Characteristics and mechanism of spatial-temporal differentiation in Jiangsu province during the period of industrial transformation

Abstract

Industry upgrading is an important way for speeding up economic development transformation, which is in accordance with economic growth. Based on the GIS spatial technology, the paper analyzes the temporal- spatial evolution characteristics in Jiangsu province during the industrial transformation period from 2000 to 2012 using the methods of industrial transformation coefficient, high- level industrial index, Gini- coefficient index, and specialization index and shift- share analysis. Major findings of this research are:(1) the industrial transformation advancement demonstrates a slowdown increase after a period of rapid development, while the industrial structure upgrade is always advancing quickly in the past 10 years. At the same time, the growth rates of industries are different and the competitive superiority industries are replaced by the capital and technology intensive industries, as well as the leading industries which are mainly chemical industry, electronic appliances, instrument and meters. The fastest growing industry covers advanced manufacturing and environmental protection industries.(2) In spatial structure, the industrial transformation coefficient gradually reduces from North Jiangsu to Middle Jiangsu, followed by South Jiangsu. The advancement of industry structure shows the trend of dish distribution with the high periphery and the low Hongze Lake- surrounded area. The industrial agglomeration demonstrates the pattern of high north- south and low central Jiangsu, and three main highlands of industrial agglomeration including Suzhou, Nanjing and Xuzhou. In addition, this article also finds out that industrial specialization level turns on a circle- shaped pattern in Jiangsu province, with the level of industrial technology gradually reducing with South Jiangsu as the core radiating to its neighboring regions.(3) Resource endowment, technology innovation, market demand and regional policy are the main driving forces for spatial and temporal variations of industrial transformation.(4) The proposals of advancing industrial transformation are put forward, such as promoting the advancement of industry structure, optimizing industrial space layout,promoting the specialized labor division, improving the scientific and reasonable industrial transformation mechanism.