IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i4p3318-d1065118.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Green Innovation: Evidence from China’s Provincial Panel Data

Author

Listed:
  • Lifeng Chen

    (School of Business, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, China
    School of Public Affairs, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China)

  • Fuxuan Guo

    (School of Business, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, China)

  • Lingyan Huang

    (School of Business, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou 310015, China)

Abstract

The last couple of decades have witnessed growing interest in the academic literature in the conciliation of finance and sustainable development. Foreign direct investment (FDI) faces increasing pressure from both host and home country towards adoptinsg sustainable approaches. Such solutions can be green innovation (GI) for climate change, environmental risks, green processes and products that allow tracking the carbon footprint, as well as many other green technologies. Based on the macro-level data of 31 provinces in China from 2003 to 2020, this paper employed policy environment (PE) and marketization level (ML) as moderating variables to further investigate the impact of FDI on GI. Our results show the following: (1) FDI has a significant positive and dynamic evolution feature of diminishing marginal efficiency on GI. (2) The heterogeneity analysis of regional regression shows that FDI significantly increases GI in the eastern and western regions. In contrast, FDI in the central region inhibits GI but not significantly. (3) Both PE and ML can positively moderate the impact of FDI on GI. Furthermore, our empirical results of the robustness test of 2SLS and GMM are highly consistent with the main test. The conclusions of this paper provide policy implications for local governments to fully and effectively utilize foreign capital for green innovation activities.

Suggested Citation

  • Lifeng Chen & Fuxuan Guo & Lingyan Huang, 2023. "Impact of Foreign Direct Investment on Green Innovation: Evidence from China’s Provincial Panel Data," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-17, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:4:p:3318-:d:1065118
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/4/3318/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/4/3318/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Carolina Castaldi & Koen Frenken & Bart Los, 2015. "Related Variety, Unrelated Variety and Technological Breakthroughs: An analysis of US State-Level Patenting," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(5), pages 767-781, May.
    2. Autant-Bernard, Corinne & Fadairo, Muriel & Massard, Nadine, 2013. "Knowledge diffusion and innovation policies within the European regions: Challenges based on recent empirical evidence," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 42(1), pages 196-210.
    3. Gray, Wayne B. & Shadbegian, Ronald J., 2003. "Plant vintage, technology, and environmental regulation," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 46(3), pages 384-402, November.
    4. Hansen, Bruce E., 1999. "Threshold effects in non-dynamic panels: Estimation, testing, and inference," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 345-368, December.
    5. Brian J. Aitken & Ann E. Harrison, 2022. "Do Domestic Firms Benefit from Direct Foreign Investment? Evidence from Venezuela," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Globalization, Firms, and Workers, chapter 6, pages 139-152, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    6. Singhania, Monica & Saini, Neha, 2021. "Demystifying pollution haven hypothesis: Role of FDI," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 516-528.
    7. Maryann Feldman, 1999. "The New Economics Of Innovation, Spillovers And Agglomeration: Areview Of Empirical Studies," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1-2), pages 5-25.
    8. Steven M. Fazzari & R. Glenn Hubbard & Bruce C. Petersen, 1988. "Financing Constraints and Corporate Investment," Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, Economic Studies Program, The Brookings Institution, vol. 19(1), pages 141-206.
    9. Biao Hu & Kai Yuan & Tingyun Niu & Liang Zhang & Yuqiong Guan, 2022. "Study on the Spatial and Temporal Evolution Patterns of Green Innovation Efficiency and Driving Factors in Three Major Urban Agglomerations in China—Based on the Perspective of Economic Geography," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-28, July.
    10. Bischi, G. -I. & Dawid, H. & Kopel, M., 2003. "Spillover effects and the evolution of firm clusters," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 47-75, January.
    11. Zhou, Dongsheng & Li, Shaomin & Tse, David K., 2002. "The impact of FDI on the productivity of domestic firms: the case of China," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 11(4), pages 465-484, August.
    12. Ming Yi & Xiaomeng Fang & Le Wen & Fengtao Guang & Yao Zhang, 2019. "The Heterogeneous Effects of Different Environmental Policy Instruments on Green Technology Innovation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-19, November.
    13. Horbach, Jens & Rennings, Klaus, 2012. "Environmental innovation and employment dynamics in different technology fields: An analysis based on the German community innovation survey 2009," ZEW Discussion Papers 12-006, ZEW - Leibniz Centre for European Economic Research.
    14. Magnus Blomström & Ari Kokko & Mario Zejan, 2000. "Technology, Market Characteristics and Spillovers," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Foreign Direct Investment, chapter 10, pages 160-176, Palgrave Macmillan.
    15. Özgür ERSİN & Ayfer USTABAŞ & Tuğçe ACAR, 2022. "The Nonlinear Effects of High Technology Exports, R&D and Patents on Economic Growth: A Panel Threshold Approach to 35 OECD Countries," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(1), pages 26-44, April.
    16. Xiangbo Liu & Yu Luo & Zhigang Qiu & Ru Zhang, 2014. "FDI and Economic Development: Evidence from China’s Regional Growth," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(S6), pages 87-106, November.
    17. Szücs, Florian, 2018. "Research subsidies, industry–university cooperation and innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(7), pages 1256-1266.
    18. Yu-Shan Chen & Shyh-Bao Lai & Chao-Tung Wen, 2006. "The Influence of Green Innovation Performance on Corporate Advantage in Taiwan," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 67(4), pages 331-339, September.
    19. Eskeland, Gunnar S. & Harrison, Ann E., 2003. "Moving to greener pastures? Multinationals and the pollution haven hypothesis," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(1), pages 1-23, February.
    20. Lerner, Josh, 1999. "The Government as Venture Capitalist: The Long-Run Impact of the SBIR Program," The Journal of Business, University of Chicago Press, vol. 72(3), pages 285-318, July.
    21. Song, Wenfei & Han, Xianfeng, 2022. "The bilateral effects of foreign direct investment on green innovation efficiency: Evidence from 30 Chinese provinces," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    22. Liu, Liyun & Zhao, Zhenzhi & Su, Bin & Ng, Tsan Sheng & Zhang, Mingming & Qi, Lin, 2021. "Structural breakpoints in the relationship between outward foreign direct investment and green innovation: An empirical study in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    23. Zhang, Chuanguo & Zhou, Xiangxue, 2016. "Does foreign direct investment lead to lower CO2 emissions? Evidence from a regional analysis in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 943-951.
    24. Laurent Bontoux & Daniel Bengtsson, 2016. "Using Scenarios to Assess Policy Mixes for Resource Efficiency and Eco-Innovation in Different Fiscal Policy Frameworks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(4), pages 1-12, March.
    25. Cole, Matthew A. & Fredriksson, Per G., 2009. "Institutionalized pollution havens," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(4), pages 1239-1256, February.
    26. Jianzhuang Zheng & Muhammad Usman Khurram & Lifeng Chen, 2022. "Can Green Innovation Affect ESG Ratings and Financial Performance? Evidence from Chinese GEM Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-32, July.
    27. Kneller, Richard & Manderson, Edward, 2012. "Environmental regulations and innovation activity in UK manufacturing industries," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(2), pages 211-235.
    28. Jiang, Xiaochen & Shen, Jim Huangnan & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Chen, Chong, 2021. "Supply-side structural reform and dynamic capital structure adjustment: Evidence from Chinese-listed firms," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Gong, Qinyi & Ying, Limeng & Dai, Jiapeng, 2023. "Green finance and energy natural resources nexus with economic performance: A novel evidence from China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    2. Zhou, Hao & Zheng, Mingbo, 2024. "Foreign direct investment and green innovation in China: An examination of quantile regression," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 3(3).
    3. Wang, Shubin & Wang, Tingting & Li, Jiabao & Zhao, Erlong, 2023. "Resource curse hypothesis in COP26 perspective: Access to clean fuel technology and electricity from renewable energy," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).

    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. Song, Wenfei & Han, Xianfeng, 2022. "The bilateral effects of foreign direct investment on green innovation efficiency: Evidence from 30 Chinese provinces," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    2. He, Yiqing & Ding, Xin & Yang, Chuchu, 2021. "Do environmental regulations and financial constraints stimulate corporate technological innovation? Evidence from China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    3. Bingtao Qin & Yulu Gai & Liming Ge & Pengbo Sun & Yongwei Yu & Yi Zheng, 2022. "FDI, Technology Spillovers, and Green Innovation: Theoretical Analysis and Evidence from China," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-25, October.
    4. Eduardo Polloni-Silva & Diogo Ferraz & Flávia de Castro Camioto & Daisy Aparecida do Nascimento Rebelatto & Herick Fernando Moralles, 2021. "Environmental Kuznets Curve and the Pollution-Halo/Haven Hypotheses: An Investigation in Brazilian Municipalities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-19, April.
    5. Natasha Agarwal & Chris Milner, 2011. "FDI Spillovers in China – Connecting the Missing Link between Micro and Macro," Discussion Papers 11/20, University of Nottingham, GEP.
    6. Pedro Sánchez-Sellero & Jorge Rosell-Martínez & José Manuel García-Vázquez, 2014. "Spillovers from Foreign Direct Investment in Spanish Manufacturing Firms," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(2), pages 342-351, May.
    7. Xie, Rong-hui & Yuan, Yi-jun & Huang, Jing-jing, 2017. "Different Types of Environmental Regulations and Heterogeneous Influence on “Green” Productivity: Evidence from China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 104-112.
    8. Wang, Yan & Shen, Neng, 2016. "Environmental regulation and environmental productivity: The case of China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 758-766.
    9. Yu-Hong Cao & Jian-Xin You & Hu-Chen Liu, 2017. "Optimal Environmental Regulation Intensity of Manufacturing Technology Innovation in View of Pollution Heterogeneity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(7), pages 1-14, July.
    10. Xindi Xu & Xinjun Wang, 2021. "The Spatial Correlation between Foreign Direct Investment and Air Quality in China and the Potential Channel," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(11), pages 1-25, June.
    11. Yonglian Chang & Yingjun Huang & Manman Li & Zhengmin Duan, 2021. "Threshold Effect in the Relationship between Environmental Regulations and Haze Pollution: Empirical Evidence from PSTR Estimation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(23), pages 1-19, November.
    12. Marques, António Cardoso & Caetano, Rafaela, 2020. "The impact of foreign direct investment on emission reduction targets: Evidence from high- and middle-income countries," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 107-118.
    13. Peter J. Buckley & Jeremy Clegg & Ping Zheng & Pamela A. Siler & Gianluigi Giorgioni, 2007. "The impact of foreign direct investment on the productivity of China’s automotive industry," Management International Review, Springer, vol. 47(5), pages 707-724, September.
    14. Facundo Albornoz & Matthew A. Cole & Robert J. R. Elliott & Marco G. Ercolani, 2009. "In Search of Environmental Spillovers," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 136-163, January.
    15. Wang, Chengqi & Deng, Ziliang & Kafouros, Mario I. & Chen, Yan, 2012. "Reconceptualizing the spillover effects of foreign direct investment: A process-dependent approach," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 452-464.
    16. Peng Liang & Xinhui Sun, 2024. "Does digital transformation promote the green innovation of China’s listed companies?," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 26(9), pages 22199-22235, September.
    17. Han Bao & Tangwei Teng & Xianzhong Cao & Shengpeng Wang & Senlin Hu, 2022. "The Threshold Effect of Knowledge Diversity on Urban Green Innovation Efficiency Using the Yangtze River Delta Region as an Example," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-18, August.
    18. Cole, Matthew A. & Elliott, Robert J.R. & Strobl, Eric, 2008. "The environmental performance of firms: The role of foreign ownership, training, and experience," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 538-546, April.
    19. Yuhua Ma & Tong Lin & Qifang Xiao, 2022. "The Relationship between Environmental Regulation, Green-Technology Innovation and Green Total-Factor Productivity—Evidence from 279 Cities in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-22, December.
    20. Zhang, Cheng & Guo, Bingnan & Wang, Jianke, 2014. "The different impacts of home countries characteristics in FDI on Chinese spillover effects: Based on one-stage SFA," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 572-580.

    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:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:4:p:3318-:d:1065118. 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.