Green Innovation’s Promoting Impact on the Fusion of Industry and Talent: The Case of Pharmaceutical Industry in the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China

Abstract

This study aims to explore the promoting impact of green innovation on the fusion of industry and talent (FIT). The primary objectives of the study also include showing how FIT affects the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China and evaluating the development status of three subsystems: the pharmaceutical industry, talent support, and green innovation. In this study, an index system comprising 28 indicators is established to characterize the three subsystems, based on which a comprehensive evaluation model is used to assess the development of each subsystem. A fusion model is used to explore the current status of FIT and the role that green innovation plays in this, based on panel data obtained for 11 provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2010 to 2019. The results suggest that: (1) the three subsystems in the Belt have all maintained growth, though the development score for the pharmaceutical industry fluctuated greatly and has been somewhat unstable, while growth trends for talent support and green innovation have been stable; (2) the extent of FIT is low, with nearly half of the provinces and cities lacking organization, with a typical spatial pattern of higher levels in the downstream region and lower levels in the upstream region. The downstream region has obvious advantages in the degree of FIT, while the upstream region has a more optimistic growth trend; and (3) green innovation stimulated the development of FIT in the Belt, with a “strong and stronger” trend depending on the foundation of FIT. To promote FIT, the government should (1) focus on enhancing the development and efficiency of green innovation to help promote FIT; (2) promote the stable and sustainable growth of the pharmaceutical industry as well as talent’s support to consolidate the foundation of fusion; and (3) implement regional coordinated development and interaction policies to narrow the regional gap.