Abstract:Provincial scientific research institutes are important components of the innovation chain. Formulating and implementing relevant policies for the reform and development of provincial scientific research institutes can directly affect the effectiveness of their reform and development and promote their important role in scientific and technological innovation and development. Taking Jiangxi Province as an example, a classification system of 13 policy tools was established across three dimensions: supply-oriented, demand-oriented, and environment-oriented. Content analysis was conducted on 104 policy documents related to the reform and development of provincial research institutes in Jiangxi province since the 21st century. Using coding techniques, this study systematically reviewed the characteristics and changes in policy tool selection across different phases, summarized existing experiences, identified policy barriers restricting the reform and development of research institutes, and proposed corresponding recommendations. The results show that: the reform process of scientific research institutes can be divided into three stages: initiation and exploration, innovative development, and innovation-driven advancement. Current policies exhibit several issues, including a tendency toward fragmentation, a lack of coordination and integration among different policies, suboptimal combinations of policy tools, a high reliance on administrative guidance tools, and insufficient emphasis on policy tools for technology transfer. Based on these observations, recommendations are proposed to strengthen overall coordination, optimize the use of policy tools, and deepen collaborative innovation.