Influence evaluation of producer services agglomeration on economic resilience: Evidence from China’s cities

Abstract

As a new engine of economic development after urbanization’s structural deceleration stage in China, producer services agglomeration on urban economic resilience (ER) requires analysis. Using data from 264 prefecture-level cities and above in China after the global financial crisis, we examine producer services’ impact in terms of diversification (PSD) and specialization (PSS) on urban ER, and also the mediating effect of industrial structure upgrading (ISU). The results show that Cities with more diversified producer services are more resilient to crises, while the effect direction of PSS is the opposite. ISU is partly how PSD and PSS affect ER. Finally, producer services agglomeration’s impact on ER has significant regional heterogeneity. PSD is very conducive to urban ER in the economically developed eastern region and the less developed western region. The more specialized the development of producer services in eastern and north-eastern regions, the less conducive it is to enhancing ER. Our findings can help stabilize China’s economy and achieve high-quality economic development.