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Examining the Impact of Urban Connectivity on Urban Innovation Efficiency: An Empirical Study of Yangtze River Delta in China

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  • Chuankai Yang

    (Institute of Urban and Demographic Studies, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai 200020, China)

  • Shuaijun Xue

    (College of Economics and Management, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310018, China)

  • Peng Gao

    (Institute for Global City, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai 200234, China)

  • Xu Guo

    (Institute of Urban and Demographic Studies, Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences, Shanghai 200020, China)

Abstract

Innovation serves as a vital catalyst for sustainable urban development, with the enhancement of urban innovation efficiency representing a critical strategy to bolster cities’ innovative capacity. Rigorous scientific measurement of urban innovation efficiency and thorough investigation into the key factors influencing it are imperative for advancing urban innovation capacity. Despite this significance, prior research has largely overlooked the impact of urban connections on urban innovation efficiency. Therefore, this paper undertakes the task of measuring the innovation efficiency of 27 cities within China’s Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region using an improved DEA model, while also examining the associated influencing factors. The primary findings are as follows: (1) The comprehensive efficiency of the 27 cities in the YRD remains relatively low, with pure technical efficiency representing a notable constraint, while scale efficiency demonstrates higher overall performance. (2) The cities can be classified into four distinct categories: innovation-leading, innovation-optimizing, innovation-breaking, and innovation-improving cities. (3) The urban innovation efficiency within the YRD exhibits negative spatial spillover effects. (4) And notably, local economic and social characteristics such as human capital and degree of openness play a positive role in enhancing innovation efficiency in YRD cities. Conversely, factors such as economic foundation and government involvement exhibit negative contributions to innovation efficiency enhancement in YRD cities. Additionally, population mobility between cities is identified as a significant contributor to urban innovation efficiency. This study sheds light on the complex dynamics shaping urban innovation efficiency and underscores the importance of leveraging urban connections to bolster innovation capacity in the YRD and beyond.

Suggested Citation

  • Chuankai Yang & Shuaijun Xue & Peng Gao & Xu Guo, 2024. "Examining the Impact of Urban Connectivity on Urban Innovation Efficiency: An Empirical Study of Yangtze River Delta in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(13), pages 1-20, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:13:p:5647-:d:1427283
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Yanwen Sheng & Jinli Zhao & Xuebo Zhang & Jinping Song & Yi Miao, 2019. "Innovation efficiency and spatial spillover in urban agglomerations: A case of the Beijing‐Tianjin‐Hebei, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Pearl River Delta," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(4), pages 1280-1310, December.
    3. Zoltan J. Acs & Luc Anselin & Attila Varga, 2008. "Patents and Innovation Counts as Measures of Regional Production of New Knowledge," Chapters, in: Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy, chapter 11, pages 135-151, Edward Elgar Publishing.
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    5. Jiawei Wu & Wei Sun, 2023. "Regional Integration and Sustainable Development in the Yangtze River Delta, China: Towards a Conceptual Framework and Research Agenda," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-20, February.
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