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Effects of Environmental Regulations on Technological Innovation Efficiency in China’s Industrial Enterprises: A Spatial Analysis

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  • Yongfeng Zhu

    (College of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China)

  • Zilong Wang

    (College of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China)

  • Shilei Qiu

    (College of Economics and Management, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China)

  • Lingling Zhu

    (College of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China)

Abstract

China’s traditional industrial model is characterized by high energy consumption and high pollution, which results in many environmental problems that cannot be ignored. To achieve sustainable development, the Chinese government has proposed five development concepts of “innovation, coordination, green, openness, and sharing”. This initiative highlights the urgency of China’s efforts to strengthen environmental regulation. Based on the panel data of industrial enterprises in China from 2006 to 2015, this study not only investigates the spatial features of technological innovation efficiency, but also examines the relationship between technology innovation efficiency and environmental regulations from a spatial perspective. The results indicate that first, China’s provincial-level technological innovation efficiencies are uneven in space. Second, voluntary regulation positively affects the technological innovation efficiency of industrial enterprises at the provincial level, while mandatory regulation has no significant impact. Third, there is a spatial spillover effect in voluntary regulation at the provincial level. One highlight implication is that the government should promulgate environmental regulations based on each province’s technological innovation potential, due to the spatial differences in technological innovation activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Yongfeng Zhu & Zilong Wang & Shilei Qiu & Lingling Zhu, 2019. "Effects of Environmental Regulations on Technological Innovation Efficiency in China’s Industrial Enterprises: A Spatial Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-19, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:7:p:2186-:d:222088
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    2. Haoxuan Hu & Yuchen Zhang & Xi Rao & Yinghua Jin, 2021. "Impact of Technology Innovation on Air Quality—An Empirical Study on New Energy Vehicles in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(8), pages 1-13, April.
    3. Chen, Fenglong & Wang, Meichang & Pu, Zhengning, 2022. "The impact of technological innovation on air pollution: Firm-level evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    4. Wendong Zhu & Dahai Li & Limin Han, 2022. "Spatial–Temporal Evolution and Sustainable Type Division of Fishery Science and Technology Innovation Efficiency in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-19, June.
    5. Zhang, Jian & Zhang, Wei & Song, Qi & Li, Xin & Ye, Xuanting & Liu, Yu & Xue, Yawei, 2020. "Can energy saving policies drive firm innovation behaviors? - Evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    6. Muyao Li & Jinsong Zhang & Ramakrishnan Ramanathan & Ruiqian Li, 2020. "Opening the Black Box: The Impacts of Environmental Regulations on Technological Innovation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-18, June.
    7. Weiliang Chen & Xinjian Huang & Yanhong Liu & Xin Luan & Yan Song, 2019. "The Impact of High-Tech Industry Agglomeration on Green Economy Efficiency—Evidence from the Yangtze River Economic Belt," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(19), pages 1-18, September.
    8. Zeng, Juying & Blanco-González-Tejero, Cristina & Sendra, F. Javier, 2023. "The spatial difference-in-difference measurement of policy effect of environmental protection interview on green innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    9. Qiuyun Zhao & Zeyu Li & Zuoxiang Zhao & Jinqiu Ma, 2019. "Industrial Policy and Innovation Capability of Strategic Emerging Industries: Empirical Evidence from Chinese New Energy Vehicle Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-17, May.
    10. Lu Zhang & Renyan Mu & Shuhua Hu & Quan Zhang & Song Wang, 2021. "Impacts of Manufacturing Specialized and Diversified Agglomeration on the Eco-Innovation Efficiency—A Nonlinear Test from Dynamic Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-27, March.
    11. Robert Walasek & Nina Stepnicka & Adam Lulek, 2021. "Technological Innovation and Risk in the Management of Integrated Supply Chains – A Survey Results," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4B), pages 479-492.
    12. Caiyan Jia & Xiaoyun Tang & Zhehan Kan, 2020. "Does the Nation Innovation System in China Support the Sustainability of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Innovation?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-18, March.
    13. Xu Dong & Yali Yang & Xiaomeng Zhao & Yingjie Feng & Chenguang Liu, 2021. "Environmental Regulation, Resource Misallocation and Industrial Total Factor Productivity: A Spatial Empirical Study Based on China’s Provincial Panel Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, February.
    14. Fangyu Ju & Mengfan Ke, 2022. "The Spatial Spillover Effects of Environmental Regulation and Regional Energy Efficiency and Their Interactions under Local Government Competition in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-27, July.
    15. Xiaonan Fan & Sainan Ren & Yang Liu, 2023. "The Driving Factors of Green Technology Innovation Efficiency—A Study Based on the Dynamic QCA Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-25, June.

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