Spatial Impact of Digital Economy on the Upgrading of Industrial Structure: Evidence From Chinese Cities

Abstract

To study the impact of the digital economy on industrial structure upgrading, this paper constructs the dynamic spatial Durbin model, dynamic spatial intermediary model, and spatial threshold model based on the panel data of 155 prefecture-level cities in China from 2011 to 2021. It is found that: (a) the improvement of the digital economy in the region can directly promote the upgrading of local industrial structure, but there is a significant “siphon effect,” which makes the spatial spillover effect negative and significant. (b) The digital transformation of enterprises plays a mediating role in the path of digital economy-driven industrial structure upgrading, with a short-term mediating effect size of about 17.18%. (c) The digital economy has a threshold effect on the path of enterprise digital transformation for industrial structure upgrading. These findings provide suggestions for policy.