Industrial Structure Research Articles

The consequence of the digital economy on energy efficiency in Chinese provincial and regional contexts: Unleashing the potential

The digital economy, driven by advanced technologies, is becoming a new force for economic growth and sustainable development. This study investigates how the digital economy influences energy efficiency and its spatial spillover effects across 30 Chinese provinces from 2011 to 2020 using spatial econometric models and Moran's index analysis. While prior research focused on industrial value and micro-mechanisms, this work examines geographical impacts and regional synergies overlooked previously.The findings reveal urbanization and digital economy growth significantly enhance energy efficiency. However, the effects of economic structure, education, infrastructure development, and patent activity exhibit more nuanced patterns. Notably, the spatial spillover effects of the digital economy on energy efficiency operate through a "market + geographical comprehensive mechanism" rather than direct geographic transmission between neighbors. This study contributes to the literature by uncovering the complex relationships between the digital economy, technological innovation, industrial structure, and energy efficiency while accounting for spatial dynamics. The results underscore the importance of focused policies supporting sustainable energy practices based on regional contexts. By providing insights into the intricate interplay of factors influencing energy efficiency, this research informs strategies for optimizing energy utilization and transitioning towards a sustainable, secure, and affordable energy future aligned with net-zero objectives.

Study on the influence degree of marine ranching on the high-quality development of coastal cities

As an innovative approach to fisheries, marine ranching is subtly transforming the development patterns of coastal cities through the enhancement of fisheries, the professional transition of fishermen, and the restoration of the marine environment. Utilizing the entropy method and the staggered difference-in-differences (DID) method, this paper calculated the high-quality development index (HQDI) of 53 coastal cities from 2010 to 2021 and assessed the influence degree of marine ranching on coastal cities' HQDI. The key findings were as follows. Firstly, marine ranching generally improved the HQDI of coastal cities. Coastal cities with national marine ranching demonstration zones achieved an average increase of approximately 0.83 % in their HQDI compared to those without. Secondly, through the effect of carbon emission reduction, marine ranching contributed to an average increase of approximately 0.84 % in the HQDI. However, the green technology innovation and industrial structure upgrading effects have yet to materialize. Thirdly, this impact varied among coastal cities. When the number of marine ranching exceeded three, the average increase of HQDI was approximately 1.82 %. This effect was pronounced in higher-tier cities, with first-tier cities experiencing an average increase of 1.26 %, second-tier cities an average increase of 1.19 %, and third-tier cities an average increase of 2.18 %. Furthermore, this effect was significant in northern coastal cities, where the average increase was approximately 0.98 %. In coastal cities with low levels of manpower and material resources, this effect was also pronounced, with the HQDI increasing by an average of about 1.01 % and 0.98 %, respectively. Lastly, the spatial econometric analysis revealed a positive spatial spillover effect. This paper evaluated the effectiveness of China's recent marine ranching construction, providing a theoretical and empirical foundation for authorities to formulate targeted policies and measures.

How can local government capacity lift the ‘resource curse’? A study from the perspective of industrial structure transformation

Industrial transformation is crucial for sustainable urban development and economic security. Although more studies have analyzed the relationship between resource endowment and urban industrial transformation, they have failed to include the key factor of local government capacity in the analysis. Based on the panel data from 267 cities in China from 2003 to 2018, the study examines the impact of resource endowment on industrial transformation and the role of local government capacity in it by using linear models and panel threshold models. This study finds that resource endowment promotes the development of the secondary industry in urban, but hinders the development of the tertiary industry. There is a moderating effect of local government capacity that mitigates the lock-in effect of resource endowment on industrial transformation. This moderating effect demonstrates heterogeneity among cities with different levels of resource endowment and geographic locations, and the results are robust. Furthermore, this study concludes that under different local government capacity, the moderating effect of local government capacity on the relationship between resource endowment and industrial transformation is nonlinear, and it also finds that the stronger local government capacity is not the better.

Do China's ecological civilization advance demonstration zones inhibit fisheries' carbon emission intensity? A quasi-natural experiment using double machine learning and spatial difference-in-differences

China's National Ecological Civilization Demonstration Zone (NECDZ) policy has a significant role in ensuring national ecological security, and it is essential to investigate how the NECDZ policy affects the carbon emissions intensity of fisheries (CEIF) to advance China's commitment to reducing carbon emissions. This study evaluates the CEIF in 30 Chinese provinces from 2007 to 2021 using ecological civilization demonstration areas as a quasi-natural experiment and double machine learning (DML)to examine the impact and internal mechanisms of NECDZ implementation on the CEIF. We also explore spatial spillover effects using a spatial difference-in-differences approach. The results reveal that NECDZ implementation has a significantly negative impact on the CEIF and this effect continues over time. NECDZ policy potentially affects the CEIF through technology development, industrial structure improvement, and reduced energy consumption. Further investigation reveals that NECDZ implementation has spillover effects and inhibits the CEIF in surrounding regions. Therefore, it is essential to focus on developing the NECDZ policy to enhance fisheries' industrial structure, encourage low-carbon innovation in fishery technologies, and increase energy consumption efficiency. This could be supported by facilitating exchanges and cooperation with other areas, considering regional disparities, and assigning common but distinct responsibility for reducing the CEIF.

The Influence of the Sports Events Industry on Sichuan's Economic Growth

The sports industry occupies an important position in China's national economy, and the sports event industry is its core industry, and its role in regional economic development has received more and more attention from all parties. This paper takes Sichuan Province as an example to discuss the role of sports events in regional development. Firstly, it is a theoretical overview. This paper explores the mechanism of its economic effect from four perspectives: economic growth, industrial structure, regional agglomeration and city brand. Second is the case study. Through the grey correlation analysis of the relationship between sports and tourism industry, using the exponential smoothing method and ARMA method, and establishing a multi-indicator model, it is concluded that sports and tourism industry have the highest correlation and play a positive role in promoting regional development.

Spatio-temporal effects and influence mechanism of digital technology on tourism efficiency in Chinese provinces

Digital technology serves as a new industrial driving force, playing a crucial role in promoting the efficiency of regional tourism. To explore the inherent logic between digital technology and tourism development, the study employed the DEA-BCC model and the entropy-weighted TOPSIS method to measure the tourism efficiency and digital technology development level of 31 provinces (municipalities and districts) in China from 2011 to 2022. The evolutionary characteristics of the relationship between digital technology and tourism efficiency were analyzed from the spatio-temporal dimension, and empirical tests were carried out using the spatial error model (SEM) and the spatial lag model (SLM) to explore the mechanism of the impact of digital technology on tourism efficiency. The results show that: during the study period, the overall trend of digital technology development and tourism efficiency is upward, but there is a certain degree of spatial mismatch between the two; digital technology is not only conducive to the improvement of tourism efficiency in the province, but also acts on neighboring provinces through spatial spillover effects, mechanism of action tests show that digital technology can positively moderate the effects of tourism economic growth and tourism industry structure on tourism efficiency; in western and northeast China, the positive effect of digital technology on tourism efficiency is more obvious. The conclusions provide a new perspective for understanding and analyzing the development of provincial tourism in China, as well as a reference for the rational use of digital technology to promote tourism development.

Rethinking the Effects of Smart City Implementation on Industrial Structure Change

Understanding the relationship between smart city implementation (SCI) and industrial structure change is necessary for improving SCI and achieving high-quality development of the urban economy. This study aims to comprehensively investigate how the two core SCI investments—information and communication technology (ICT) infrastructure and human capital—influence industrial structure. To this end, both SCI investments are measured using composite indexes calculated by the vertical and horizontal scatter degree method, and spatial panel models are applied using data from 156 smart cities in China from 2013 to 2019, classified according to their economic development level and population density. The results show that industrial structure upgrading produces positive spatial spillover effects and that the impacts of SCI investments on industrial structure change vary in different city classifications. Overall, ICT infrastructure promotes the upgrading of industrial structure, while human capital hinders industrial development due to human capital mismatch. Mechanism analysis shows that SCI investments can influence industrial structure through technological innovation and consumption upgrading. Moreover, policy implications are proposed to promote industrial structure upgrading for effective future SCI.

A Gaussian interval type-2 fuzzy characterization method based on heterogeneous big data and its application in forest ecological assessment

The under-forest economy is a new agricultural and forestry production mode. It can improve the utilization efficiency of forest land and make full use of forest resources, forest space, and forest ecological environment through different forms of industries such as understory planting and breeding. The under-forest economy has important ecological and economic benefits, significant to rural revitalization and industrial structure adjustment. It has been widely discussed by people in recent years. The forest ecological security level is a core factor to be considered in selecting sites for the under-forest economy. In practice, some forest ecological security evaluation indexes usually show heterogeneous forms. To comprehensively evaluate the level of forest ecological security, this study constructs a new multi-indicator fuzzy evaluation method based on heterogeneous big data. Firstly, a new linguistic scale function is defined to realize the consistent conversion of multi-granularity linguistic information. A Gaussian interval type-2 fuzzy aggregation formula for heterogeneous large-scale data is proposed. This formula is used to describe the differences in evaluation information between individuals caused by different knowledge backgrounds of evaluators. Then, the Gaussian interval type-2 fuzzy cross-entropy is defined, and it is verified to satisfy the excellent properties. This cross-entropy is applied to determine the objective weights of evaluation indexes. Considering the risk-averse psychology of experts and combining the prospect theory, the MULTIMOORA method in the Gaussian interval type-2 fuzzy environment is proposed. Finally, the applicability of the constructed Gaussian interval type-2 fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method (GIT2FCE) is verified through a case study conducted on the site selection of the under-forest economic industry.

Transitioning to Green Economic Growth in China: Green Finance and the Mediator of Industrial Structure Upgrading

Transitioning to Green Economic Growth in China: Green Finance and the Mediator of Industrial Structure Upgrading

Will the post-neoliberal era represent a renaissance of industrial districts as we knew them?

We have now entered a post-neoliberal era, characterised by deglobalisation and reindustrialisation to obtain resilience and security in value chains and increase manufacturing capacity in Europe and the US. Europe has not to the same extent suffered from deindustrialisation as the US. Typical examples of the industrial structure in Europe are the ’hidden champions’ of Germany and the industrial districts of the Third Italy. The industrial districts have been exposed to globalisation, resulting in the brake up of the original complete regional value chains through outsourcing in some sectors. However, in general the industrial districts have been surprisingly resilient during the 40 years period of neo-liberalist globalisation illustrating the ‘many possible world view’ of Sabel and Zeitlin (1985). In this contribution we ask what will the new tendencies of deglobalisation, regionalisation and Industry 4.0 digital technology mean for the future of the industrial district model? Will it imply a strengthening of the original form of industrial districts so that this model of (re)industrialisation once again takes on a position as a role model for developed economies. The intention of this letter is to introduce a discussion about this fascinating topic.

Is industrial structure determined on water endowment in China? An empirical study of 31 provinces between 2011 and 2021

The interaction between water resources and industrial development remains inadequately comprehended in China. This study aims to explore the influence of water resources on industrial structure and its underlying mechanisms. The study establishes a theoretical mechanism framework based on the resource curse and blessing theory, examines the influence of water endowment on industrial structure, and investigates its influencing mechanism by using panel data from 31 provinces in China between 2011 and 2021. The study finds that, between 2011 and 2021, the national water-industry coordination gradually increased and remained uncoordinated. Water endowment and industrial structure exhibit a U-shaped relationship with spatial spillover effects. Water endowment reverses the industrial structure in water-scarce regions, while it promotes it in water-abundant regions. Both the curse and blessing of water resources are identified in China, and 30 provinces are “cursed”. The water-industry coordination plays a moderating role in the influence of water endowment on industrial structure, mitigating the effects of both the water resource curse and blessing. It expands the range of influence of the reverse effect and can shift the water resource curse to the water resource blessing. It is therefore proposed to employ water resources as an effective instrument to facilitate regional industrial upgrading, reinforce advanced agglomeration industry system, promote industrial structure adaptation to water resources, and strengthen the implementation of “Determining Industry on Water”. The paper illustrates the different water-industry interactions in water-scarce and water-abundant regions and the role of water-industry coordination in transforming the resource curse into the resource blessing.

Does emission trading system (ETS) deserve further promotion in the building sector? Evidence from China

Although the emission trading system (ETS) has been widely applied and recognized in energy-production side, its impact on the energy-demand side is still ambiguous. Does ETS deserve promotion in energy-demand sectors? If so, what preparations are necessary? In response to these pressing but highly publicized issues, this paper, for the first time, focuses on the building sector which is the most typical energy-demand sector based on energy consumption data from public buildings across 26 regions in China spanning 12 years by employing the Synthetic Control Method (SCM). China, as the most representative developing country with more than ten years of ETS pilot practice for buildings, is a good evidence base. The results indicate that ETS has overall applicability to the building sector despite regional variations. And the government support, industrial structure and economic development orientation are the most determinant of its effect, rather than the conventionally perceived heterogeneous sectoral characteristics of buildings. Moreover, for buildings in the stage of rigid growth, the ETS should be adopted first and foremost to reduce its carbon intensity rather than the total amount. The findings provide practical recommendations on whether and how to promote ETS in future buildings, particularly in developing countries.

International comparison of the impact of digital transformation on employment

Theoretical analysis in this paper examines the impact of digital transformation on employment and its transmission mechanisms. It proposes that regional characteristics, such as market size, industry structure, and labor structure, are important factors influencing the employment effect of digital transformation. Empirically, this paper analyzes the employment effect of digital transformation using economic panel data from 68 countries spanning the years 2013 to 2019 and finds that: 1) In terms of employment, digital transformation is dominated by the substitution effect. In terms of wages, digital transformation presents wage-rising effects. 2) Large market size and advanced industry structure significantly mitigate the employment substitution effect and enhance the wage-rising effect. 3) The skillization of labor structure has no significant impact on the employment substitution effect of digital transformation, but it significantly enhances the wage-raising effect. 4) Developing countries experience a more pronounced employment substitution effect from digital transformation, while developed countries witness a more prominent wage-increasing effect. The robustness of these results has been confirmed after introducing a one-period lag in the explanatory variables and utilizing instrumental variables. These findings of this paper offer valuable insights for achieving a balance between equity and efficiency in the context of digital transformation.

How does digital technology innovation drive synergies for reducing pollution and carbon emissions?

Digital technological innovation is a key force in reshaping production and achieving green, low-carbon development, provides new impetus to reducing pollution emissions (PE) and carbon emissions (CE). This study employed the coupled coordination model, panel regression model and spatial Durbin model to examine how the digital technology innovation level (DTIL) and digital technology transfer scale (DTTS) affected synergies for reducing pollution and carbon emissions (PCRS) in the Yangtze River Delta region from 2015 to 2021. The results showed that: The evolution of PCRS is characterized by high synergy cities are increasing, low synergy cities are decreasing, and excellent coordination cities are becoming more concentrated. In the synergistic type migration evolution, the core area primarily ascends; the central and peripheral areas remain mostly stable. The effects of DTIL and DTTS on PCRS follow a non-linear inverted U-shaped pattern. DTIL has a stronger effect on reducing PE, while DTTS tends to increase CE. In terms of spatial spillover effects, DTIL has an inverted U-shaped relationship with PCRS in local regions and a positive spillover effect on neighboring regions; DTTS has a negative impact on PCRS in local regions, but shows an inverted U-shaped relationship in neighboring regions. Both of them also affect PCRS through industrial structure and energy efficiency.

Fragility analysis of long-span lightweight steel structures subjected to combined earthquake and non-uniform snow loads

Lightweight steel structures are commonly used in industrial facilities due to their low weight, high strength, and excellent performance. The design of these structures for cold regions not only has to consider the effects of earthquakes but also the negative impact of snow loads. Industrial structures often have long spans, and the effects of uneven snow loads cannot be underestimated. However, relatively few studies have focused on the performance of lightweight steel structures under the influence of combined earthquake and non-uniform snow loads. Therefore, this study assessed the seismic fragility of a typical single-span, double-sloped lightweight steel factory under combined earthquake and non-uniform snow loads using incremental dynamic analysis. Non-uniform snow loads, as compared to uniform snow loads, substantially increase the structural displacement responses, thereby increasing the structural failure risk. The improved structural design developed in this study effectively decreases the impact of adverse loading scenarios and enhances the multi-hazard resilience of the structure. Accordingly, these results can serve as an important theoretical guide for enhancing the safety of lightweight steel structures subjected to multiple hazards in cold regions.

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.

Study on the influence of global tourism development on the upgrading of county industrial structure

Taking the global tourism as an important grasp, promoting the tourism to the industrial structure optimization and economic development of the driving force, is conducive to the high-quality development of China's county economy. Based on the panel data of 255 demonstration counties of global tourism in 30 provinces in China from 2012 to 2020, and on the basis of analyzing the correlation between the two, this paper empirically tests the relationship between the development of global tourism and the upgrading of county industrial structure by using static panel model and systematic GMM estimation method. It is found that the development of global tourism has a positive and significant impact on the upgrading of county industrial structure, and there are significant differences in this effect between the eastern, central and western regions of China. Therefore, this paper puts forward some countermeasures and suggestions to promote the upgrading of county industrial structure through the development of global tourism.

METODE PELAKSANAAN PEKERJAAN PIERHEAD PADA PROYEK PEMBANGUNAN JEMBATAN CIKERUH DI JALAN RAYA CIBOLERANG KECAMATAN JATIWANGI KABUPATEN MAJALENGKA

ABSTRAK One of the important structures in the maritime industry, the pierhead construction used for various functions such as loading and unloading ships, stackinggoods, and other logistics activities. Hence, the construction of the pierhead requires careful planning and execution to ensure that the structure is strong, safe, and complies with safety standards and regulations applicable. The aim of carrying out this practical work is to know what is the process and method for implementing pierhead work on the project construction of the Cikeruh bridge on the Ciborelang highway, Jatiwangi District Majalengka Regency, know what tools and materials are used in carrying out pierhead work and how to care for the concrete. In the method of carrying out pierhead work there are eight stages work includes Preparatory Work, ringlock installation, Installation of working floors, concrete work, installation of formwork, pierhead casting, formwork dismantling and concrete maintenance. As for the tools used in carrying out the work Pierheads include: excavators, dump trucks, truck mixers, concrete pumps, pipes tremi, concrete vibrator, air compressor, wood cutting tool, crane, generator generator, hand tools, hand saws, wire cutters and electric drills. Meanwhile, the materials used in carrying out pierhead work namely using FC'40 concrete, reinforcing steel, 3x3 angle cast stop, ringlock, concrete decking, plywood coated with 1 side polyfilm (12 mm and 9 mm thick), profile steel or holow and wood (size 5/7 and 4/6), scaffolding, formwork oil andtie road.

Carbon emission prediction in a region of Hainan Province based on improved STIRPAT model.

In 2020, China pledged carbon reduction targets at the United Nations: peaking emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. Research and prediction of regional carbon emissions are crucial for achieving these dual carbon targets across China. This study aims to construct an indicator system for regional carbon emissions and utilize it for forecasting. Analyzing carbon emission data from a specific area in Hainan Province from 2010 to 2020, we established an indicator system. Using the interpretable SHAP model, we assessed indicator importance and trends. Employing an improved STIRPAT model with partial least squares regression to address multicollinearity among influencing factors, we developed a carbon emission prediction model. Based on this, we forecasted carbon emissions from 2021 to 2060 in the specified area under three scenarios: natural, baseline, and ambitious. The results show that the growth of resident population and per capita GDP has the most significant promoting effect on carbon emissions in the region while optimizing industrial structure, energy consumption structure, and reducing energy intensity will inhibit carbon emissions. The prediction results indicate that in the natural scenario, regional carbon emissions will peak in 2035, and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 is not feasible, while the baseline scenario and ambitious scenario can achieve the dual carbon targets on time or even earlier. The research results of this article provide a reference method for predicting carbon emissions in other regions and a guide for future regional emission reduction.

Synergistic impact of digital finance and urban agglomeration policy on carbon emission reduction

This study employs a sample of 283 Chinese cities in 2005−2021 to investigate how digital finance (DIF) promotes low-carbon development from an urban agglomeration (UA) perspective. The moderated mediation and multiperiod difference-in-differences models are utilized to explore DIF’s potential carbon emission reduction paths and the moderation mechanism of UA policies. This research yields some valuable and robust conclusions. First, DIF and UA policies promote carbon emission reduction with noticeable regional variations. Second, green technology innovation (GTI) and industrial structure upgrading (ISU) play a crucial negative mediating role in the impact of DIF on carbon intensity. Third, UA policies have further enhanced the carbon emission reduction capabilities of DIF, GTI, and ISU. Fourth, UA policies enhance their role when DIF positively fosters GTI but does not exhibit a moderating effect when DIF positively facilitates ISU.