1. Introduction
With the implementation of the China’s western development and the strategy of “the Belt and Road” initiative, the demand for railway engineering in CDAs is increasing [
1]. The major railway projects in CDAs are key national construction projects, holding significant importance in maintaining national unity, consolidating border stability, and promoting economic and social development in western regions. In recent years, China has conducted in-depth research and exploration in railway engineering management in CDAs, achieving a series of important results. Taking a railway as an example, Bombelli et al. explored the evolution law of innovation behavior of major engineering innovation teams under deep uncertainty based on network game theory and the multi-agent modeling tool Netlogo [
2]. Bai [
3] established a risk warning model for railway construction in difficult mountainous areas based on extension theory and applied it to the railway to verify the applicability of the proposed risk warning model. Sun [
4] applied the theory of comprehensive evaluation to construct a comprehensive evaluation index system for railway construction projects from the three dimensions of economic, social, and environmental benefits, and applied it to the railway. Wang [
5] designed indicators based on the stability connotation of railway planning, construction, and operation to evaluate the layout stability of the railway, providing a practical basis for the planning of the railway.
The diverse and complex geological conditions, as well as the harsh climate in CDAs, increase the difficulty of railway construction projects and prolong the construction period, posing significant challenges to engineering construction and management [
6]. With the advancement of science and technology, railway engineering technology has evolved from a single technology to a diverse range of technologies, gradually forming a relatively mature technical system. The application of new technologies not only reduces the costs of railway construction, operation, and management but also significantly enhances engineering efficiency. Moreover, it effectively reduces project risks and improves engineering safety. Therefore, the academic community has conducted extensive research in the field of railway engineering technology innovation management, covering areas such as dynamic mechanisms [
7,
8], risk management [
9,
10,
11,
12], and collaborative mechanisms [
13,
14,
15]. However, there is relatively little research on the factors influencing technological innovation, with most focusing on the efficiency of enterprise technological innovation. Chen [
16] conducted a study on the regional differences and influencing factors of innovation efficiency in China’s high-tech industries based on network data envelopment analysis. Bai [
17], using data from listed companies in China from 2010 to 2019, empirically analyzed the impact of technological innovation enthusiasm on innovation performance from a nonlinear perspective. Li [
18], with 436 high-end equipment manufacturing enterprises as the research subjects, constructed a conceptual model of different dimensions of digital empowerment, technology-embedding adaptability, and technological innovation performance, revealing a nonlinear relationship between digital empowerment and enterprise technological innovation performance. Chen [
19] used the DEA model to measure the green technology innovation efficiency of 35 industrial sectors in China and compared the efficiency of green technology research and development with green technology transformation. Finally, they used the Tobit model to empirically study the influencing factors of green technology innovation efficiency. Furthermore, scholars have also focused on the impact of certain single aspects such as key core technologies [
20,
21], leader behavior [
22,
23], and government subsidies [
24] on technological innovation. However, railway engineering technological innovation possesses characteristics such as organizational synergy and environmental complexity [
25,
26,
27]; the subjects of technological innovation are influenced by factors at different levels during the execution process. The aforementioned studies overlook this aspect and lack exploration of the interaction among technological innovation influencing factors and the investigation of key influencing factors. This hinders the improvement of the technological innovation management level in complex and challenging railway engineering projects. Therefore, further research is needed on how to scientifically identify key influencing factors and analyze the mechanisms of interaction among influencing factors.
System dynamics (SD) is an interdisciplinary and comprehensive discipline aimed at understanding and addressing systemic issues [
28]. This approach is used to study and analyze the structure of complex systems and the interactions among variables. By focusing on causal relationships among variables and their impact on the system, SD assists researchers in better understanding the complex causal relationships and dynamic behavior of systems over time. Currently, SD is widely employed in the field of technological innovation in construction projects. For example, Liu [
29] conducted research using SD to study the interactions and feedback mechanisms among various elements influencing innovation activities in engineering technology projects. Gao [
30] developed an SD evaluation model for the technological innovation capability of construction engineering projects, proposing a dynamic evaluation method for technological innovation efficiency based on DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis). An [
31], considering factors at both the project and enterprise organization levels, proposed a comprehensive evaluation method for the efficiency of enterprise technology innovation projects based on SD and DEA. Park [
32] and Bajracharya [
33] analyzed the dynamic processes of innovation in construction using SD, providing new perspectives and methods for innovation research in the construction field. The above studies have demonstrated the significant role of SD in this field, but there is still a lack of exploration into the key influencing factors.
Although the current literature includes some studies on the interaction of risks affecting railway construction and technological innovation, as well as the mechanisms of various influencing factors, there remain issues that require further refinement and in-depth study.
In railway engineering management, the focus is mainly on research related to project quality, progress, cost, and safety risks. Comparatively, there is less research on the management of technological innovation in railway engineering.
Current research on technological innovation primarily focuses on how enterprises can enhance their innovation capabilities and how industries can improve the efficiency of technological innovation. There is relatively insufficient research on the management of technological innovation in engineering projects, and the impact of the environment on technological innovation is rarely considered.
Railway engineering technological innovation in complex and difficult areas, as a complex system, is explored in this paper using the SD theoretical approach. System dynamics in innovation-related research management can be used to study and analyze the structure of complex systems and the interaction between variables, through the analysis of the causal relationship between variables and the relationships within the systems, to help researchers better understand the complex causality of the system. In the specific scenario of railway engineering technology innovation in complex and dangerous areas, the application of system dynamics is particularly important. Railway projects in these areas often face extreme natural conditions, complex geological structures, limited resource supply, and stringent environmental requirements. Technological innovation is the key to overcoming these challenges and ensuring the smooth implementation of projects. System dynamics can not only reveal the key factors in the process of railway engineering technology innovation and its mechanism but also help to predict the potential impact of different management measures on technology innovation, provide scientific decision support for decision makers, and promote the efficient advancement of technological innovation and the success of the project goal.
The rest of this article is organized as follows.
Section 2 introduces the process of identifying influencing factors.
Section 3 presents the research methodology, describing the variables and parameters that need to be confirmed.
Section 4 provides the analysis results. Finally,
Section 5 summarizes the findings of this study.
2. Identification of Influencing Factors
As a critical infrastructure and a major project benefiting people’s livelihoods in China, railways play a crucial role in stabilizing the economy, promoting development, and improving the well-being of the population. With the gradual extension of China’s railway network to the western regions, there has been increasing attention on railway projects and technological innovation initiatives in CDAs. However, in CDAs characterized by harsh environmental conditions and intricate topography, innovation entities engaged in technological advancements need to validate the feasibility of new technologies and their applicability under specific geological and meteorological conditions. Moreover, the innovation process also faces challenges such as long construction cycles, high costs, and difficulties in resource allocation [
34]. Therefore, the success or failure of technological innovation in CDAs railway projects depends not only on the technological and innovation environment but also on the close correlation with organizational management during the technological innovation process. At the corporate level, the success or failure of technological innovation is influenced by non-technical factors such as the market, corporate culture, managerial approaches, organization, and information. Meanwhile, at the engineering level, technological innovation is reflected in factors such as technology and risk [
35]. Based on the above analysis, this paper, through an extensive literature review and on-site investigations, has identified and summarized a list of 22 factors influencing technological innovation in railway engineering. These factors are categorized into five classes: environmental factors, technical factors, resource factors, technological factors, and management factors.
2.1. Environmental Factors
In the context of discussing technological innovation in railway engineering, environmental factors, especially the macro-policy framework and the dynamically changing market environment, constitute key external variables that affect the technological innovation process. Macroeconomic policies, viewed from an overall perspective, are important levers to guide and regulate the development of the railway industry. They have a direct and far-reaching impact on technological innovation activities and directly affect railway engineering technological innovation in CDAs [
7]. The government aims to create a favorable ecological environment for technological innovation in railway engineering by carefully designing and implementing a series of policy measures. Policies not only promote the original innovation and application transformation of technology but also enhance the overall innovation awareness and capabilities of the industry, provide indispensable policy support and legal protection for the progress of railway engineering technology, and are the basic environmental driver for promoting the development of the industry. At the same time, as global competition intensifies, customer demands diversify, and technology iteration accelerates, dynamic changes in the market environment force all stakeholders in the railway construction field to actively seek technological innovation to adapt to the new requirements of the market. This external pressure is transformed into internal motivation, driving companies to increase investment in R&D and explore new technologies, new materials, and new processes to improve project efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance service quality and safety, thereby standing out in the fierce market competition, consolidating, and enhancing its market position and core competitiveness. The specific list of influencing factors is shown in
Table 1.
2.2. Technical Factors
Technical factors occupy a core position in the field of technological innovation in civil aviation and railway engineering. It covers all elements related to technological progress, technological application, technological integration, and technological management, and it plays a decisive role in the formation and promotion of innovation results. These technical factors are directly related to whether the innovation subject has sufficient capabilities to promote technological innovation, and they are key indicators to measure the competitiveness of an organization or country in the field of civil aviation and railway engineering technology. Strengthening technical capabilities and ensuring that innovative entities can quickly adopt and master new technologies provides substantial support for the realization of CDAs railway engineering technology innovation. The specific list of influencing factors is shown in
Table 2.
2.3. Resource Factors
Resource factors play a vital role in the innovation of railway engineering and technology, among which the two most critical resources are human resources and financial resources, which are the cornerstone to support the smooth development of technological innovation activities. Technological innovation itself is a complex process highly dependent on resource integration, involving the whole chain from the germination of creativity to the commercial application of technology. Each step requires the precise input and efficient allocation of corresponding resources. Professional talents with high technical levels and innovative thinking are the core driving force to promote the innovation of railway engineering technology. The ability and quantity of technical personnel can promote the development and realization of technological innovation [
44]. Financial resources are the material basis for the continuous development of technological innovation activities. Sufficient capital investment can enhance the willingness of innovative entities to engage in innovative activities and ensure the smooth progress of technological innovation [
45]. Therefore, the successful implementation of CDAs railway engineering technology innovation is inseparable from the efficient integration and optimal allocation of the two key resources of talent and capital. A specific list of the influencing factors is shown in
Table 3.
2.4. Technological Factors
Technical factors refer to the factors that carry out the research and application of technological innovation, which covers the whole process from theoretical research, technology research and development to practical application. It is the direct driving force to promote technological innovation and industrial upgrading. Its depth and breadth are directly related to the speed and quality of the industry development. The advanced nature, applicability, and integration ability of technical factors not only determine the feasibility and efficiency of technological innovation but also directly affect whether the innovation results can be successfully transformed into actual productivity, which brings substantial progress and improvement for the development of the industry. A specific list of the influencing factors is shown in
Table 4.
2.5. Management Factors
As the most dynamic and flexible dimension in the field of technological innovation, the management factor involves how to use efficient management strategies and systematic methods to promote the innovation, application, and diffusion of technology. In the complex ecosystem of railway engineering technology innovation, management factors play the role of the baton. Effective management measures play a role in motivation and coordination, ensuring the orderly integration of various forces to collectively address the challenges of technological innovation in CDAs railway engineering. This takes place primarily through benefit distribution [
40], incentive promotion [
45], and organizational coordination [
29], increasing the motivation of innovation subject and integrating the resources from various parties to form a concerted effort, promoting technological innovation. The specific list of influencing factors is presented in
Table 5.