Abstract:Faced with the variety of market demands, the complexity of technology and the limitation of resources, it is inevitable for individual firm to build R&D network composed with cooperation relationships to gain competitiveness. However, R&D network has some vulnerability due to dynamic external environment and complex internal structure, which seriously influences the sustainable development of R&D network. Based on the concept of R&D network vulnerability and the performance characteristics and components of vulnerability, The the vulnerability evaluation index system of R&D network is constructed from five aspects: the external environmental, the structural instability, the network relationship, the network governance ability, and the risk coping response ability. A blend of order relation analysis and variable coefficient method is employed to determine the weight of evaluation index. Finally, the evaluation approach of R&D network vulnerability is developed based on cloud model through introducing normal cloud model. The vulnerability of a Z biomedical R&D network is evaluated and analyzed. Two key factors of vulnerability (i.e. the competition degree between products and the ability of risk aversion) are identified. And then the corresponding countermeasures and suggestions are put forward. This research has certain practical significance and guiding role in reducing R&D cooperation risks and economic losses.