Abstract
Regional innovation is an important research topic in economic geography, the spatio-temporal evolution and mechanism of regional innovation efficiency have recently become a hot for economic geographers. From the perspective of input and output efficiency, this paper constructs evaluation indicator of regional innovation, with the help of Constant Returns to Scale (CRS) and Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) models, and Malmquist indicator method of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), to analyze regional innovation performance, evolution trend, spatial differentiation, and evolution mechanism of Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration (YRDUA) of China. The results show that: (i) Innovation efficiency of YRDUA is generally low, most of which is less than 80 percent of optimal efficiency; however, it kept rising from 2000 to 2015. (ii) Spatial inequality of regional innovation in YRDUA is significant, with a spatial pattern in the shape of “Z”, composed by Hefei, Nanjing, Shanghai, Hangzhou and Ningbo, innovation efficiency of Shanghai is higher than Zhejiang, Anhui and Jiangsu. (iii) Technology progress is the most important influencing factor, all kinds of changing indicator show a trend of rise, and the total factor productivity is changing significantly. This research can provide theoretical reference for the YRDUA to achieve high-quality integration.
Highlights
The region of Yangtze River Delta in China has many advantages, such as rich talents, high level of science and technology, developed manufacturing industry, complete industrial chain and supply chain, and great market potential [1]
The efficiency of innovation resources input-output of the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration (YRDUA) from 2000 to 2015 is measured with the models of Constant Returns to Scale (CRS) and Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), and the results are verified with the method of Factor Analysis Rating method (FAR); in addition, the efficiency fluctuation (2000–2015) is estimated on the basis of MalmquistDEA model, and the following conclusions are drawn
comprehensive efficiency (CE) of innovation resources input-output of YRDUA is generally low and inferior to the optimal level, but tends to rise from 2000 to 2015; Pure technical efficiency is generally higher than CE and increasing; Scale efficiency is significantly higher than CE and pure technical efficiency (PTE) of the same period
Summary
The region of Yangtze River Delta in China has many advantages, such as rich talents, high level of science and technology, developed manufacturing industry, complete industrial chain and supply chain, and great market potential [1]. It is of great significance to study the innovation efficiency of the Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration (YRDUA), which can provide theoretical basis for constructing a regional innovation community in the YRDUA. Some scholars believe that innovation efficiency is innovation ability and can be measured through innovation output, such as patents and papers, the main factors influencing innovation efficiency differences are innovation investment funds and personnel. Some scholars believe that innovation efficiency should be measured by the ratio of input-output, and the main factor influencing innovation efficiency difference is market demand, etc. We construct an evaluation index system from the perspective of input and output, and deeply analyze the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics, spatial differences and influencing factors of urban innovation efficiency, which is of great value to the innovation-driven economic development of YRDUA and the regional innovation theory of economic geography.
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