Triple helix in the science and technology innovation centers of China from the perspective of mutual information: a comparative study between Beijing and Shanghai

In this study, we measure the systemness of the triple helix (TH) relationship of universities, industries, and governments (UIGs) of Beijing and Shanghai science and technology innovation centers from the perspectives of horizontal comparison and vertical evolution. Information entropy theory and TH indicators are used to measure the author’s institutional information based on the Web of Science core collection database from 2008 to 2017. The TH network is measured by mutual information among institutions. Research reveals that relative to governments and industries, universities are the main force of innovation. University–government bilateral cooperation represents the tightest type of network in Shanghai. By contrast, university–industry bilateral cooperation in Beijing is the tightest in latest years. The innovation system of UIG cooperation in Beijing and Shanghai has started to take shape. However, the tightness of TH relationships in both cities displayed long-term trends of weakening, and the centrifugal force of each innovation subject was greater than the centripetal force. Accordingly, we propose policy recommendations to optimize the TH innovation network of science and technology innovation centers.