Growth path of industrial clusters embedded in global value chain from the perspective of knowledge transfer: A fuzzy game approach

How local industrial clusters break through the lock-in status of low end of value chains and realize industrial upgrading in the development process of embedded global value chain is the central topic of current industrial development research. To explore how industrial clusters achieve the enhancement of their innovation capability and value chains when they are embedded in the global value chain, from the perspective of knowledge transfer and according to the differences in the knowledge levels of the local industrial clusters, three fuzzy game models of knowledge transfer paths were constructed, and the model of the realization mechanism of knowledge transfer and its stability condition was analyzed, which make clear the path of cluster growth under different embedding modes. Results show that although the mode of embedding and the path of knowledge transfer is different, the local industrial clusters can obtain external knowledge transfer by embedding in the global value chain; the knowledge transformation ability of local industrial clusters is the determining factor that the knowledge transfer can smoothly achieve and become stable. The conclusion also shows that the feasibility of the cross-sectional growth of industrial clusters by actively embed the global value chain and acquiring external knowledge transfer if the industrial clusters want to enhance their technology accumulation, their innovation ability, and their position in the global value chain.