Research on the Ecological Deconstruction of E-Cigarette Industrial Clusters in Shenzhen, China, and a Niche Analysis of Related Enterprises
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Background
2.1. Business Ecosystem Theory and Life History Theory
- (1)
- The life history strategy, which represents the adaptation patterns of plants in specific habitats. The life history strategies employed by plant populations are the result of plants allocating limited resources to various functions, such as growth, reproduction, and defense [8,9]. Primary research on the life history strategy in ecology was qualitative until MacArthur and Wilson proposed the r–K selection theory [10]. In the r–K selection theory, the life history strategies of organisms are divided into the r strategy, for developing in changing environments, and the K strategy, for keeping stability in stable environments. Grime [11] further classified the life history strategies of plants by their resource and habitat conditions and established the CSR triangle model, where “CSR” represents three basic strategies: C—competitive strategy, S—stress-tolerant strategy, and R—ruderal strategy (Figure 1). According to the CSR triangle model, external factors that limit plant biomass in habitats consist of two types: stress—conditions that restrict production, and disturbance—biological activities and physical phenomena that cause plant biomass destruction. In their adaptation to different forms of stress and disturbance in habitats, the evolution of plant populations is associated with three different strategies: The competitive strategy (C) prevails in productive and relatively undisturbed habitats (low stress with low disturbance), in which plants are characterized by high vegetative growth and competitiveness. The stress-tolerant strategy (S) is associated with continuously unproductive conditions (high stress with low disturbance), in which plants are weak in both growth and reproduction for endurance. The ruderal strategy (R) is characteristic of severely disturbed but potentially productive habitats (low stress with high disturbance), where plants have a short life span and high seed production. The life history strategy has been applied in the strategic choices of organizations in previous studies. Enterprises may differentiate into the r strategy type and the K strategy type during their adaptation to the market environment [12,13]. Compared with the r–K selection theory’s single evaluation criterion of environmental stability, Grime’s CSR theory takes both the resource and environmental conditions into account in life history strategy classification. Hence, the analysis of the development strategies of the Shenzhen e-cigarette industry adopts the CSR triangle model, owing to the technical and environmental complexity of the e-cigarette industry in this study.
- (2)
- Interspecific relationships, which represent the interactions and coevolutionary behaviors between plants and other organisms in a habitat [8]. Similar relationships exist in enterprise populations, including competition, cooperation, mutualism, parasitism, commensalism, etc. [14]. These relationships have significant impacts on the enterprise populations and the entire business ecosystem. Numerous scholars focus on interspecific relationships between enterprise populations. Mathematical methods such as the logistic model and the Lotka–Volterra model are involved in studies on enterprise interspecific relationships to conduct quantitative research on enterprise populations [15,16,17]. For e-cigarettes, a new industry that lacks data and research, it is necessary to characterize the relationship between the enterprise populations for future works. After years of development, a complete industrial chain, including upstream, midstream, and downstream, has been established in the Shenzhen e-cigarette industry. Relationships between enterprise populations along the industrial chain are complex. Mutualistic symbiosis exists behind their competition behaviors. Coevolution achieved by mutualism is an important relationship between enterprises in the business ecosystem, which is conducive to the stability and development of the whole ecosystem [18]. Hence, this study focuses on interspecific relationships between different e-cigarette enterprise populations, especially their coevolution behavior achieved by mutualism.
2.2. Niche Theory
3. Materials and Methods
3.1. Data Selection
3.2. Niche Evaluation Methods
4. Results and Analysis
4.1. Business Ecosystem Model and Population Life History of the Shenzhen E-Cigarette Industry
4.1.1. Business Ecosystem Model of the Shenzhen E-Cigarette Industry
- (1)
- Business Ecosystem Structure of the Shenzhen E-Cigarette Industry
- (2)
- Evolution Path of the Business Ecosystem
4.1.2. The Population Life History of the Shenzhen E-Cigarette Industry
- (1)
- Development Strategies of the Industry—From the Perspective of Life History Strategies
- (2)
- Interspecific Relationships of Shenzhen E-Cigarette Enterprise Populations
4.2. Niche Breadth and Overlap of Representative E-Cigarette Enterprises
4.2.1. Descriptive Analysis
4.2.2. Niche Breadth of E-Cigarette Enterprises
4.2.3. Niche Overlap of E-Cigarette Enterprises
5. Discussion
5.1. Ecological Interpretation of the Rapid Development of the Shenzhen E-Cigarette Industry—Industrial Level
5.2. Ecological Interpretation of the Rapid Development of the Shenzhen E-Cigarette Industry—Enterprise Level
6. Conclusions
- The complex structure, the strong association between components, and suitable external environment of Shenzhen’s e-cigarette business ecosystem ensure the stabilization and development of the industry.
- The development strategy transformation from imitation to innovation of the Shenzhen e-cigarette industry has strengthened the competitiveness of enterprises and improved the internal development potential of the industry, which promotes the maturation of the industry.
- There is benign competition between e-cigarette enterprise populations, and they have achieved coevolution through mutualistic symbiosis.
- Niche-expansion and -separation strategies of different e-cigarette enterprises have improved resource utilization efficiency and avoided excessive competition in the industry.
Supplementary Materials
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Company | Location | Registered Capital * (CNY) | Profiles |
---|---|---|---|
Dekang Bio | Shenzhen, China | 4 million | Founded in Changning City, Yunnan Province of China, Dekang Bio has engaged in the technological development, production, and sale of medical raw materials, nicotine, plant extracts, and e-cigarette e-liquid. Dekang Bio invested in the R&D of the e-liquid of e-cigarettes in 2006. In 2011, the company set up a branch in Shenzhen and established a global distributor system in September. Dekang Bio’s network for production, sale, and R&D covers the United States, the United Kingdom, Romania, and other countries, and their products are exported to many countries and regions around the world. |
Shenzhen Zinwi Bio-Tech | Shenzhen, China | 200 million | Shenzhen Zinwi Bio-Tech is a high-tech e-cigarette enterprise with its main business in the technological development, production, and sale of nicotine salt and e-liquid. At the beginning of its establishment, Zinwi Bio-Tech provided customized production services of e-cigarette products for brands and traders. In 2018, it turned from production services to the research of nicotine salt. At present, Zinwi Bio-Tech has independent technologies in R&D and the production of nicotine salt, and has developed several types of products. The products are sold in dozens of countries and regions around the world, such as Europe, the United States, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia, and strategic cooperative relationships with several domestic and international brands have been established by the company. |
First Union Group | Shenzhen, China | 100 million | First Union Group is a manufacturer of electronic atomization equipment. It integrates the product design, integrated manufacturing, quality assurance, and supply chain management of e-cigarette products. The company has obtained more than 900 e-cigarette patents worldwide. First Union Group has a complete sales and service system and has built a large sales network throughout China. Moreover, it has established cooperative relations with many customers in the international market. At present, it has provided OEM/ODM services for more than 300 e-cigarette enterprises worldwide. |
Innokin Technology | Shenzhen, China | 22 million | Innokin Technology has creatively developed a number of e-cigarette technologies, such as e-cigarette pen caps, connecting devices, and magnet connections. Its products are sold in more than 50 countries, including the United Kingdom and the United States. |
Buddy | Shenzhen, China | 8.34 million | Buddy is an e-cigarette enterprise that integrates the R&D, production, sale, and service of products together. The company has created four e-cigarette brands till now. |
ALD Group Limited | Shenzhen, China | 350 million | ALD Group Limited focuses on the research and application of electronic atomization technology. Its business involves electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDSs), inhalation medical vapor equipment (IMV), low-temperature nonburning devices (HNB), and other fields. The company firstly carried out the automated production of e-cigarettes, with a manufacturing center covering over 40,000 square meters. |
VOOPOO | Shenzhen, China | 40 million | VOOPOO entered the e-cigarette industry after acquiring the American brand WOODYVAPES in 2017. The company’s business includes the R&D, design, production, and sale of e-cigarettes. The products are mainly exported. Meanwhile, VOOPOO has its own brand. |
Aspire | Shenzhen, China | 3.22 million | Aspire mainly focuses on the R&D and production of electronic atomization equipment. In 2013, the company independently developed its e-cigarette brand and obtained a number of patents. At present, Aspire has more than 500 franchise stores throughout more than 30 provinces in China. |
Code | Technological Innovation Orientations |
---|---|
R1 | E-liquids |
R2 | E-cigarette Cases |
R3 | Batteries and Charging Devices |
R4 | Switches |
R5 | Atomizers and Atomization Methods |
R6 | Heater Parts |
R7 | Materials of E-cigarettes |
R8 | Appearances of E-cigarettes |
R9 | Smoke Flow |
R10 | Oil Transportation, Storage, and Supply Devices |
R11 | Control Systems |
R12 | Others |
Company | R1 | R2 | R3 | R4 | R5 | R6 | R7 | R8 | R9 | R10 | R11 | R12 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dekang Bio | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 |
Shenzhen Zinwi Bio-Tech | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 |
First Union Group | 0 | 3 | 15 | 17 | 55 | 39 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 46 | 9 | 197 |
Innokin Technology | 3 | 0 | 7 | 31 | 54 | 32 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 20 | 12 | 172 |
Buddy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 21 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 46 |
ALD Group Limited | 2 | 2 | 1 | 12 | 12 | 22 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 75 |
VOOPOO | 0 | 1 | 9 | 88 | 36 | 15 | 3 | 9 | 3 | 10 | 26 | 16 | 216 |
Aspire | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 1 | 2 | 79 |
Company | P1 * | P2 | P3 | P4 | P5 | P6 | P7 | P8 | P9 | P10 | P11 | P12 | Bi |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dekang Bio | 0.857 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.143 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 1.324 |
Shenzhen Zinwi Bio-Tech | 1.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 1.000 |
First Union Group | 0.000 | 0.015 | 0.076 | 0.086 | 0.279 | 0.198 | 0.025 | 0.005 | 0.000 | 0.036 | 0.234 | 0.046 | 5.287 |
Innokin Technology | 0.017 | 0.000 | 0.041 | 0.180 | 0.314 | 0.186 | 0.012 | 0.012 | 0.000 | 0.052 | 0.116 | 0.070 | 5.290 |
Buddy | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.109 | 0.239 | 0.457 | 0.087 | 0.000 | 0.022 | 0.043 | 0.043 | 0.000 | 3.458 |
ALD Group Limited | 0.027 | 0.027 | 0.013 | 0.160 | 0.160 | 0.293 | 0.067 | 0.053 | 0.000 | 0.080 | 0.093 | 0.027 | 6.175 |
VOOPOO | 0.000 | 0.005 | 0.042 | 0.407 | 0.167 | 0.069 | 0.014 | 0.042 | 0.014 | 0.046 | 0.120 | 0.074 | 4.453 |
Aspire | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.038 | 0.038 | 0.203 | 0.468 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.025 | 0.152 | 0.013 | 0.025 | 3.475 |
Company | Dekang Bio | Shenzhen Zinwi Bio-Tech | First Union Group | Innokin Technology | Buddy | ALD Group Limited | VOOPOO | Aspire |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dekang Bio | 1.000 | 1.135 | 0.016 | 0.054 | 0.021 | 0.061 | 0.077 | 0.007 |
Shenzhen Zinwi Bio-Tech | 0.857 | 1.000 | 0.000 | 0.017 | 0.000 | 0.027 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
First Union Group | 0.065 | 0.000 | 1.000 | 0.929 | 0.954 | 0.771 | 0.700 | 0.872 |
Innokin Technology | 0.215 | 0.092 | 0.929 | 1.000 | 0.994 | 0.809 | 0.860 | 0.900 |
Buddy | 0.054 | 0.000 | 0.624 | 0.650 | 1.000 | 0.702 | 0.431 | 0.947 |
ALD Group Limited | 0.282 | 0.165 | 0.900 | 0.944 | 1.253 | 1.000 | 0.821 | 1.175 |
VOOPOO | 0.259 | 0.000 | 0.589 | 0.724 | 0.555 | 0.592 | 1.000 | 0.418 |
Aspire | 0.019 | 0.000 | 0.573 | 0.592 | 0.952 | 0.661 | 0.326 | 1.000 |
Company | Dekang Bio | Shenzhen Zinwi Bio-Tech | First Union Group | Innokin Technology | Buddy | ALD Group Limited | VOOPOO | Aspire |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Oi | 0.250 | 0.199 | 0.519 | 0.559 | 0.676 | 0.517 | 0.459 | 0.617 |
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Xu, Y.; Song, X.; Li, X.; Wang, Z.; Zhang, Y. Research on the Ecological Deconstruction of E-Cigarette Industrial Clusters in Shenzhen, China, and a Niche Analysis of Related Enterprises. Sustainability 2022, 14, 5606. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095606
Xu Y, Song X, Li X, Wang Z, Zhang Y. Research on the Ecological Deconstruction of E-Cigarette Industrial Clusters in Shenzhen, China, and a Niche Analysis of Related Enterprises. Sustainability. 2022; 14(9):5606. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095606
Chicago/Turabian StyleXu, Yanmei, Xia Song, Xiang Li, Ziqiang Wang, and Yanan Zhang. 2022. "Research on the Ecological Deconstruction of E-Cigarette Industrial Clusters in Shenzhen, China, and a Niche Analysis of Related Enterprises" Sustainability 14, no. 9: 5606. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14095606