Allocation Efficiency Measurement and Spatio-Temporal Differences Analysis of Digital Infrastructure: The Case of China’s Shandong Province

Abstract

After Shandong Province started the construction about digital infrastructure, the construction of digital infrastructure reached social consensus, promoting digital development of the province. However, it inevitably exposed problems such as non-targeted policies and uneven development levels. This study uses the non-expectation super-efficiency SBM model and kernel density estimation method to compare the digital infrastructure allocation efficiency of 16 prefecture-level cities in Shandong Province and analyzes the spatial and temporal differences. Results show that the overall level of digital infrastructure allocation efficiency in Shandong Province shows a steady and policy-stimulated growth, but no high-value aggregation area has been formed and regional synergistic development remains to be strengthened. Recommendations are provided on four aspects: increased government expenditure, policy heterogeneity, attention to low-level construction areas, and promotion of regional synergistic development to improve the construction of digital infrastructure in Shandong and sustain its strong digital thrust.