Regional Technological Innovation Research Articles

Intellectual property protection intensity and regional technological innovation structure: Based on the perspective of economic complexity theory

Exploring the intrinsic link between the intensity of intellectual property protection and the optimization of regional technological innovation structure from the perspective of economic complexity theory. Using panel data and employing the dual fixed effects estimation method, we empirically examine the impact of intellectual property protection strength on innovation factors, the innovation environment, and innovation output. Our study finds that intellectual property protection has a positive incentive effect on knowledge acquisition, knowledge creation, the innovation environment, and substantive innovation, while it inhibits non-substantive innovation. Strong intellectual property protection effectively promotes the optimization of innovation factors, the innovation environment, and innovation output structures, thereby driving the optimization of the regional technological innovation structure. In terms of impact magnitude, the order from high to low is: knowledge creation, substantive innovation, innovation environment, knowledge acquisition, and non-substantive innovation. The “optimal intensity” of intellectual property protection significantly promotes the optimization of the regional technological innovation structure, whereas excessively strong or weak intellectual property protection hinders this optimization. Implementing a strategy of innovation-driven development requires further reform and improvement of the national intellectual property protection system to establish the optimal intensity of protection and promote the optimization of the regional technological innovation structure.

A Study on the Impact of China’s Prefabricated Building Policy on the Carbon Reduction Benefits of China’s Construction Industry Based on a Difference-in-Differences Method

The construction industry is a significant contributor to carbon emissions in China. To effectively meet the “dual carbon” targets, several provincial regions within the country started to implement policies promoting prefabricated buildings. This study examines data from 18 provinces in China over the period from 2012 to 2021, treating the introduction of prefabricated building policies as a quasi-natural experiment. Utilizing the difference-in-differences methodology, this research assesses the impact of these policies on the carbon emission performance of China’s construction sector and evaluates the robustness of the findings. The results indicate that the prefabricated building policies positively influenced the carbon emission efficiency of the construction industry. Specifically, these policies enhance carbon emission efficiency by increasing labor productivity, optimizing the allocation of mechanical resources, and improving the utilization rate of building materials. Additionally, the effectiveness of these policies is positively correlated with the level of regional technological innovation, environmental protection efforts, and the advancement of energy structure optimization. The study concludes with several policy recommendations aimed at further enhancing the effectiveness of prefabricated building policies.

Regional technological innovation and industrial upgrading in China: An analysis using interprovincial panel data from 2008 to 2020

This study employs various regression methods to analyze panel data spanning from 2008 to 2020 across 31 provinces in mainland China. It investigates the influence of technological innovation on industrial upgrading in conjunction with institutional threshold effects. The findings demonstrate that technological innovation significantly contributes to provincial-level industrial upgrading. However, institutional variations introduce thresholds to this relationship: below the first threshold in terms of marketization, technological innovation has a limited impact, while its enhancing effect grows as marketization levels surpass this threshold. A similar pattern emerges with economic openness: below the initial threshold, technological innovation has a minimal influence on industrial upgrading, but as economic openness exceeds the first and second thresholds, its enhancing effect steadily strengthens. This research advances the theory of regional industrial upgrading and provides an institutional foundation for the formulation of policies aimed at its promotion.

Fiscal expenditure efficiency and green economic efficiency: evidence from Chinese cities

This study develops indicators for evaluating Green Economy Efficiency (GEE) and Fiscal Expenditure Efficiency (FEE) at the prefecture level and above within Chinese cities. Utilizing the super-efficiency SBM model and a three-stage DEA model, we empirically examine the influence of FEE on GEE. To address the issue of endogeneity arising from reverse causality between FEE and GEE, this research employs fiscal autonomy and officials’ tenure as instrumental variables for FEE. The key findings are summarized as follows: (1) GEE exhibits a fluctuating upward trend from 2006 to 2020, while FEE remains relatively stable overall. Notably, the GEE and FEE in the eastern region surpass those in the central and western regions. (2) A one percentage point increase in FEE corresponds to a substantial 7.597% rise in GEE, indicating a significant promotional effect, a result consistently upheld in robustness tests. Furthermore, factors such as urbanization level, economic development, education level, and industrial structure also contribute to urban green economic growth. (3) FEE primarily contributes to GEE through local economic growth, urban infrastructure development, and regional innovation levels. (4) The impact of FEE on GEE is more pronounced in developed cities, larger cities, those with high fiscal freedom, and highly urbanized cities. Based on these conclusions, policy recommendations are proposed: (1) contingent upon local circumstances, each municipal government should optimize its fiscal expenditure structure and enhance FEE based on its unique endowments; (2) make full use of spatial correlation and knowledge spillover effect to promote the coordinated growth of FEE and GEE; (3) improve urban infrastructure construction and encourage regional technological innovation.

Two-Way FDI assists agricultural sustainable development: Based on digitalization and greening perspectives.

With the new challenges and crises facing agriculture, digitalization and green transformation have become important ways to solve the problems. This paper uses an international economics perspective to chart a new path for sustainable agricultural development. Specifically, it analyzes whether two-way international direct investment (FDI) can facilitate agricultural digital-green fusion(DGF)? Using a sample of 31 provinces (autonomous regions) from 2012 to 2021, this study finds: (1) Two-way FDI can significantly contribute to agriculture's DGF. (2) In the mechanism test, it is proved that two-way FDI can promote agriculture's DGF level by promoting green technology innovation capacity and overall regional technology innovation capacity. (3) The positive effects of two-way FDI are prominent in the eastern and central regions, coastal regions, and economically developed areas. (4) In the spatial Durbin model, the local two-way FDI growth improves agriculture's DGF level in the surrounding areas to a certain extent. The government is advised to prioritize openness, foster an environment for technological innovation, leverage spatial radiation for agricultural DGF, and advance digitally empowered agricultural modernization.

How can pilot free trade zones affect regional technology innovation? –evidence from China at the city level

ABSTRACT This paper examines the impact of pilot Free Trade Zones (FTZs) on technology innovation in China. Applying a multi-phase difference in difference (DID) model with the data from 280 Chinese cities during 2004 – 2019, covering 18 pilot FTZs, we found significant positive technology innovation effects of pilot FTZs. Specifically, the establishment of pilot FTZs has encouraged ‘substantive innovation’ through improving business environment, producer services agglomeration and financial development. Further spatial analysis shows that the innovation effect of the pilot FTZs has a positive spillover effect on neighbouring cities whose innovation capabilities are improved significantly, and thus narrows the innovation gap between cities. In terms of time dimension, the positive effect of pilot FTZs on innovation is immediate and continuously amplified. The above conclusions are robust using the placebo test, PSM-DID and control of provincial effects. The results provide important implications in extending the pilot FTZs to a wider coverage.

How does regional technological innovation affect energy poverty? The role of industrial structure distortion

China still faces relatively serious energy poverty, and technological innovation is considered effective at alleviating this issue. This paper empirically investigates the impact of regional technological innovation on energy poverty based on panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2001 to 2020. This paper explores the effect of industrial structure distortion in the process of technological innovation on energy poverty. This paper conducts asymmetry analysis and investigates the heterogeneous impact of technological innovation on energy poverty in different areas. The research conclusions are as follows: (1) Regional technological innovation can effectively alleviate energy poverty. (2) Industrial structure distortion moderates the impact of technological innovation on energy poverty, and it weakens the effect of technological innovation in alleviating energy poverty, although the moderating effect is not significant in coal-producing regions. (3) The effect of technological innovation on alleviating energy poverty is more obvious in regions where energy poverty is prominent. (4) The role of technological innovation in alleviating energy poverty shows spatial heterogeneity, and this alleviation effect is more obvious in the western and non-coal producing regions. We also propose several policy implications for alleviating energy poverty.

The Influence of Financial Development on Regional Technological Innovation

The Influence of Financial Development on Regional Technological Innovation

Design of performance assessment and management model for regional technological innovation under the background of machine learning

Design of performance assessment and management model for regional technological innovation under the background of machine learning

Empirical analysis of regional technological innovation efficiency under the background of talent sharing based on SAF model

Empirical analysis of regional technological innovation efficiency under the background of talent sharing based on SAF model

Design of Performance Assessment and Management Model for Regional Technological Innovation under the Background of Machine Learning

Design of Performance Assessment and Management Model for Regional Technological Innovation under the Background of Machine Learning

The impact of digital finance on energy total factor productivity

In the context of modern scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, the development of digital finance is conducive to improving the ecological environment and the energy total factor productivity (TFP). In this paper, DEA cross-efficiency model is used to measure the energy TFP, and moment estimation method is used to empirically test the influence and heterogeneity of digital finance on energy TFP, and then the intermediary model is constructed to study and analyze the influence mechanism based on the sample data of 30 provinces in the Chinese Mainland from 2011 to 2018. The following research findings are obtained. First, the development of digital finance has played a significant role in improving energy TFP. Second, spatial heterogeneity exists in the process of digital finance affecting energy TFP improvement, that is, digital finance has a more obvious improvement effect on the energy TFP in central and western China than in eastern China. Third, digital finance can affect energy TFP through technological innovation; that is, the improvement of regional technological innovation is an important transmission mechanism for digital finance to affect energy TFP.

How the Digital Economy Empowers the Structural Upgrading of Cultural Industries—An Analysis Based on the Spatial Durbin Model

The digital economy (De) is a major driving force in pushing structural improvements in the cultural industry. Theoretically, the De can empower the structural upgrading of the cultural industry by promoting technological innovation. Empirically, based on the provincial panel data of 31 regions in China from 2013 to 2020, this research utilizes the spatial Durbin model (SDM) to reveal the impact of the De on the structural upgrading of cultural industries. It also utilizes the mediation effect to test the path of the De on the structural upgrading of cultural industries through regional technological innovation. It is found that (1) the structural upgrading of the cultural industry shows significant spatial autocorrelation, and the eastern region is where the high–high cluster pattern predominates. (2) The De could successfully encourage the restructuring of the local cultural industry, and the spillover effect in space also promotes improving the organization of the cultural industry in neighboring regions. (3) A mechanism analysis shows that the De realizes the upgrading of cultural industry structure by enhancing regional technological innovation ability. Based on this, relevant policy recommendations are made to promote the upgrading of cultural industry structure in three dimensions: improving the level of the De, strengthening the ability of inter-regional cooperation, and promoting technological innovation. The study provides an important reference for the upgrading of China’s cultural industry structure from the De’s perspective.

Enhancing high-quality development in regional innovation ecosystems

This study explores the enhancement of high-quality development in regional innovation ecosystems, focusing on the influence of technological innovation and corporate financing support. By employing innovation ecosystem theory, the authors analyze various factors that affect ecosystem development and utilize panel regression and spatial econometrics to examine the impact of regional technological innovation and corporate financing on high-quality ecosystem development. The findings are as follows: (1) Urbanization in the Yellow River Basin exhibits areas with development advantages, stability, and disadvantage. (2) The regression analysis of the entire sample reveals a synergistic effect of regional innovation and corporate financing support in promoting high-quality ecosystem development. (3) The regression analysis of the local sample demonstrates that the impact of high-quality development factors within the innovation ecosystem differs among the upstream, middle, and downstream regions of the Yellow River Basin, with the middle region exerting the most significant influence. Multiple factors contribute to resistance in developing the regional innovation ecosystem in the basin, leading to the accumulation of “reverse effects” over time. Thus, improving the quality development of the Yellow River Basin ecosystem requires collaborative management and coordinated improvements across multiple entities. This research offers insights for China's ecological protection and high-quality development strategies in the Yellow River Basin and other regions currently constructing mechanisms for high-quality development in their regional ecosystems.

The impact of digital economy on regional technological innovation capability: An analysis based on China's provincial panel data.

The development of the digital economy in China facilitates the transformation of old and new growth drivers. It can greatly promote the upgrading of technological innovation capacity, realize economies of scale and scope, and constantly promote the generation of new industries and new forms of business with the deep integration of digital economy and traditional industries, thereby promoting the high-quality development of China's economy. This paper uses inter-provincial panel data from 2013 to 2020 and a dynamic spatial Durbin model to quantify the impact of the digital economy on regional technological innovation capability (RTIC). The results show that: (1) the digital economy has positive spatial spillover effect and can boost the province's and neighboring provinces' regional technological innovation capability; (2) regional technological innovation capability has obvious spatial and temporal aggregation effects; (3) the impact of the digital economy on RTIC is mainly short-term effects, and there is regional heterogeneity, with the western region experiencing the highest effects and the eastern region experiencing less. Therefore, it is urgent to accelerate the development speed of the digital economy, grasp the law of dynamic economic development, identify the regional heterogeneity of the digital economy development, and deepen inter-regional digital technology cooperation to comprehensively drive the improvement of regional technological innovation capability.

Spatial–Temporal Evolution and Driving Factors of Economic Dual Circulation Coordinated Development in China’s Coastal Provinces

China’s coastal area is an important node, carrying the connection between internal and external circulation. It is of great significance to explore the spatial and temporal evolution of economic dual circulation coordinated development and its driving factors. In this paper, the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) evaluation model based on the Criteria Importance Though Intercriteria Correlation and entropy (CRITIC-entropy) weight method, coupling coordination model, standard deviation ellipse and exploratory spatial data analysis were used to analyze the spatial and temporal evolution characteristics of economic dual circulation coordinated development of China’s coastal area. In addition, the geographical detector was employed to identify its driving factors. The results showed that: (1) The development level of internal and external economic circulation in China’s coastal area was mainly stable and rising in a fluctuating manner, and the level of internal circulation was higher than that of external circulation. The overall coupling coordination degree of economic dual circulation exhibited a positive trend. (2) There was regional heterogeneity and spatial correlation in the coupling coordination degree of economic dual circulation in the coastal area of China, and the spatial distribution pattern showed the characteristic of being “strong in the internal and weak in the external”. (3) The coordinated development of economic dual circulation was driven by multiple factors. Regional technological innovation capability, per capita income level, circulation development level, marketization process, digitization level and financial development level were the core driving forces. Based on the findings of this paper, a series of policy recommendations for improving the coordination development between internal and external economic circulation was proposed.

Financial Development and Environmental Pollution Control - An Analysis of Intermediary Effect Based on Technological Innovation

Abstract Based on the rapid development of green finance and the panel data of 30 provinces in China (excluding Tibet, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao) from 2007 to 2020, to deeply discuss the relationship between financial development (FD), technological innovation and environmental pollution (EP) control is the centre of this article by using panel fixed-effect and intermediary effect model. The influence of FD on EP is tested by building a benchmark regression model. In addition, the intermediary effect model is adopted to explore how FD affects EP control through technological innovation mechanism. The conclusions show that China’s FD can effectively promote regional EP control on the whole, and FD can improve EP through technological innovation mechanism, but there is significant regional heterogeneity: compared with high government intervention areas, FD can promote EP control through technological innovation in low government intervention areas. Therefore, it is suggested that all regions promote the construction of financial infrastructure, upgrade the level of regional financial marketisation, speed up the realisation of regional technological innovation and EP control. This work is conducive to the formulation of appropriate government policies to promote the improvement of the financial system and the establishment of innovative mechanisms, and the reasonable reduction of government intervention and the improvement of the efficiency of financial resource allocation based on the needs of financial market players.

Evaluation of Regional Technological Innovation Capacity Based on Factor Analysis: Taking Henan Province as an Example

As a big province in central China, the improvement of technological innovation capacity in Henan Province plays an important role in the improvement of technological innovation capacity in the central region and even in the whole country. The article constructs a comprehensive evaluation index system from three dimensions of technological innovation: input, output, and environment, including four important subjects: government, enterprises, higher education institutions and research and development institutions. Three common factors, enterprise innovation factor, learning and research innovation factor and higher education environment factor, are extracted by factor analysis method to evaluate the technological innovation capacity of Henan Province. The results show that the comprehensive score of technological innovation capacity in Henan Province lies in the national average level, among which the environmental factor of higher education ranks highest, but the enterprise innovation factor and the learning and research innovation factor rank behind. Therefore, Henan Province needs to rely on the relevant strategies of regional integration, accelerate the construction of collaborative innovation industrial system, actively establish docking cooperation with higher education institutions and research and development institutions, optimize the allocation of higher education resources, and further improve the technological innovation capacity of enterprises and the technological innovation results transformation capacity of higher education institutions and research and development institutions.

Can Environmental Regulations Promote Regional Industrial Transfer?

In the context of building a “Beautiful China”, it is imperative to strengthen environmental regulations to restrict industrial pollution emissions. However, there are significant differences of regulations intensity among different regions, which will lead to an increase in the cost of compliance with regulations for polluting industries, so these industries tend to transfer from areas with strong environmental regulations to areas with weak environmental regulations. Based on the panel data of 282 prefecture-level cities and national patent data from 1994 to 2010, this paper constructs a difference in difference model (DID) to empirically study the impact of environmental regulations on regional industrial transfer and its mechanism. We find that, firstly, the “Two-Control Zones” policy has significantly promoted regional industrial transfer, and its effect has gradually increased in the long run. Then, the promotion effect of the “Two-Control Zones” policy on regional industrial transfer is heterogeneous among different regions due to the regional market environment and resource endowment; that is, the promotion effect is the greatest in Central China, then in Eastern China, and finally in Western China. At the same time, the frequency of industrial transfer in areas with high resource dependence is significantly lower than that in areas with low resource dependence. Finally, mechanism studies find that environmental regulation enhances inter-regional industrial liquidity and promotes regional technological innovation, and the role of environmental regulation on technological innovation is more obvious in regions with weak industrial liquidity. This proves that the “Pollution Heaven Hypothesis” and the “Porter Hypothesis” can be established at the same time in the Chinese context, which provides more reliable empirical evidence for the government to formulate environmental regulations, restrict pollution emissions, and balance environmental governance and sustainable economic development.

Digital economy and green total factor productivity-based on the empirical research on the resource-based cities.

Green economy is the core content of the high-quality economic development, and the digital economy is the new driving force to accelerate the realization of high-quality economic development. In this regard, this paper selects 248 resource-based cities in China from 2011 to 2019 as the research objects and uses the fixed effect model and mediation effect model to test the relationship between digital economy and regional green total factor productivity. We get the following conclusions: First, there is the nonlinear relationship between digital economy and regional green total factor productivity, and this relationship shows the inverted U-shape. Secondly, digital economy can influence regional green total factor productivity through the path transmission mechanism of regional technological innovation, industrial structure, and environmental regulation. Finally, the effect of digital economy on regional green total factor productivity is heterogeneous, especially in the eastern region and cities with high human capital level. Based on the digital economy, the findings of this paper provide theoretical basis and reference suggestions for promoting the green development of regional economy. The government should attach importance to regional green development, actively guide the digital economy to promote green development, accelerate the development of the digital economy, and achieve high-quality economic development finally.