Development Of Digital Economy Research Articles

A digital economy development index based on an improved hierarchical data envelopment analysis approach

The digital economy is playing an increasingly important role in the global economy. National and international organizations commonly utilize a composite index composed of multi-dimensional indicators to monitor performance, analyse policies, and communicate in the digital economy. This study introduces a hierarchical framework for constructing a Digital Economy Development Index (DEDI). One of the key challenges is determining the attribute weights to be assigned by aggregating the sub-indicators with hierarchical dimensions for DEDI. The current study shows that an H-DEA model can be transformed into a parametric linear programming problem and develops an improved golden section algorithm to search for approximate optimal solutions. The newly developed method is highly robust and provides an alternative procedure to determine the optimal weights for building a DEDI. We established a hierarchical evaluation framework and utilized a new approach to measure the DEDI of 30 provinces in China from 2015 to 2020. The results show that inter-provincial digital economy development in China shows a sequential weakening from the east, centre, and northeast to the west. The East leads the country's digital economy overall, while there is a clear gradient gap between provinces. The central region needs to create a cluster for the development of digital industries. The Northeast should enhance the competitiveness of the industry across the board. The West must strengthen the construction of innovative talent and new infrastructure for the digital economy. These findings can serve as guidelines for designing China's ongoing digital economy development.

Digitization and carbon emissions: how does the development of China's digital economy affect carbon intensity?

The digital economy and the pursuit of carbon peak and carbon neutrality have emerged as crucial focal points for China's future development. However, the intricate relationship between the digital economy and carbon intensity remains uncertain. Based on the construction of the digital economy evaluation index system, using panel data for 30 provinces in China from 2011 to 2019, this study estimates the impact of the digital economy development on carbon intensity by adopting the system-generalized method of moments (SYS-GMM) technique. The results show that the digital economy can effectively reduce the carbon intensity. This conclusion was supported by robustness tests. However, the carbon emission reduction effect of the digital economy exhibits heterogeneity with respect to the digital economy dimensions and regions. In addition to digital industrialization and industrial digitization reducing the carbon intensity, the digital economy development carrier has an inverted U-shaped nonlinear relationship with carbon intensity. Additionally, the digital economy has a more obvious inhibitory effect on carbon intensity in the eastern region. Most importantly, besides the mediating effects of technological progress and financial development, this paper finds that the digital economy can increase carbon intensity through human capital accumulation. These conclusions provide a certain scientific basis for the effective implementation of China's digital economy and carbon peak and carbon-neutral development strategy.

Can policy advantages be transformed into industrial advantages? Evidences from digital economy industry development in Zhejiang Province, China.

The digital economy is a new impetus to promote high-quality economic development. We use the policies of Zhejiang Information Economy Development Demonstration Base (IEDD) and Zhejiang Software and Information Service Industry Base (SISI) established between 2015 and 2017 to design a quasi-natural experiment. By using a panel data from 2005 to 2020 in Zhejiang and the difference-in-differences model, we test the impacts of IEDD and SISI policies on digital economy development. We find that there are significant spatial differences for digital economy in Zhejiang. IEDD and SISI policies improve the digital economy development, that is, the policy advantages can indeed be transformed into industrial advantages. The IEDD policy can promote the digital economy industry development by enhancing the digital infrastructure and financial development; SISI policy can promote the development of the digital economy industry by promoting financial development. The results of quantile regression show that the promotion effect of IEDD and SISI policies increases with the improvement of the industrial basis of regional digital economy. The results of group regression show that the IEDD policy promotes the digital economy development in counties and county-level cities of Zhejiang, and the SISI policy plays a significant role in municipal districts.

The impact of the digital economy on creative industries development: Empirical evidence based on the China.

Digital economy has become a "new engine" that driving global economic growth. Nevertheless, numerous controversies persist regarding whether and how digital economy can facilitate the development of emerging industries. Thus, this paper investigates how digital economy affects creative industries development in China and whether innovation efficiency mediates this relationship. Drawing upon a panel data set containing 29 Chinese provinces from 2012 to 2019, an econometric model is constructed for empirical analysis. We find that digital economy significantly promotes creative industries development, and innovation efficiency plays a partial mediating role between digital economy and creative industries development. According to the influence mechanism, the digital economy of various regions could promote the creative industries development by improving the innovation efficiency. Finally, relevant suggestions were put forward from the expanding application paths, improving regional innovation efficiency, and creating an innovative environment.

Reducing the “digital divide” to reap the “digital dividend”: spatial differences and convergence of the digital economy in cities of China

Bridging the “digital divide” to benefit from the “digital dividend” reflects the inclusive development of the digital economy, which affects the sustainable development of the overall economy and society. Based on the different spatial perspectives of certain regions, city clusters, and cities, this study presents the “digital divide” and “digital dividend” for the development of China's digital economy. A combined entropy method was used to measure the development of the digital economy in cities of China from 2011 to 2019. The Dagum Gini coefficient and its decomposition were used to explore the spatial differences of the digital economy and their sources, while the coefficient of variation and the spatial panel model were used to examine the convergence of the digital economy. Our findings suggest that the development level of the digital economy in Chinese cities has continuously improved. Second, the spatial differences of the digital economy in the four regions and nine city clusters of China that were investigated are decreasing, indicating that the “digital divide” is narrowing and presenting a significant “digital dividend.” The total differences were mainly owing to those between the regions (among the city clusters). Third, the development of the digital economy in the four regions and nine city clusters demonstrated characteristics of σ, β, and club convergences. Finally, the evolution path of the spatial differentiation of the digital economy in cities of China is presented, and the “digital dividend” also demonstrates different stage characteristics. This study analyzed the spatial differences in the digital economy of cities in China and clarified the convergence and influence mechanisms of its development at different spatial scales. The findings provide a basis for the evolution of spatial and temporal patterns of the digital economy of cities in China and presents policy implications for promoting the regionally coordinated and sustainable development of the digital economy. Suggestions from the national and regional levels are more necessary to further narrow the “digital divide,” create a “digital dividend,” and digital drives sustainable economic development.

Research on the impact of Digital Economy Development on The Integration of The Two Industries

Based on data from 2010 to 2021 in 30 provinces of China, comprehensive evaluation systems for digital economy development, manufacturing, and service industry integration were constructed. Using a two-way fixed effects model with individual and time dimensions, empirical analysis conducted the impact of digital economy development on the integration of the two industries in each province. Additionally, a panel threshold model was employed to analyze the nonlinear relationship between digital economy development and the integration of the industries. The research findings indicate a significant promoting effect of digital economy development on the integration of the two industries. Robustness tests confirm the stability of the empirical results. In terms of heterogeneity, digital economy development in various regions significantly promotes the integration of the two industries, with the promotion effect in the central and western regions surpassing that in the eastern regions, and the optimal effect in regions with a moderate level of industrialization. Nonlinear reveals the evident nonlinear characteristics of the impact of digital economy on the integration of the two industries, with different effects at different stages of digital economy development. Based on these findings, policy recommendations are proposed, emphasizing the vigorous promotion of digital economy support for the integration of the two industries and the cultivation of digital talent.

Evaluation method for the impact of digital finance on the environmental performance of manufacturing industry

ABSTRACT A new evaluation method for the impact of digital finance on the environmental performance of the manufacturing industry is proposed to improve the accuracy of evaluation results and provide reliable data for enterprise development. Establish a scientific and comprehensive evaluation index system that includes environment, cost-effectiveness, life cycle, and sustainable development. Collect sample data through indirect measurement and direct measurement methods through questionnaire surveys and standardize each data through the measurement of digital economy development level to eliminate differences between different indicators. Based on the constructed evaluation indicator system and sample data collection results, the weights of each evaluation indicator are determined by establishing a projection pursuit model. The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method and the analytic hierarchy process are used to obtain the fuzzy comprehensive evaluation results of environmental performance based on the projection pursuit model to evaluate the impact of digital finance on the environmental performance of the manufacturing industry. The experimental results show that compared with traditional business models, digital business models can effectively reduce energy consumption, operating costs, and logistics transportation costs of enterprises, improve resource utilization efficiency, and outperform traditional methods in evaluation accuracy, recall rate, and efficiency, verifying the effectiveness of this method.

The impact of digital development on non-agricultural employment of rural women: evidence from the broadband China strategy

ABSTRACT In developing countries, the employment of rural women is a crucial component of livelihood issues, with implications for sustainable social development, poverty alleviation, and the realization of gender equality. This study employs a quasi-natural experiment approach based on the Broadband China strategic pilot project. Through constructing a multi-temporal differences-in-differences empirical model, it analyzes the impact of digital development on non-agricultural employment of rural women in China, along with the underlying mechanisms. Empirical results indicate a significant positive effect of digital development on non-agricultural employment for rural women. This impact is more pronounced among younger, highly educated, married, parous, and those residing in main grain-producing regions. Mechanism analysis reveals that, on the labour supply side, digital development enhances the probability of rural women participating in non-agricultural employment by improving their labour force quality. On the labour demand side, digital development fosters the development of emerging industries and improves the employment environment, thereby providing more opportunities for rural women to engage in non-agricultural employment. Based on these findings, this study offers policy implications for advancing digital infrastructure construction and digital economic development in rural China, addressing women’s employment challenges, and narrowing gender employment gaps.

Broadband infrastructure and urban carbon emissions: Quasi-experimental evidence from China

As the fundamental foundation of digital economy development, broadband infrastructure has a crucial role in promoting economic growth; however, the influence of broadband infrastructure on carbon emissions remains uncertain. This study examines whether broadband infrastructure is correlated with reduced urban carbon emissions, using a multiperiod difference-in-differences (DID) model with Broadband China pilot policy implementation as a quasi-natural experiment. We assess the effects of broadband infrastructure on urban carbon emissions employing a sample of 285 Chinese cities from 2008 to 2019. The findings reveal that broadband infrastructure is correlated with significantly reduced carbon emissions, indicating an average emissions reduction of 12% to 17% in pilot cities compared with nonpilot cities. Broadband infrastructure appears to have a delayed, cumulative effect on emissions reduction. Mechanism tests indicate that broadband infrastructure promotes carbon emissions reduction through industrial structure upgrading, green technology innovation, and producer services agglomeration. Regarding city heterogeneity, broadband infrastructure contributes to more carbon emissions reduction in eastern and southern cities, large cities, and resource-based cities. Our study offers some primary evidence of broadband infrastructure's influence on achieving economic growth and sustainable development.

Study on the pattern evolution and reasons of the coordination between digital economy and green development

The Recommendations on the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan and the Vision and Goals for 2035 suggest that the digital economy and green development have risen to the level of a national strategy, and that the study of their coupling and coordination and their spatial relevance can serve as a strong theoretical support for major national strategies. Based on the connotation of digital economy and green development, this study analyses the evolution of the temporal and spatial patterns of digital economy and green development by plotting the temporal change of the coupling coordination degree and the kernel density estimation of the whole country and each region, respectively. Finally, based on the findings of this study, policy recommendations are made for China's digital economy and green development and the synergistic development of the two.

Research on the coupling and coordination relationship between digital economy and economic growth efficiency and regional differences

At present, China's economy is in the stage of shifting from high-speed growth to high-quality development, and the development of the digital economy is a lasting driving force for improving the efficiency of economic growth. This project conducts the coupling and coordination relationship between the digital economy and economic growth efficiency and the correlation between regional difference research, measures the panel data of 30 provinces and cities in China from 2011 to 2019, and analyzes the measurement results from the perspectives of time series and regional differences. This paper studies the coupling and coordination effects of digital economy and economic growth efficiency. Based on this, this project puts forward policy recommendations to accelerate the coordinated development of digital economy and economic growth efficiency in various provinces and cities in China, reduce coordination differences, and promote the development of scientific and technological innovation, so as to achieve rapid social transformation and structural upgrading.

Study on the Impact of the Development of Digital Economy in RCEP Member Countries on China's Export Trade

With the rise of the global wave of digitisation, the digital economy has become an important driver of international trade. This study aims to deeply explore the impact of the development of digital economy in RCEP member countries on China's trade. On the basis of the panel model which comprehensively analyses three kinds of digital economy development status measurement indicators such as digital economy development status, digital information industry and digital cultural resources input of RCEP countries, it assigns values to the digital economy development status of each country by means of the fixed effect model and empirically proves the relationship between the digital economy development level of member countries and the development of China's export trade. The results show that the digital economy development capacity of RCEP member countries will have a positive promotion effect on the overall improvement of China's foreign trade and export volume, and the conclusions drawn from the empirical results provide suggestions and countermeasures for the high-quality development of China's digital economy to promote foreign trade and export.

A two-stage stochastic collaborative planning approach for data centers and distribution network incorporating demand response and multivariate uncertainties

As a critical infrastructure to support the development of digital economy, the scale of data center (DC) power consumption has been growing continuously in recent years. The plug-in of a large number of DCs to the distribution network (DN) presents both opportunities and challenges for the secure, stable, and sustainable operation of the system. In order to address the planning issues arising from the integration of DCs into the DN, this paper proposes a two-stage (planning stage and operation stage) collaborative planning method for DCs and the DN while considering the source-demand uncertainty. Firstly, spatial-temporal demand response characteristic of DCs is explicitly elaborated, and based on the energy consumption model, a two-stage stochastic planning model considering conditional value at risk (CVaR) for DCs and the DN is constructed using probabilistic stochastic simulation, which obeys low-carbon and security, and satisfies the source-network-load constraints of the system. The siting and sizing for DCs and renewable generation, feeder expansion for the DN are determined to minimize the investment cost during the planning stage, while the power output for the devices considering uncertainties from load and renewable energy are optimized to minimize the operation cost during the operation stage. Secondly, the L-shaped decomposition algorithm is proposed to solve the two-stage stochastic optimization problem by reconstructing the problem into a master problem and subproblems, where the dual multiplies are calculated to generate feasibility cuts and optimality cuts to achieve iterative solving. Finally, numerical case studies on a 33-bus distribution system demonstrate that the participation of DCs in demand response can achieve a significant reduction in the investment and operation cost of the DN, and further promote the consumption of distributed renewable energy sources.

Study on the Coupling Coordination Development between the Digital Economy and Innovation Efficiency: Evidence from the Urban Agglomeration in the Middle Reaches of the Yangtze River

The urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River holds a crucial strategic position in China’s economic and social development landscape. Exploring the coordinated development effects within the digital economy and innovation in this area is conducive to promoting the development of the central region of China and the Yangtze River Economic Belt. This paper uses the 28 sample cities in urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River as the study sample, and constructs a digital economy indicator system and an urban innovation efficiency indicator system. Based on the coupling coordination degree model, we use kernel density estimation, the Markov chain algorithm, and the Dagum Gini coefficient decomposition method to empirically investigate the dynamic trends in coupling coordination development between the digital economy and urban innovation efficiency from 2012 to 2021. The research results reveal an overall upward trend in the digital economy, innovation efficiency, and coupling coordination development stages. However, the upward trend is accompanied by the risk of recession. Moreover, there are significant differences between cities, as highlighted by the differences between Wuhan and other cities. In the light of the findings, it is recommended that government departments take measures, including being alert to the risk of regressive development, developing cities in a realistic manner, and drawing on the experiences of outstanding cities in development. This research can provide new insights and empirical references for government entities to take measures for a more coordinated development of the digital economy and innovation efficiency in the urban agglomeration in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River.

Has the Advancement of the Digital Economy Improved the Well-being of the Population? --Empirical Study Based on Chinese Provincial Panel Data

Promoting the long-term prosperity of a country by exploring the relationship between the digital economy and residents' happiness holds great significance. This research quantifies the extent of digital economy progress through the utilization of the Critic approach. The investigation assesses the evolution in disparities in digital economy development levels across various provinces. Since happiness is a discrete ordered response variable, this paper utilizes an ordered probit model to investigate the impact relationship, incorporating individual characteristic variables. Furthermore, this study takes the sense of social justice as the mediating variable to test whether the development level of digital economy has a mediating effect on residents' happiness. The empirical results imply that the disparity in digital economy development levels among provinces gradually decreases over time, and boosting digital economy development positively make contributions to improving residents' happiness. The impact effect comprises both direct and indirect effects; specifically, digital economy development directly affects residents' happiness and indirectly influences it by enhancing their sense of social fairness. Based on these conclusions, this paper offers relevant recommendations to promote national prosperity and enhance residents' happiness.

Does digital economy development affect urban environment quality: Evidence from 285 cities in China.

The impact of the digital economy (DE) on urban environmental quality (EQ) is a critical aspect of China's economic development. This study investigates the impact of DI on urban EQ using the data from prefecture-level cities spanning the period from 2011 to 2021 and updates some disparate conclusions of related studies. It is discovered that a non-linear correlation exists between DE and urban EQ. Currently, DE can effectively improve local city EQ. This conclusion remains valid even after robustness tests and endogeneity treatment. The impact of DE on improving EQ can be classified as the impact of technological innovation, industrial upgrading, resource allocation, infrastructure construction, environmental governance, and changes in public lifestyle. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the influence of DE is particularly pronounced in cities located in central and eastern regions of China, those with higher levels of administrative management, resource-based urban areas, and those with more stringent environmental regulations.

The relationship between digital economy and industrial green innovation efficiency – based on the perspective of external knowledge sources

PurposeDriven by the development of the global digital economy, knowledge management in industrial enterprises offers more possibilities for green innovation. Based on the perspective of external knowledge sources, this study aims to construct a panel regression model to explore the relationship between digital economy and industrial green innovation efficiency.Design/methodology/approachPanel data from 30 regions in China from 2011 to 2020 were selected as research samples. All data are obtained from national and provincial statistical yearbooks. Coupling coordination degree analysis, entropy method, panel regression analysis, robustness test and threshold effect test by Stata 16.0 were used to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe empirical results demonstrate the hypotheses and reveal the following findings: the digital economy is positively related to industrial green innovation efficiency and external knowledge sources, and external knowledge sources mediate the relationship between them. Moreover, based on the threshold test results, the digital economy has a double-threshold effect on industrial green innovation efficiency.Originality/valueBased on the perspective of external knowledge sources, the proposed mediating mechanism between the digital economy and industrial green innovation efficiency has not been established previously, further enriching the research on the antecedents and outcomes of external knowledge sources. Moreover, this study estimated the direct influence mechanism and double-threshold effect of the digital economy on industrial green innovation efficiency from theoretical and empirical analysis, thus responding to the call of scholars and adding to existing research on how the digital economy affects the green transformation of industrial enterprises.

How Does the Low-Carbon City Pilot Policy Affect Enterprises’ Green Innovation? Empirical Evidence from the Context of China’s Digital Economy Development

The integrated development of green innovation and digital economy is crucial for addressing global climate change, promoting the application and popularization of digital technologies in the green sector, and achieving efficient, intelligent, and sustainable economic development and lifestyles. Using panel data from China’s listed enterprises from 2003 to 2021, this study examines the impacts of environmental regulations on green innovation in the low-carbon city pilot policy (LCCPP) context, which serves as a quasi-natural experiment in the digital economy. The results show that LCCPP effectively enhances enterprises’ green innovation by increasing enterprises’ environmental and research and development investments, and boosting digital transformation. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the promotion effect of LCCPP on green innovation is highly pronounced for enterprises in the eastern region, for those with low financial constraints, and for technology-intensive enterprises. This effect is closely and positively correlated with the digital economy level in the regions where the enterprises are located. This study provides new empirical evidence for the relationship between environmental regulations and enterprises’ green innovation and discusses policy support for addressing global climate change challenges through environmental regulations in the digital economy context, thereby promoting global sustainable development.

Цифровые платформы как драйвер реализации проектов компаний по импортозамещению ИТ-инфраструктуры: опыт экосистемы «Сбер»

The development of digital economy is currently impeded by the complex geopolitical situation, causing negative influence on Russian companies’ IT-infrastructure stability. Given conditions determine the importance of technological products import substitution. The stimulating state policy and digital transformation of business which is based on progressive technologies determine a key role of Russian companies’ digital platforms in the import substitution of technological products. Therefore, the support of technological projects development is provided, the results of which are implemented at micro level or scaled in the form of end-to-end technologies at meso- or macro levels. This article considers approaches to the classification of digital platforms and analyzes the B2B segment services of Sber ecosystem as a platform for the implementation of Russian companies’ technological projects According to the results of the study, the directions of business solutions import substitution have been identified, as well as the development of the architecture model of Sber ecosystem B2B segment which contribute to the successful implementation of companies’ technological projects was developed.

Artificial Intelligence and Productivity Improvement in the Digital Economy

The digital economy and AI development have significantly revolutionized diverse sectors, profoundly influencing productivity. Focusing on agriculture and the artificial fiber manufacturing industry, this paper scrutinizes the impact of AI on productivity in these domains. By methodically analyzing prevalent literature, research studies, industry reports, and case studies, this investigation aims to elucidate how AI has heightened productivity within these sectors. The results exhibit substantial enhancements in resource optimization, yield enhancement, quality control, and efficiency resulting from the implementation of AI. Furthermore, the subsequent sections of discussion and conclusion elucidate these findings, emphasizing the potential advantages and enduring challenges concerning AI’s assimilation to ameliorate productivity within the digital economy.