The Tribology of the Helixes: Relations between Triple, Quadruple and Quintuple Helix Models

Abstract

This special issue attempts to advance the state-of-the-art in research on relations between Triple, Quadruple and Quintuple Helix models with the publication of Leydesdorff and Lawton Smith’s (2022) paper Triple, Quadruple, and Higher-Order Helices: Historical Phenomena and (Neo-)Evolutionary Models as well as five invited contributions that intend to respond to the arguments expressed in their paper. Leydesdorff and Lawton Smith argue that the dynamics of innovation mainly derive from the Triple Helix (e.g. universityindustry-government interactions), and Quadruple, Quintuple, and N-tuple helices can be decomposed into different combinations of interacting triple helices. They also justify their arguments from a theoretical and methodological perspective. When initially presented at the 2021 Triple Helix Conference as a keynote speech, Leydesdorff and Lawton Smith’s paper provoked active discussions. In order to continue scholarly exchanges on the topic, the editors invited international scholars, whose research interests lie on the border with helical approaches to innovation, to respond to Leydesdorff and Lawton Smith (2022) and join the discussions on relations between the different Helix models from various perspectives. By fostering discussions among leading scholars on the relations between the different Helix models, we hope readers will get to better know each of the models and thus optimise their strategies when applying them to empirical investigations and policy analyses. The papers collected in this special issue also infer a need to re-think Triple, Quadruple and Quintuple Helix models, which is also reflected in the Helix Models’ originators’ more recent (co-authored) works (Cai & Etzkowitz, 2020; Carayannis, Campbell, & Grigoroudis, 2021; Leydesdorff, 2021). Indeed, rapid changes occurred in our societies, triggered by technical advancements and