IS-Supported Innovation for China's Research Community.

Through the aegis of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), China has embarked on an ambitious effort to regain prominence in innovation and academic contribution to knowledge after decades of relative neglect precipitated by the "cultural revolution." Unfortunately, initial efforts made during the last decade of the 20th century resulted in quick growth in knowledge quantity (e.g., publications) that failed to generate sound growth in knowledge quality (e.g., citations). Incentives in place were not producing desired results. An innovative collaborative Internet-based Science Information System (ISIS) was applied nation-wide in 2003 in China's Research Community (CRC) with a variety of embedded incentives to rectify the situation. The system has been well received. In the year 2005 alone, ISIS helped the NSFC to process more than 53,000 on-line funding applications and 250,000 electronic reviews from 1,400 universities and research institutes in China. This paper is aimed at exploring Information Systems (IS) innovation impact from the perspective of incentive alignment based on CRC empirical results. Since the nation-wide application of ISIS in 2003, CRC outcomes have markedly improved. Discussion and directions for future research examine generalizability in the context of information systems for innovation and collaborative business. Conclusions are drawn.