Communities Shaping The Future of Science and Technology Parks: Usercentered Approaches As The Cornerstone for Technology and Industry Development. The Case of China

This paper develops a conceptual approach for promoting synergies among technology, industry and community, assuming the latter as the cornerstone for such synergic interactions and for defining the organizational model of structures related to the innovation ecosystem. The paper provides concrete examples of this conceptual approach through selected living labs in China.The paper critically assesses the traditional definition of Science and Technology Parks (STP), based on their organizational and functional attributes (generating knowledge flow, providing added value services, foster interactions among universities and companies, driving business growth and promoting territorial competitiveness, among others). It highlights end user demands and needs as the basis (cornerstone) for deploying technology and industry planning, development and growth and as the fundamental frame to structure the support organizations and infrastructures related to the innovation ecosystem. The paper presents the results of inverting this traditional definition of STP, identifying and linking recent and relevant trends and concepts to this conceptual basis. It explores the increasing importance and impact of user-centered research methods (in which individuals as active subjects of the innovation process), such as contextual design, participatory design, and ambient intelligence, among others. In this context of user-centered approaches, technology development is considered as a participatory decision making process, based on open innovation and supported by a multi stakeholder platform in which the knowledge generation power is shared among Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) actors and the\ncommunity as a whole.\n\nAlso within this context, industry growth is understood as a smart specialization initiative, as it considers the strengths, assets and endogenous potential of a specific community, embedded in a territory, as the driver for focusing and selecting investment in Research, Development and Innovation (RDI). User-centered approaches also imply possibly substantial shifts in the organizational model of STP, moving from the traditional triple helix towards a PPPP (public-private-people partnership) to further strengthen the user-driven innovation process and its linkages to the community in which it is embedded. This PPPP can be framed as a living lab, which highlights the importance of RDI-dedicated structures in providing urban and\nterritorial development solutions and in fostering smarter cities. In order to exemplify how these conceptual trends and shifts are working in practice, three Chinese living labs have been selected: (i) Green China Lab based on the Internet of Things and focused on developing smarter IT-related outputs for the benefit of the environment, energy and well-being; (ii) Mobile Life Club of China based on co-design processes and multidisciplinary approaches applied to mobile technology; (iii) City Management Application Innovation Park focused on reinventing city administration by the application of technology and of innovation 2.0. Together (although with different perspectives), these Chinese living labs face a common challenge of driving Chinese cities towards smarter and more sustainable territorial\ndevelopment standards.