有創(chuàng)造性破壞力的永恒風(fēng)暴”(the perennial gale of creative destruction),這也是他最常被人引用的話。column ofThe Economist,China was acknowledged as capable of innovation in certain areas. These“certain areas” were referring to China’s capability to create highly adaptive and responsive business model innovations in a fast changing environment.
[3]這是西方主流媒體首次公開認(rèn)可中國的創(chuàng)新能力。最近,有更多的西方媒體開始談?wù)撝袊膭?chuàng)新能力。2016年12月,《連線》雜志發(fā)表了一篇文章,探討了青年科技創(chuàng)業(yè)者尤其是互聯(lián)網(wǎng)創(chuàng)業(yè)者在中國激增的現(xiàn)象。2016年3月的《連線》封面展現(xiàn)了西方對(duì)中國創(chuàng)新能力認(rèn)知的大逆轉(zhuǎn)。置于小米創(chuàng)始人雷軍的照片下的標(biāo)題寫道:“是時(shí)候模仿中國了——你可以從最具創(chuàng)意的初創(chuàng)公司中學(xué)到什么?”今年1月,優(yōu)步公司CEO特拉維斯·卡蘭尼克在北京發(fā)表演說并預(yù)測(cè),在未來的5年中,中國的創(chuàng)新將超過硅谷。他還警告硅谷的同事們,要意識(shí)到這種范式轉(zhuǎn)變,不能自滿。《連線》、特拉維斯·卡蘭尼克、《經(jīng)濟(jì)學(xué)人》都非等閑之輩,對(duì)于全球商業(yè)和科技發(fā)展的動(dòng)態(tài)了如指掌,其對(duì)于中國創(chuàng)新的看法值得我們注意。為什么中國創(chuàng)新的大幅進(jìn)步最終引起了工業(yè)和意見領(lǐng)袖的關(guān)注?我認(rèn)為原因有以下幾點(diǎn):
[3] It was the fi rst time ever that mainstream, western media openly recognized China’s innovation capabilities. Recently, more western media are talking about China’s innovation capabilities. The December 2016 edition ofWiredpublished an article discussing the large surge in number of young tech entrepreneurs, especially internet entrepreneurs, in China. The cover ofWired’s March 2016 issue showed a complete reversal3reversal顛倒,逆轉(zhuǎn)。on how the west is now viewing China’s innovation capabilities. Placed beneath the face of Xiaomi founder Lei Jun are the headlines,“It’s Time to Copy China. What You Can Learn From Its Most Inventive Startups.”In January, Uber CEO Travis Kalanick gave a talk in Beijing where he forecasted that in the next five years, China’s innovation will surpass that of Silicon Valley. He also warned his colleagues in Silicon Valley that they need to be aware of this paradigm shift and cannot become complacent.Wired, Travis Kalanick, andThe Economistare not marginal players. They all have their fingers on the pulse of4have one’s finger on the pulse of熟悉,了解;緊跟最新動(dòng)態(tài)。global business and technology. Their views on China’s innovation are worth taking note of. So why is China’s innovation apparently taking a giant leap forward forcing industry and opinion leaders to fi nally taking note. I think it’s because of the following reasons:
1.“為什么不是我?”:上世紀(jì)70年代末,中國改革開放拉開序幕,中國人發(fā)現(xiàn),中國經(jīng)濟(jì)和世界經(jīng)濟(jì)差距巨大。
1. “Why not me?”: At the end of the1970s during the onset5onset開始。of China’s era of reform and opening to the world, the Chinese discovered that the gap between the Chinese economy and those economies was vast.
2.轉(zhuǎn)型中的激烈競(jìng)爭(zhēng):中國從計(jì)劃經(jīng)濟(jì)向市場(chǎng)經(jīng)濟(jì)的轉(zhuǎn)型過程是循序漸進(jìn)的。這種轉(zhuǎn)型已經(jīng)歷了幾十年的時(shí)間,如果要完全過渡的話,可能還要再花上幾十年時(shí)間。在這期間,一系列商業(yè)領(lǐng)域被開放。中國巨大的市場(chǎng)規(guī)模持續(xù)吸引著大量競(jìng)爭(zhēng)者并引發(fā)激烈的競(jìng)爭(zhēng)。超競(jìng)爭(zhēng)環(huán)境激勵(lì)企業(yè)提高自身競(jìng)爭(zhēng)力,而創(chuàng)新則是企業(yè)保持領(lǐng)先的最佳途徑。
2. Transformative and intense competition: China’s process of shifting from a planned economy to a market economy is gradual. It’s taken several decades already and would likely take another couple of decades more, if ever to completely transition. During this shift over time, a range of sectors were opened up. The allure of the China market’s massive scale continues to attract numerous players and ignites6ignite刺激,引起。intense competition. The hyper competition7美國著名學(xué)者理查德·戴維尼(Richard D’Avani)1994年提出的觀點(diǎn)。他認(rèn)為,今天的企業(yè)處在超強(qiáng)競(jìng)爭(zhēng)的環(huán)境下,持續(xù)優(yōu)勢(shì)是不存在的,只有通過打破現(xiàn)狀才能獲得一系列短暫優(yōu)勢(shì)。因此,長(zhǎng)期的成功需要?jiǎng)討B(tài)戰(zhàn)略,不斷地去創(chuàng)造、毀滅又再造短期優(yōu)勢(shì)。戰(zhàn)略目標(biāo)將是打破現(xiàn)狀,而不是建立穩(wěn)定和平衡。spurs companies to enhance their competitiveness and innovation is the best way for companies to stay ahead.
3.移動(dòng)互聯(lián)網(wǎng)的興起:當(dāng)然,這是一個(gè)關(guān)鍵驅(qū)動(dòng)因素。當(dāng)互聯(lián)網(wǎng)、智能終端和社交媒體已經(jīng)成為中國消費(fèi)者日常生活的重心時(shí),這就為創(chuàng)新者和創(chuàng)業(yè)者們提供了顛覆性創(chuàng)新的機(jī)遇。
3. The rise of mobile internet: This of course is a key driving factor. With the internet, smart devices, and social media becoming a core part of the everyday life of Chinese consumers, this provides tremendous disruption opportunities for innovators and entrepreneurs alike.
4.中國市場(chǎng)的龐大規(guī)模:中國市場(chǎng)的規(guī)模和快速演變屬性允許企業(yè)快速擴(kuò)張。與此同時(shí),也給了創(chuàng)新創(chuàng)業(yè)者們不斷摸索中學(xué)習(xí)的大量空間。對(duì)于中國市場(chǎng)潛力的良好預(yù)期讓領(lǐng)頭的中國企業(yè)獲得高估值并從中獲利,讓他們獲得了支持其成長(zhǎng)所需的資本“彈藥”。

4. The massive scale of the Chinese market: The size and fast changing nature of China’s market allow companiesto rapidly scale up. At the same time, it provides plenty of room for innovators and entrepreneurs to learn via trial and error. Leading Chinese companies are also bene fi tting from high valuations that are based on favorable forward looking expectations of China’s market potential. This gives them the needed capital ammunition8ammunition〈比喻〉戰(zhàn)斗手段。to support their growth.
5.資本資源:在中國,經(jīng)過過去20年的發(fā)展,很多風(fēng)投公司和天使投資人已經(jīng)在對(duì)中國的投資中獲得了高額回報(bào)。無論這些投資來自境外還是本土,隨著時(shí)間的推移,中國企業(yè)亦從這些投資者提供的巨量資本中獲益匪淺。
5. Capital resources: Over the past 20 years of China’s development, many venture capital firms and angel investors have benefitted from exceptional returns from their investments in China. Regardless of whether these investors came from abroad or were homegrown, Chinese companies have also greatly bene fi ted from the vast sums of capital these investors have provided over time.
[4]中國已經(jīng)進(jìn)入一個(gè)新的時(shí)代。年輕且呈指數(shù)級(jí)增長(zhǎng)的新一代創(chuàng)業(yè)者為國家注入新的能量和活力。當(dāng)然,在創(chuàng)新和創(chuàng)業(yè)的過程中,很少有人能成功或嘗試一次便成功,也有不少人會(huì)失敗。也許在特定的情況下,政府還會(huì)干預(yù)。但是,只要?jiǎng)?chuàng)業(yè)者們不違法或者欺騙消費(fèi)者,中國社會(huì)是允許和歡迎試錯(cuò)的。這個(gè)時(shí)代,這個(gè)中國創(chuàng)業(yè)者的時(shí)代,將給中國漫長(zhǎng)的歷史帶來真正的突破性變革。□
[4] China has entered new era. A new generation of entrepreneurs defined by their youth and exponential growth nature has generated new energy and vigor into the country. Of course, in the process of innovation and entrepreneurial pursuits, only a few would succeed or succeed at the first try. Perhaps in certain situations the government would interfere. But as long as these entrepreneurs do not break laws or defraud9defraud騙取,詐取(錢財(cái))。consumers, China’s society now allows and welcomes trials and errors. This era—the era of China’s entrepreneurs—is bringing forth real ground breaking times in China’s long history.
What Drives China’s Innovation?
ByEdward Tse
1 謝祖樨(Edward Tse), 高風(fēng)管理咨詢公司創(chuàng)始人兼CEO。
(譯者單位:清華大學(xué)社科學(xué)院)