IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v12y2023i1p204-d1029005.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How Has the Inter-City Corporate Network Spatio-Temporally Evolved in China? Evidence from Chinese Investment in Newly Established Enterprises from 1980–2017

Author

Listed:
  • Sha Xiao

    (Research Center for China Administrative Division, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
    School of Urban and Regional Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China)

  • Bindong Sun

    (Research Center for China Administrative Division, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
    School of Urban and Regional Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
    Future City Lab, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China
    Eco-Chongming, 20 Cuiniao Rd., Chenjia Zhen, Chongming, Shanghai 202162, China)

Abstract

Based on social network analysis (SNA) and the modified Boston Matrix (also known as Market Growth Rate—Relative Market Share Matrix or Four Quadrant Analysis, which was developed by the Boston Consulting Group (BCG) in the early 1970s.), this paper presents the temporal and spatial evolution process of inter-city corporate investment networks in 338 city regions (prefecture level and above) in China from 1980 to 2017. First, we find that inter-city investment linkages formed a diamond-shaped connection structure, with Beijing–Shanghai–Shenzhen–Chongqing as the spatial vertices; moreover, the overall investment network underwent a transition from looseness to aggregation. Second, the spatial layout of module division presents a situation of overall fragmentation and partial agglomeration, and regional integration is increasing. Third, the resource control capability of nodes showed the Beijing unipolar pattern before the 2000s and developed into the Beijing–Shanghai–Hangzhou one-pole, dual-core pattern after the 2000s. The reachability of nodes presents the Beijing uni-polar pattern during all the study years. The core–periphery model of nodes weakened over the study period, and the nodes’ positions have obvious administrative hierarchy and economic level orientation. Fourth, the node potentials and development stages are stronger in the east than in the west overall. Finally, we propose some political implications that the government can consider in order to improve the regional coordination of development.

Suggested Citation

  • Sha Xiao & Bindong Sun, 2023. "How Has the Inter-City Corporate Network Spatio-Temporally Evolved in China? Evidence from Chinese Investment in Newly Established Enterprises from 1980–2017," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:1:p:204-:d:1029005
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/1/204/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/12/1/204/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Galuh Syahbana Indraprahasta & Ben Derudder, 2019. "The geographically variegated connections of the Jakarta metropolitan area as produced by manufacturing firms," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(2), pages 705-724, June.
    2. Peng Gao & Dan He & Zhijing Sun & Yuemin Ning, 2020. "Characterizing functionally integrated regions in the Central Yangtze River Megaregion from a city‐network perspective," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(3), pages 1357-1379, September.
    3. Xianzhong Cao & Gang Zeng & Tangwei Teng & Yuefang Si, 2018. "The best spatial scale of firm innovation networks: Evidence from Shanghai high‐tech firms," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(4), pages 696-711, December.
    4. Derudder, B. & Witlox, F., 2005. "On the use of inadequate airline data in mappings of a global urban system," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 231-237.
    5. Xingxing Jin & Guojian Hu & Hailong Ding & Shilin Ye & Yuqi Lu & Jinhuang Lin, 2020. "Evolution of spatial structure patterns of city networks in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from the perspective of corporate pledge linkage," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(2), pages 833-851, June.
    6. John Friedmann, 1986. "The World City Hypothesis," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 17(1), pages 69-83, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ben Derudder, 2006. "On Conceptual Confusion in Empirical Analyses of a Transnational Urban Network," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 43(11), pages 2027-2046, October.
    2. Anthony Goerzen & Christian Geisler Asmussen & Bo Bernhard Nielsen, 2024. "Global cities, the liability of foreignness, and theory on place and space in international business," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 55(1), pages 10-27, February.
    3. György Csomós & Géza Tóth, 2016. "Modelling the shifting command and control function of cities through a gravity model based bidimensional regression analysis," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 48(4), pages 613-615, April.
    4. Yin-wah Chu, 2008. "Deconstructing the Global City: Unravelling the Linkages that Underlie Hong Kong's World City Status," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 45(8), pages 1625-1646, July.
    5. Jeroen van der Waal, 2012. "Post-industrialisation, Immigration and Unemployment: How and Why the Impact of Immigration on Unemployment Differs between Dutch Cities," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 49(8), pages 1711-1724, June.
    6. Wang, Huanming & Ran, Bing, 2022. "How business-related governance strategies impact paths towards the formation of global cities? An institutional embeddedness perspective," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    7. Renato A. Orozco Pereira & Ben Derudder, 2010. "Determinants of Dynamics in the World City Network, 2000-2004," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 47(9), pages 1949-1967, August.
    8. Piotr Raźniak & György Csomós & Sławomir Dorocki & Anna Winiarczyk-Raźniak, 2021. "Exploring the Shifting Geographical Pattern of the Global Command-and-Control Function of Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-15, November.
    9. O'Connor, Kevin & Fuellhart, Kurt, 2013. "Change in air services at second rank cities," Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 26-30.
    10. Sören Scholvin & Moritz Breul & Javier Revilla Diez & Andrés Rodríguez Pose, 2021. "Introduction: Nodes in global networks," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(1), pages 4-11, March.
    11. Virag Molnar, 2010. "The Cultural Production of Locality: Reclaiming the ‘European City’ in Post‐Wall Berlin," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(2), pages 281-309, June.
    12. Xu Zhang, 2018. "Multiple creators of knowledge-intensive service networks: A case study of the Pearl River Delta city-region," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 55(9), pages 2000-2019, July.
    13. Belderbos, René & Du, Helen S. & Slangen, Arjen, 2020. "When do firms choose global cities as foreign investment locations within countries? The roles of contextual distance, knowledge intensity, and target-country experience," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 55(1).
    14. John P. Boyd & Matthew C. Mahutga & David A. Smith, 2013. "Measuring Centrality and Power Recursively in the World City Network: A Reply to Neal," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 50(8), pages 1641-1647, June.
    15. Zwiers, Merle & Kleinhans, Reinout & van Ham, Maarten, 2015. "Divided Cities: Increasing Socio-Spatial Polarization within Large Cities in the Netherlands," IZA Discussion Papers 8882, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    16. Aurélie LALANNE & Guillaume POUYANNE, 2012. "Ten years of metropolization in economics: a bibliometric approach (In French)," Cahiers du GREThA (2007-2019) 2012-11, Groupe de Recherche en Economie Théorique et Appliquée (GREThA).
    17. Chakravarty, Dwarka & Goerzen, Anthony & Musteen, Martina & Ahsan, Mujtaba, 2021. "Global cities: A multi-disciplinary review and research agenda," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 56(3).
    18. Walter J. Nicholls, 2011. "The Los Angeles School: Difference, Politics, City," International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(1), pages 189-206, January.
    19. Christof Parnreiter, 2014. "Network or Hierarchical Relations? A Plea for Redirecting Attention to the Control Functions of Global Cities," Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, Royal Dutch Geographical Society KNAG, vol. 105(4), pages 398-411, September.
    20. Zachary Neal, 2011. "Differentiating Centrality and Power in the World City Network," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 48(13), pages 2733-2748, October.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:1:p:204-:d:1029005. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.