Upgrading Of Industrial Structure Research Articles

How can digital finance release the ecological value of land intensification: the insight of urban ecological resilience

As a substantial developmental framework aimed at tackling environmental challenges, the development of intensive use of urban land (IUUL) has yet to actualize its ecological efficacy fully. Improving the spatial distribution of factor resources can play a pivotal role in unlocking the ecological potential of IUUL, with a special emphasis on the effective allocation of financial resources. The emergence of digital finance (DF), such as Alipay and Pocket Banking, has notably enhanced the efficiency of financial resource allocation. Nonetheless, empirical data concerning the ability of DF to enhance the ecological significance of IUUL are scarce, and the mechanisms driving these processes remain obscure. This research utilizes panel data from 282 prefecture-level cities spanning 2011–2020 to explore the potential of DF in enhancing the ecological value of IUUL through the lens of urban ecological resilience (UER). The results suggest that DF has the potential to significantly enhance the positive impacts of IUUL on UER significantly, thereby further unlocking the ecological value of IUUL. Mechanisms analysis reveals the potential of DF to unlock the ecological value of IUUL by fostering regional green innovation (GI), rationalizing industrial structure (RIS), and overall upgrading of industrial structure (OUIS). Moreover, the heterogeneity analysis suggests that the effect is more prominent in economically advanced eastern regions, regions with more comprehensive infrastructure, and regions with more favorable innovation environments. This paper highlights the potential of DF to enhance UER through IUUL, offering empirical evidence for the profound fusion of the digital economy and the real economy to drive green transformation. It also charts a course for the real economy’s green transformation and the sustainable development of the economy.

Impact of digital economy on upgrading of industrial structure: From the financial development perspective

Impact of digital economy on upgrading of industrial structure: From the financial development perspective

Research on the Carbon Reduction Effects of Industrial Structure Upgrading in the Context of a Unified National Market

Facilitating industrial restructuring and modernization plays a pivotal role in realizing China’s dual-carbon objectives (carbon peaking and carbon neutrality) and advancing sustainable socioeconomic progress. Leveraging panel data from 30 provincial-level administrative units (2005–2022) and adopting the Spatial Durbin Model, this research investigates how industrial structure upgrading influences carbon emission intensity within the framework of a unified national market, while elucidating its operational mechanisms. The key findings include the following: (1) Provincial carbon emission intensity demonstrates pronounced “high-high” and “low-low” spatial agglomeration during the study period. Industrial restructuring exhibits marked carbon abatement effects, accompanied by discernible cross-regional spillover benefits. (2) Industrial structure upgrading can reduce carbon emission levels by promoting the technology diffusion effect, while the competitive demonstration effect of digitalization has not yet manifested. (3) The establishment of an integrated national market enhances the capacity of industrial upgrading to suppress carbon emission intensity. (4) The emission-reducing impacts of industrial restructuring manifest heterogeneous patterns across regions and temporal phases: In Eastern China, industrial upgrading paradoxically elevates emission intensity. Central-western regions experience significant emission reductions. Temporally, the relationship follows an inverted U-shaped trajectory. These insights underscore the necessity for policymakers to refine industrial modernization strategies, expedite nationwide market integration mechanisms, and cultivate region-specific green transition roadmaps.

Smart supply chain adoption and urban energy transition: Empirical evidence on de-coalization effects.

Smart supply chain adoption and urban energy transition: Empirical evidence on de-coalization effects.

Impact of digital infrastructure on urban green eco-efficiency: an empirical analysis in China

Purpose This paper takes 267 prefecture-level cities that have implemented the “Broadband China” strategy as empirical research objects, aiming to study the impact of digital infrastructure on the green eco-efficiency of Chinese cities and put forward corresponding policy recommendations based on the empirical results. Design/methodology/approach By integrating the super-efficiency Undesirable-SBM model with the asymptotic difference-in-differences approach, the research delves into the policy impacts and the mechanisms by which digital infrastructure affects urban green eco-efficiency. Findings The results reveal a notable influence of advancements in digital infrastructure on the eco-efficiency of urban areas, and these advancements have the capacity to bolster eco-efficiency through the influence of green technological innovation, the upgrading of industrial structure, and its rationalization. Notably, significant variations are found in the effectiveness of digital infrastructure in boosting eco-efficiency, with the effect being relatively stronger for large-scale cities and eastern regions. Originality/value From a research standpoint, this paper seeks breakthroughs in harmonizing ecological environments with economic quality in the digital era’s new paradigms. Methodologically, it avoids the incomparability of traditional measurements, ensuring accurate urban ecological efficiency assessments. Content-wise, it elucidates how the digital economy enhances eco-efficiency through green technological innovation, industrial structure advancement and rationalization. This comprehensive analysis provides valuable insights for China and similar developing nations on balancing green ecological efficiency with urban digitization, offering practical guidance for sustainable development.

Research Regarding the Impact Mechanism of Digital Economy Development on Economic Resilience—Mediating Effect Based on Upgraded Industries

As the global economic environment becomes more complex and uncertain, economic resilience has become a crucial indicator of an economy’s ability to maintain sustainable development in response to external shocks. The digital economy contributes substantially to economic resilience. Notably, upgrading industrial structure is essential in facilitating this contribution. Therefore, it is necessary to study the impact mechanisms of the digital economy on economic resilience from the perspective of industrial structure upgrading. In this regard, this study employs a two-way fixed-effects model to examine the direct impact mechanisms of the digital economy on economic resilience, utilizing panel data covering 30 Chinese provincial-level regions between the years of 2013 and 2022. The empirical results demonstrate that the digital economy exerts a statistically significant positive impact on economic resilience. The impact shows regional variation, with stronger digital economy effects in the less service-developed mid-western region. Moreover, statistical analysis further identifies digital infrastructure and innovation capabilities as the two most impactful factors contributing to economic resilience enhancement. The digital economy enhances economic resilience through three mediating channels: the synergy effect, income-increasing effect, and allocation effect. Finally, uncovering these contextual factors relevant to the digital economy’s development of economic resilience can significantly benefit future research and practice.

Impact of environmental regulation on the supply of ecological products in China: Theoretical analysis based on dynamic game and empirical test.

Impact of environmental regulation on the supply of ecological products in China: Theoretical analysis based on dynamic game and empirical test.

The Impact Path of New Energy Vehicle Promotion on Green Development—Empirical Research from the Provincial Level in China

The new energy vehicle (NEV) industry has become one of the most important industries in China’s economic development. Based on the panel data of 27 provincial administrative regions in China from 2011 to 2022, combined with the random effect panel of the Tobit model and the Bootstrap method to test the multiple intermediary paths, this paper studies the impact of new energy vehicle promotion (NEVP) in China on regional green development, taking into account the intermediary effect and regional heterogeneity of NEVP on the green development level (GDL). The results show that NEVP significantly promotes the GDL. The mediating effect of NEVP to improve local-level green development through the digital economy level is significant in the eastern region, while in the central and western regions, it is not significant. NEVP can significantly promote the upgrading of regional industrial structure and the construction of transportation infrastructure in the eastern, central, and western regions so as to improve the local GDL.

The impact of information infrastructure on agricultural industrial structure upgrading—a quasi-natural experiment based on the “broadband China” strategy

IntroductionThe development of information infrastructure constitutes an important driver for promoting high-quality agricultural development.MethodsUsing panel data of 223 prefecture-level cities in China from 2010 to 2022, this paper employs the “Broadband China” pilot policy as a quasi-natural experiment and constructs a staggered DID model to examine the impact of information infrastructure on agricultural industrial structure upgrading.Results and discussionThe results indicate that information infrastructure significantly facilitates the upgrading of the agricultural industrial structure, and the findings remain robust across a series of robustness checks. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the positive effects are more pronounced in regions with better traditional infrastructure, higher population density, central and eastern locations, and major grain-producing and marketing balance areas. Mechanism analysis suggests that information infrastructure alleviates the scarcity and mobility constraints of agricultural production factors, thereby promoting structural upgrading. Based on these findings, this study recommends continued investment in information infrastructure, acceleration of agricultural innovation, and enhancement of talent cultivation to advance agricultural industrial upgrading and build an agricultural powerhouse.

How Digitalization Impacts the High-Quality Development of the Manufacturing Industry: Evidence from China

The advancement of digital technology is driving high-quality and sustainable development in China’s manufacturing sector. This study investigates the role of digitalization in this transformation, using provincial panel data from China spanning 2011 to 2022. A comprehensive theoretical framework is developed to examine both the direct effects of digitalization and its indirect pathways through innovation factor mobility and industrial structure upgrading. The results show that digitalization significantly enhances high-quality manufacturing development, supported by robust empirical evidence. Mechanism analysis confirms that digitalization accelerates innovation diffusion and structural optimization, promoting sustainable industrial transformation. Heterogeneity analysis reveals stronger effects in central and western regions, and in areas with lower economic development and human capital levels. The findings provide valuable insights for aligning digitalization strategies with sustainable development objectives, particularly SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure) and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production). While grounded in the Chinese context, this study offers lessons for other emerging economies pursuing sustainable industrial modernization.

Impact of digital economy on regional innovation efficiency from the perspective of spatial spillover

ABSTRACT The emergence of the digital economy presents potential opportunities for innovation activities. Studying the impact of the digital economy on regional innovation efficiency is of great significance for enhancing regional innovation-driven development. Based on panel data from Chinese provinces over the period 2013–2022, this paper constructs a comprehensive digital economy index using the entropy weight method (EWM) and employs the spatial Durbin model (SDM) to investigate how the digital economy affects regional innovation efficiency. The findings reveal that the digital economy has a significant and positive effect on innovation efficiency and exerts a positive spillover effect on other provinces. Second, the digital economy contributes to innovation efficiency by alleviating market segmentation and promoting industrial structure upgrading. Furthermore, the positive spillover effect of the digital economy strengthens with geographic distance, peaks at 400 km, and diminishes beyond 600 km. This study provides empirical evidence for the positive externality of the digital economy on innovation efficiency, underscores the necessity of digital economy development, and provides valuable policy implications for improving regional innovation performance.

Regional Integration, Technological Innovation, and Digital Economy: Evolution and Evidence of the Decarbonization Driving Forces in the Yangtze River Delta

Economic decarbonization has gained attention as a viable way to achieve carbon neutrality without sacrificing high-quality economic development. Regional integration (RI), technological innovation (TI), and the digital economy (DIE) are important decarbonization driving forces. To analyze how they impact carbon reduction and the evolutionary patterns observed in urban development, this study focuses on the urban agglomeration of the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and uses the spatial Durbin model (SDM) to decompose the carbon reduction effects into spatial spillover effects and short-term and long-term effects. The research findings include the following: (1) The decarbonization driving forces have promoted economic decarbonization in the YRD and exhibit distinct evolutionary patterns. (2) The decarbonization effects exhibit spatiotemporal heterogeneity depending on the economic situation, period, and energy status of the cities. Over time, TI and DIE demonstrate better decarbonization effects. Economically developed cities are more likely to expand their carbon reduction advantages, while cities with dense energy supplies struggle to achieve their full carbon reduction potential due to traditional energy structures. (3) Industrial structure upgrading (UIS) is a critical pathway through which TI and DIE reduce carbon emissions. These findings enrich existing research on decarbonization drivers and offer valuable insights for governments to formulate further policies for economic decarbonization.

A Study on the Impact of Green Finance Development on Industrial Structure Upgrading in Guizhou Province

Against the backdrop of global green and low-carbon transformation, green finance is an essential means to achieve carbon neutrality goals, promote industrial structure upgrading, and drive high-quality economic development. Based on this, this paper constructs a green finance indicator system to measure its impact on industrial structure upgrading. The study selects panel data from prefecture-level cities in Guizhou Province from 2017 to 2023 for fixed-effects model analysis, mechanism analysis, and heterogeneity tests. The results show that the development of green finance significantly promotes the upgrading of the industrial structure in Guizhou Province. Mechanism tests reveal that technological innovation has a negative moderating effect on the relationship between green finance development and industrial structure upgrading. Mediation effects indicate that green finance can promote industrial structure upgrading in Guizhou Province by improving the level of urbanization. There are heterogeneous impacts among cities of different sizes, with green finance having a more positive effect on industrial structure upgrading in medium and small cities than in large cities. Finally, based on the research conclusions, suggestions are proposed from five aspects: innovating green finance products, implementing differentiated policies, strictly reviewing standards, strengthening concept promotion, and leveraging coordination and radiation effects, to promote the high-quality development of Guizhou's industries.

Geopolitical risks and carbon emissions: the mediating effect of industrial structure upgrading

This study investigates the complex relationship between geopolitical risks and carbon emissions, highlighting the mediating role of industrial structure upgrading. A threshold effect model combined with bootstrap estimation is applied to panel data from 41 countries. The results indicate that geopolitical risks significantly influence carbon emissions, with divergent impacts observed across different economic contexts. In high-income countries, geopolitical tensions typically lead to increased carbon emissions due to strategic shifts in energy resource allocation. Conversely, in lower-income countries, such risks often result in decreased energy demand and reduced emissions. The study further examines how industrial structure upgrading modulates the interaction between geopolitical risks and carbon emissions. The results indicate that industrial structure upgrading exhibits a double-threshold effect. As the industrial structure value changes, the impact coefficient of geopolitical risk on carbon emissions globally decreases from 0.103 to −0.030, whereas in high-income countries, the coefficient decreases from 0.048 to –0.029. This study offers policy insights for mitigating carbon emissions in the context of geopolitical risks.

The Last Mile of China’s Low-Carbon Movement: Amplifying Climate Policy Through Cadre Performance Evaluation System

Climate governance operates across multiple administrative tiers, and enhancing the vertical coherence of policies has become a critical determinant of successful climate governance. This study employs data from 1578 counties in China from 2008 to 2022 to explore the synergistic effects between the Low Carbon City Policy (LCCP) and the Cadre Performance Evaluation System Transformation (CPEST). The study reveals that the CPEST has the potential to enhance the carbon reduction effects of the LCCP, yet it has not fully realized a synergistic effect. Further analysis indicates that although the timing arrangement is beneficial, it alone is insufficient to generate a synergistic effect. A synergistic impact only materializes when the objectives of the CPEST and LCCP are aligned, resulting in a carbon reduction effect that is approximately 1.5 times greater than the simple sum of their individual impacts. Mechanism analysis indicates that the combination of the LCCP and CPEST reduces carbon emissions primarily through four pathways: environmental investment, environmental penalties, green technology innovation, and upgrading of industrial structure. The effects of this combined approach are greater than those achieved through separate implementation. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the combination of the LCCP and CPEST has a more pronounced effect in resource-based cities, old industrial bases, and regions with strong promotion incentives. The research findings provide both theoretical support and empirical evidence for enhancing vertical coordination in climate governance.

Research on Coupling Coordination Level Between New-Quality Productivity and Industrial Structure Upgrading in the Yangtze River Economic Belt Urban Area

New-quality productivity and industrial structure upgrading has become a primary area of concern with respect to regional economic transformation and sustainable development. Based on static panel data of 108 prefecture-level-and-above cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2013 to 2022, the projection pursuit model, coupling coordination degree model, and obstacle degree model were used to study the spatiotemporal patterns and key obstacle factors in the coupling of new-quality productivity and levels of industrial upgrading. Results show the following: (1) The average coupling coordination degree increased from 0.42 in 2013 to 0.53 in 2022, exhibiting a three-stage trend of “initial advancement, rapid growth, and high-level fluctuation”. (2) Regionally, a gradient pattern of “downstream leading, midstream following, and upstream catching up” persists, but regional gaps have narrowed significantly. (3) Spatially, the coupling coordination level shows a pattern of “high in the east, low in the west, led by the core, and breakthrough in the local area”, with significant positive aggregation characteristics. (4) The main obstacle factors across the entire area include digital patents (7.03%), green patents (7.03%), and the number of high-tech enterprises (6.96%), but the weights of the obstacle factors vary greatly across different areas. These findings provide scientific support for green transformation, regional integration, and sustainability-oriented industrial policy design in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

The Impact of Digital Economy on the Green Development Efficiency of the Logistics Industry – A Case from China Based on the Mediation Mechanism and Threshold Effect

The logistics industry is full of expectations for ‘quality and efficiency’ due to the rapid development of the digital economy (DE). It is worth paying attention to whether the DE can reverse the rough development of the logistics industry and effectively promote the green development efficiency of the logistics industry (GLE). This paper empirically explores the impact of the DE on the GLE using mediation mechanisms and threshold effects, based on China’s inter-provincial panel data from 2011–2021. The empirical results indicate that the development of DE plays a significant role in promoting the GLE and can enhance the GLE through industrial structure upgrading. However, there is a masking effect of the labour productivity of the logistics industry on the impact of the DE on the GLE. The threshold test reveals that there is a threshold effect based on the scale of the logistics industry and the level of scientific and technological innovation in the impact of the DE on the GLE.

Does Tax Competition Among Local Governments Improve the Green Economic Efficiency in the Yellow River Basin?

Green development stands as an imperative pathway for China’s growth model. Enhancing green economic efficiency is crucial to maintaining sustainable development in the Yellow River Basin. The hierarchical governance structure of China’s economic development system inherently links competition among governments to potential impacts on the basin’s green economic efficiency, yet research in this area remains scarce. This study utilizes a panel data structured dataset containing both temporal and cross-sectional dimensions from nine provinces in the Yellow River Basin to investigate how tax competition among local governments affects green economic efficiency. The empirical results demonstrate that tax competition hinders green economic efficiency in the Yellow River Basin, exhibiting spatial heterogeneity in its inhibitory effect. Specifically, the inhibitory effect on the middle reaches is approximately twice as significant as that observed on the upper reaches, while the inhibitory effect on the lower reaches is found to be facilitative. In addition, the upgrading of industrial structure and industrial agglomeration triggered by tax competition partially alleviate the inhibitory effect on green economic efficiency. Therefore, policymakers can promote the sustainable development of the Yellow River Basin by optimizing the tax system, implementing regional differentiation strategies, optimizing industrial layout, and promoting the development of green clusters.

The impact of industrial agglomeration on new quality productive forces enhancement in China’s pig farming industry

Enhancing the development of new quality productive forces (NQPF) has become a critical pathway for overcoming the “low-end lock-in” of the pig industry and achieving high-quality growth. Based on panel data from 31 Chinese provinces spanning 2011 to 2022, this study employs benchmark regression models, mediation effect models, and threshold effect models to empirically analyze the impact of industrial agglomeration (AGG) on the enhancement of new quality productive forces in the pig farming industry (NQPP) and its underlying mechanisms. The findings revealed that (1) AGG significantly enhances NQPP, and this conclusion remains robust across various robustness tests. (2) Industrial structure upgrading (ISU) serves as the intrinsic driving force behind the positive effect of AGG on NQPP enhancement. (3) The spillover effects of AGG on NQPP enhancement exhibit a significant non-linear characteristic of “increasing marginal effects”. (4) The impact of AGG on NQPP enhancement varies across regions. The promotional effect is more pronounced in regions rich in resources and with strong development potential. Accordingly, the policymakers should carefully consider regional factor endowments and production capacities when formulating differentiated policy measures tailored to local conditions. Additionally, efforts should be made to strengthen the integration of the pig industry chain and promote technological innovation, thereby facilitating the industry’s transition toward intensification, efficiency, and sustainability.

Will the Development of the Digital Economy Impact the Clean Energy Transition? An Intermediary Utility Analysis Based on Technological Innovation and Industrial Structure

In the context of global warming and the clean energy transition, the rapid development of the digital economy, a highly technology-intensive economic form, has an important impact on the clean energy transition. Examining how the growth of the digital economy has affected the renewable energy transition has broad implications for the creation of national policies, business planning and design, and everyday human behavior. The paper uses a two-way fixed-effect model to empirically investigate the impact of the development of the digital economy on the clean energy transition based on Chinese municipal panel data from 2013 to 2022. It also sorts out the intrinsic mechanism of the digital economy affecting the clean energy transition from a theoretical level. Finally, it tests the indirect effects of technological innovation and upgrading industrial structure using endogeneity analysis and a robustness test. The study finds that (1) digital economy development effectively promotes clean energy transition; (2) the digital economy influences the transformation of renewable energy through two intermediary channels: technological innovation and upgrading of industrial structures; (3) there is geographical variation in how the digital economy affects the growth of the clean energy transformation. Lastly, policy recommendations are provided for boosting investment in digital infrastructure, strengthening the digital technology base, and deepening and broadening the interaction of the digital and real economies.