Audit Evaluation and Driving Force Analysis of Marine Economic Development Quality

Abstract

High quality development of the marine economy is the main focus of China’s future. This paper combined principal component analysis (PCA) method, coupling coordination degree (CCD) model, and data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to evaluate the quality of marine economic development, and analyze the drivers in Jiangsu Province, China, from 2008 to 2016. The results show that the investment in marine economic development has gradually declined, while the output has been increasing. It gradually presents a state of intensive development with low input and high output. The coupling coordination level of high-quality development of the marine economy in 2009–2014 and 2016 was above the good coordination level. The quality of marine economic development continued to grow, with an average increase of 25.1%, of which the technological progress change index played a decisive role, mainly through improving total factor productivity. Marine economic development is becoming more diversified. Total industrial wastewater discharge, the added value of marine and related industries, and the number of marine-related employees are the main influencing factors.