Rationalization Of Industrial Structure Research Articles

Regional digital infrastructure and carbon neutrality: A technology–structure–efficiency perspective

The synergistic development of digital transformation and carbon neutrality is a key path to global sustainable development. This study utilized the Broadband China pilot policy and a multi-period Difference-in-Differences (DID) design to comprehensively evaluate the impact of digital infrastructure on carbon neutrality using panel data from 291 prefecture-level cities in China from 2008 to 2021. The results indicate that regional digital infrastructure contributed to carbon neutralization innovation, carbon-intensive industry innovation, and carbon-emission efficiency in the pilot areas. This held true after analyzing the results with propensity score matching, coarsened exact matching, robust estimators, and instrumental variable regression. Specifically, the results of the mediation effect model indicate that digital infrastructure promotes the process of carbon neutrality through several mechanisms, including promoting the rationalization of industrial structure, promoting digital economic development, and inducing innovation in digital technology. In addition, cities with better economic development, lower resource dependence, and weaker environmental constraints have a greater carbon neutrality dividend effect from regional digital infrastructure. These findings indicate a need to optimize policies to unleash the dividends of digital infrastructure in carbon neutrality, which can drive technological, structural, and efficiency changes through digital empowerment. In addition, cities with heterogeneous endowments need to develop targeted measures.

Unlocking the Power of Economic Agglomeration: How Digital Finance Enhances Urban Land Use Efficiency Through Innovation Ability and Rationalization of Industrial Structure in China

Unlocking the Power of Economic Agglomeration: How Digital Finance Enhances Urban Land Use Efficiency Through Innovation Ability and Rationalization of Industrial Structure in China

The impact of pilot policies for low carbon city construction on the development of urban circular economy multiple time-point difference-in-differences model

IntroductionAs a means of environmental regulation, the low-carbon city pilot policy aims to address climate change and alleviate environmental resource pressures in economic development. The development of low-carbon cities often requires changes to the existing industrial and energy structures, which will have a significant impact on the regional economy.MethodsThe study is based on panel data from 273 prefecture level cities in China from 2012 to 2022, and uses the Analytic Hierarchy Process and Entropy Comprehensive Evaluation Method to construct an evaluation index system for urban circular benefits. Finally, the multiple time point differences model and mediation effect model were used to evaluate the impact and influencing factors of policies on urban economy.ResultsThe results indicate that at the 1% level, the explanatory variable coefficient significantly improves the level of urban circular economy development after adding control variables. The construction of low-carbon pilot cities has improved the performance of circular economy development by about 6.42%. The mediating effect of industrial structure rationalization is significantly positive at the 1% significance level, indicating that the construction of low-carbon pilot cities has greatly promoted the coordinated development of industrial relations within China’s low-carbon development regions.DiscussionIt can be seen that the low-carbon city pilot policy has a significant promoting effect on China’s economic development and the development of urban circular economy. Therefore, it is recommended to further expand the pilot scope of low-carbon cities and fully leverage their promoting role.

Exploring the complex relationship between industrial upgrading and energy eco-efficiency in river basin cities: A case study of the Yellow River Basin in China

The synergistic advancement of industrial upgrading and energy eco-efficiency is crucial for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. This study explored the coupling coordination relationship and its spatial-temporal evolution characteristics between industrial structure advancement and energy eco-efficiency, industrial structure rationalization and energy eco-efficiency in Yellow River Basin cities from 2010 to 2020. The super-SBM model and coupling coordination degree model were used to calculate the energy eco-efficiency and coupling coordination degree. Moran's I and Tobit model were used to analyze the spatial autocorrelation and the factors of coupling coordination degree. The coupling coordination degree of industrial structure advancement and energy eco-efficiency decreased from 0.535 to 0.489, with a growth rate of −8.60 %, showing a fluctuating downward trend. The coupling coordination degree of industrial structure rationalization and energy eco-efficiency decreased from 0.296 to 0.246, with a growth rate of −16.88 %, showing an "M" -shaped downward trend. The coupling coordination degree had a significant spatial correlation, and the global Moran's I value was stable around 0.2. Additionally, public transport and degree of opening-up can significantly promote the coordination relationship between industrial upgrading and energy eco-efficiency. These consequences can supply evidence for industrial and energy structure adjustment in river basin cities.

Investigating the effects of industrial transformation and agglomeration on industrial eco-efficiency for green development: Evidence from enterprises in the Yangtze River Economic Belt

Improving industrial eco-efficiency (IEE) is significant for green development, particularly in the areas characterized by intense industrial agglomerations, such as the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB). This study analyzes IEE in the middle and lower reaches of the YREB (YREBML) from 2011 to 2020 using the Super SBM-ML model. Based on industrial and commercial enterprise database, this study clarifies the effects of industrial transformation and agglomeration on IEE based on spatial Durbin model. From 2011 to 2020, the IEE in the YREBML exhibited an increased trend, with an average annual increasing rate of 1.48%. The high IEE areas predominantly clustered in eastern coastal cities, while lower IEE regions were mostly located in the central and western areas. Malmquist-Luenberger index decomposition analysis suggests that advanced production technology, improved efficient resource allocation, and optimized industrial structure enhance IEE. The spatial econometric analysis revealed industrial structure rationalization (ISR) and textile industry factory scatter index (FSI) had significant positive effect on IEE, while FSI of chemical raw materials and product manufacturing industry had significant negative effect on IEE. These findings highlight the importance of promoting textile industrial clusters and controlling the quantity and distribution density of chemical industries to improve overall IEE in the YREBML.

Patterns of innovation-driven tourism competitiveness: Insights from 270 Chinese cities

This paper utilizes innovation ecosystem theory to examine how an innovation ecosystem (comprising economic, technological, labor, and institutional subsystems) promotes tourism competitiveness through internal interaction. Employing fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis and necessary condition analysis techniques, this study assesses the necessity and sufficiency of an innovation ecosystem for high tourism competitiveness. Findings demonstrate that industrial structure and human capital innovations are requisite for tourism competitiveness, with the former being more universally applicable. Further, this study identifies an earlier innovation-driven mechanism for superior tourism competitiveness: leveraging industrial structure and human capital, and four contemporary innovation-driven mechanisms: leveraging industrial structure, leveraging policy, leveraging technology, and leveraging industrial structure and wages. The rationalization of industrial structure and human capital enhancement serve distinct bottleneck roles. This article contributes to understanding the link between innovation ecosystems and tourism and similarly suggests approaches for enhancing tourism competitiveness through innovation system development.

Effects of Industrial Structure on the Green Utilization Efficiency of Urban Land: A Case Study of the Bohai Rim Region, China

The green utilization of urban land is a critical component of regional high-quality development. Enhancing the green utilization efficiency of urban land (GUEUL) is of great significance to improving the quality of ecological environment and achieving a green lifestyle and low-carbon production. With the process of urbanization, the industrial structure is constantly adjusted, which has an impact on the structure and efficiency of urban land utilization. Taking 43 cities in the Bohai Rim region as an example, the super-efficiency slack-based measure model with undesirable outputs (super-SBM-undesirable model) was employed to evaluate the GUEUL from 2006 to 2021, and the panel quantile model was used to explore the impact of industrial structure on GUEUL. The results showed that the GUEUL in the Bohai Rim region appeared a fluctuating upward trend from 0.664 in 2006 to 0.837 in 2021. High-value zones shifted from western Liaoning province and southern Shandong province to a “C”-shaped belt around the coastline and expanded continuously, while low-value zones decreased significantly. Furthermore, the influence of industrial structure on GUEUL was significantly positive, but there were significant differences among different efficiency levels. Industrial structure upgrading exerted the most significant effect on GUEUL improvement in low-value zones, while industrial structure rationalization was dominant in high-value zones, and the influence of industrial structure technologization was more significant in medium-low-value zones. Therefore, differentiated industrial structure adjustment policies should be formulated based on the actual condition of each city to improve GUEUL.

Promotion or inhibition? Exploring the influence of the digital economy on urban-rural integration: A case study of yellow River basin

The digital economy actively disrupts the "urban depression effect" and the "wealth gap" between urban and rural areas, playing a crucial role in advancing urban-rural integration. Based on this, a scientifically constructed performance evaluation indicator system for the digital economy and urban-rural integration was developed. Using the Yellow River Basin as an empirical case study area, the projection pursuit model, simulated annealing algorithm and spatial Durbin model were employed to explore the impact of the digital economy on urban-rural integration in the Yellow River Basin from 2011 to 2021. The findings reveal the following: 1) The degree of digital economy and urban-rural integration display a characteristic pattern resembling that of a downstream > midstream > upstream watershed, showcasing discernible spatial correlation features between them. 2) The digital economy in the Yellow River Basin directly fosters urban-rural integration development. Government behavior stand out as the most influential factor in promoting urban-rural integration among the control variables. 3) The impact of the digital economy on urban-rural integration in the Yellow River Basin displays regional heterogeneity, with the most pronounced effects observed in downstream areas. Moreover, the spatial spillover effect of the digital economy exhibits a distinct "good-neighborliness" characteristic. 4) The digital economy in the Yellow River Basin substantially advances urban-rural integration development through the adjustment effect of industrial structure rationalization and the mediating effect of entrepreneurial activity. These research findings shed light on the impact and spatial spillover pathways of the digital economy on urban-rural integration, aligning with the national strategy of ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River Basin.

Exploring the impact of population urbanization on the green economy development: A case study of 30 provincial-level administrative regions in China

The green economy development (GED) has emerged as a paramount objective for urban progress in the 21st century, emphasizing the harmonious advancement across economic, social, and environmental domains. Yet, the impact of population urbanization, a pivotal driver of urban evolution, on GED remains ambiguous. Addressing this knowledge gap necessitates investigations at specific stages of rapid population urbanization in a certain country. In order to explore the relationship between them, this study focuses on China, a distinctive economic entity, utilizing the DEA-SBM model with unexpected outputs to assess its GED efficiency (GE). Additionally, employing the Tobit model, the study scrutinizes the impact of population urbanization on GE in China from 2000 to 2020. Mechanism analyses are further conducted to explore the key roles of environmental policies, population density, and R&D in fostering GE. Findings reveal: (1) a U-shaped relationship between population urbanization and GE; (2) significant enhancement of GE through green credit policy, alongside positive moderating the impact of environmental protection on GE; conversely, environmental assessment policy notably reduce GE, while positively moderating the impact of industrial structure rationalization on GE; (3) a U-shaped relationship between population urbanization and GE under low population density, with population urbanization significantly diminishing GE as population density reaches a critical level; (4) higher amount of R&D personnel corresponding to increased GE at equivalent population urbanization levels. Finally, several management strategies derived from these findings are offered, aiming to assist other developing nations in effectively improving their urban GE.

How does urban industrial structure upgrading affect green productivity? The moderating role of smart city development

The concept of the smart city, which has recently gained prominence as a new urbanization model, represents a practical approach to achieving a balance between economic development and environmental protection. This article analyzes the effect of upgrading urban industrial structures on green total factor productivity (GTFP) and addresses a gap in evaluating the mediating role of smart city development. Utilizing panel data from Chinese prefecture-level cities, the study finds that internal advancements and diversification in industrial structures significantly enhance GTFP, while industrial structure rationalization displays a complex, non-linear correlation with GTFP. Moreover, smart city development is found to positively moderate the relationship between industrial structure and productivity, particularly in terms of outer-advancement, diversification, and rationalization. The moderating effect is evident in green technical efficiency rather than green technological innovation. Cluster analysis reveals significant effects in regions characterized by irrational, diversified, and naturally rational industrial structures. Additionally, the study identifies five impact mechanisms facilitated by smart cities, namely ICT, finance development, digitalization, smart governance, and social trust. These conclusions are of material significance to promote high-quality urban development.

The impact of two-way FDI on the upgrading of China’s industrial structure: Based on the research in Chongqing

The improvement in the economic environment and the implementation of the “bring in and go global” strategy have had an impact on China's economic development and the optimization of its economic structure. The decline of Chongqing's traditional pillar industries has made the promotion of economic structure upgrading a key to economic development. The purpose of this paper is to study the role of two-way foreign direct investment (FDI) in industrial structure upgrading. This paper is designed to study the effect of outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) and inward foreign direct investment (IFDI) on the industrial structure upgrading from both theoretical and empirical perspectives. This study selects data from Chongqing from 1987 to 2022 and uses Stata 17.0 software for empirical analysis, based on Chenery’s “standard structure” industrial change model. The research findings show that OFDI and IFDI have a significant positive impact on the intensification and servicification of Chongqing's industrial structure and are significant at the 0.01 level. OFDI and IFDI have a significant positive impact on the rationalization of Chongqing's industrial structure and are significant at the 0.05 level. This means that two-way FDI has a positive effect on the optimization of industrial structure. The practical implication of this study is that it provides a realistic basis for Chongqing to fully leverage the advantages of international direct investment and promote the optimization and upgrading of the industrial structure, which also has enlightening significance for China’s economic structure reform.

The Impact of Digital Inclusive Finance on the Effectiveness of Industrial Structure Upgrading: An Empirical Analysis Based on Panel Data from 31 Provinces in China

In the context of the accelerating global digitization process and the increasingly interconnected global economy, China is striving to establish a modern financial system that is innovation-led, data-enabled, and inclusive to all. This study, based on panel data from 31 provinces in China from 2013 to 2022, employs a two-way fixed effects model to delve into the impact of digital inclusive finance on the advancement and rationalization of industrial structure. The findings reveal that: (1) digital inclusive finance has a significant positive effect on the upgrading of industrial structure; (2) innovation investment plays a partial mediating role in this process; (3) there are notable regional differences in the impact of digital inclusive finance on industrial structure upgrading. Therefore, it is recommended that local governments formulate policies based on their respective realities, strengthen financial supervision and technological infrastructure construction, fully tap the potential of digital inclusive finance in promoting industrial structure upgrading, and promote the deep integration of financial resources and technological innovation to achieve continuous optimization and upgrading of the industrial structure.

Digital economy and industrial structure transformation and income distribution

ABSTRACT Income distribution has become a serious challenge to China’s sustainable development. Previous studies have identified educational inequality and globalization as the most important reasons for increasing the imbalance in income distribution, but rarely have they examined the mechanism of the digital economy on income distribution from the perspective of industrial structural transformation. The theoretical study adopts a dynamic general equilibrium model containing about the production sector and the household sector, and by comparing the static equilibrium analysis, we get that the digital economy affects the flow of labour and capital and then industrial structure transformation, which ultimately affects the income distribution; in terms of the empirical evidence, we use the data of 37 cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt in the period of 2011–2021, and we use the mediation effect model to determine the factors and mechanisms affecting the income distribution. The results of the study show that the level of digital economy development optimizes income distribution through rationalization of industrial structure and advanced industrial structure, and has a U-shaped characteristic of inhibiting income distribution first and then promoting it. The study expands the literature on income distribution and proposes future research directions.

Enhancing Industry Evolution: The Role of Digital Inclusive Finance in Optimizing and Upgrading the Industrial Structure

The upgrading of digital inclusive finance has markedly enhanced the financing and operational milieu for small and micro enterprises (SMEs), exerting a pivotal influence on the optimization of the national industrial structure. This paper leverages panel data spanning from 2011 to 2020 across 30 provincial-level administrative regions within China to scrutinize the ramifications of digital inclusive finance on the amelioration and elevation of the industrial framework. It endeavors to assimilate the construct of digital inclusive finance into the analytical paradigm concerning the evolution of industrial structures, embarking on a dual-faceted investigation from both theoretical constructs and empirical evidences to elucidate the dynamics between digital inclusive finance and the upgrading of China’s industrial structure. The empirical outcomes underscore that digital inclusive finance substantially fosters the refinement of the industrial architecture, particularly accentuating its positive leverage on the rationalization of industrial structure. Subsequent explorations reveal a regional heterogeneity in the facilitative effects of digital inclusive finance on industrial structure optimization and upgrading, with more pronounced significances identified within the central and western regions of China. Moreover, it is discerned that divergent domains of digital inclusive finance impart differential impacts on the optimization efficacy of the industrial structure. This discourse not only augments the scholarly dialogue on digital finance and industrial progression but also proffers empirical insights for policy formulations aimed at harnessing digital inclusive finance as a strategic instrument for economic augmentation and industrial sophistication.

Towards sustainability: How does the digital-real integration affect regional green development efficiency?

Integrating the digital economy into the real economy (thereafter referred to as digital-real integration) is one of the important ways to promote the efficiency improvement of green development. We adopt the panel data of 30 provinces and cities in China (excluding Tibet, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan) from 2011 to 2021 as the basis of our study. We also use the coupled coordination model to measure the level of digital-real integration in each region. Then, we set up a spatio-temporal geographically weighted regression model to examine the spatio-temporal distribution pattern and the specific mechanism of its impact on the efficiency of regional green development. Our study finds that the vast majority of provinces in the country are in the coupling and coordination state on the verge of dysfunction and mild dysfunction. Moreover, coordinating with the development speed of the digital economy to reach the state of dynamic interconnection and constraints is difficult for the real economy. Second, the level of digital-real integration can contribute to the improvement of green development efficiency, and that in Xinjiang and Qinghai is lower than in other provinces. Further in terms of spatial distribution, the digital-real integration in the Yangtze River Delta region (Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Anhui) and Fujian Provinces during the 11-year period obviously promotes the efficiency of green development. Finally, through the mechanism analysis, the digital-real integration development can be found to promote the improvement of green development efficiency via three channels: industrial structure rationalization, factor market development degree, and government intervention. Findings of this paper provide some basis and reference for better promoting the digital-real integration and then realizing the long-term sustainable development of the region.

The Enabling Effect of Digital Economy on High-Quality Agricultural Development-Evidence from China

In recent years, the digital economy has shown great potential in regard to in driving social production and development. In the context of the construction of digital villages, the deep integration of the digital economy and agricultural development has injected new vitality into improving the quality and efficiency of agricultural production, becoming an important way to promote sustainable agricultural development. Based on the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2012 to 2021, the study utilizes the entropy method to measure the level of the digital economy and the high-quality development of agriculture. Additionally, this study explores the impact and mechanism of the digital economy on the high-quality development of agriculture by the fixed effect, mediation effect, and the spatial spillover models. In summary, the digital economy can significantly drive the high-quality development of agriculture, which is still valid after considering endogeneity and robustness. Mechanistically, the rationalization of industrial structure is an important path for the digital economy in regard to driving the high-quality development of agriculture. Regionally, the dividends of the digital economy for high-quality agricultural development in the central and western regions are greater than those in the eastern region. Spatially, the digital economy has a spatial spillover effect on the high-quality development of agriculture. Moreover, it can promote the synergistic development of adjoining regions. Therefore, policy recommendations are made in terms of strengthening rural infrastructure, emphasizing the development of regional shortcomings, and strengthening internal with external regional linkages.

Green innovation, industrial structure and urban eco-efficiency in Chinese cities

In the context of significant environmental changes, the urgency of adopting green innovation has become increasingly apparent as a central mechanism for adjusting industrial structures in China. This transition serves not only as a crucial way to address pressing environmental challenges, but also as a fundamental strategy to improve the ecological efficiency of urban areas. Existing research mainly keeps a close eye on the unidirectional relationship between variables such as technological innovation and environmental protection. There is less relevant literature that has researched the cointegration relationship among green innovation, industrial structure, and eco-efficiency of cities. The essential role of green innovation and industrial structure in reaching a higher eco-efficiency of city are discussed in this research and the relationship among these three variables are analyzed by the evidence from cities in China from 2011 to 2019. The fact that the variables are cointegrated in the long run is evidenced by the results for the full sample. The sub-sample results report that in the eastern region, green innovation, industrial structure upgrading, and industrial structure rationalization could improve urban eco-efficiency. However, in Midwest regions where economic development is relatively backward, green innovation's effect on urban eco-efficiency is not in a significant positive way. The results obtained in this paper have implications for different cities in China to formulate corresponding policies on green innovation, industrial structure, and urban eco-efficiency.

How do industrial land transfer modes impact carbon emissions? An intermediation perspective based on industrial structure.

Industrial land is currently the main carrier and important source of global carbon emissions, and as the world's largest developing country, China's large-scale and diversified industrial land supply has made it the world's largest carbon emitter. Therefore, researching the impact of different supply methods of industrial land on carbon emissions and its impact paths in China can help provide a reference for other countries to reduce carbon emissions from the perspective of urban industrial land management, which is of great significance for effectively promoting global carbon reduction. Based on this, this paper analyses the impact of different supply methods of industrial land on carbon emissions and its urban heterogeneity using the SYS-GMM and chain-mediated effects models for 285 cities in China from 2008 to 2020. The study found that, in general, the impact of different industrial land transfer modes on carbon emission has hysteresis and persistence. Agreement and listing transfer with government intervention can significantly exacerbate carbon emissions, while more market-based bidding and auction transfer can dampen carbon emissions. In terms of intermediary effects, the transfer of industrial land by agreement and listing will inhibit the rationalization and advancement of industrial structure, thus aggravating carbon emissions. The transfer of industrial land by bidding and auction will create barriers to entry and a crowding-out effect, promote the rationalization of industrial structure and the transformation and upgrading of industrial structure and moderate carbon emissions. In terms of city heterogeneity, there is urban heterogeneity in the impact of industrial land transfer on carbon emissions in cities with different economic types. Bidding and auction transfer for industrial land in both economically developed and less developed cities can promote carbon pollution. While the more developed urban economy makes the intermediary effect of industrial structure not significant. In the future, it is necessary to strictly control the scale of industrial land supply; the whole process supervision mechanism of industrial land allocation and differentiated industrial land supply strategies will provide useful experience for many developing countries in allocating industrial land to mitigate carbon emissions, generating effective contributions to global carbon emission reduction.

More Rational, More Attractive: Industrial Structure Rationalization and Migrant Workers’ Employment Choices in China

Industrial structure rationalization could affect not only the employment structure but also the micro-employment choices of the labor force. Using the national individual-level survey data, we examine how regional industrial structure rationalization influences the employment status and location choices of migrant workers respectively using a probit model. The results show that industrial structure rationalization can significantly increase the probability that migrant workers choose regular and cross-provincial employment and reduce the probability of intra-provincial labor mobility, self-employment, and temporary employment. Higher employee welfare and income are the main mechanisms underlying the effect on migrant workers’ employment choices. Furthermore, the effects of industrial structure rationalization on the employment status and location choices of migrant workers differ according to gender, family size, and industry. These findings deepen the understanding of the relationship between industrial structure rationalization and labor migration and offer references for governments to promote regional sustainable development.

Digital inclusive finance, industrial structure, and economic growth: An empirical analysis of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region in China.

As a product of combining digital technology and traditional finance, digital inclusive finance plays a vital role in economic growth. This paper deeply analyzes the impact of digital inclusive finance on economic growth and the specific transmission path. This research selects the municipal panel data of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei from 2011 to 2020 and empirically studies the impact of digital inclusive finance on economic growth. From the perspectives of industrial structure transformation speed, industrial structure upgrading, and industrial structure rationalization, this study analyzes the role of industrial structure in the impact of digital inclusive finance on economic growth and tests the heterogeneity of the impact of digital inclusive finance on economic growth. The results show that digital inclusive finance has a significant role in promoting economic growth. The depth of use of digital inclusive finance has the most significant impact, followed by the breadth of coverage, and the degree of digitization is the smallest. The industrial structure transformation speed and the industrial structure rationalization play a significant intermediary role in the economic growth effect of digital inclusive finance, and the industrial structure upgrading has no significant impact on the economic growth effect of digital inclusive finance; the promotion effect of digital inclusive finance on economic growth is bigger in the economically developed group, the higher digital inclusive finance group and the technologically developed group, and the promotion effect is smaller in the economically underdeveloped group, the lower digital inclusive finance group and the technologically underdeveloped group. The results provide a strong reference for policy formulation to promote the development of digital inclusive finance and economic growth.