Evaluation and Spatial Evolution Analysis of High-Quality Development in China’s Construction Industry Utilizing Catastrophe Progression Method: A Case Study of Twelve Provinces in the Western Region

With the spread of the concept of sustainable development, the quality of development of the construction industry has begun to receive attention. Compared with speed, the quality of the development of the construction industry is not only reflected in its output, but also its impact on socio-economic development factors, which should be emphasized, and the comprehensiveness of its measurement is more difficult to ensure. However, theoretical and practical research on construction development in developing countries has been limited, mainly in terms of the semantic foundations and quantitative methods of the subject. Therefore, this paper focuses on China, the largest developing country, defines the concept and connotation of high-quality development of the construction industry (HQDCI), and constructs a set of tools for evaluating and analyzing HQDCI based on the theory of mutation and the relevant theories of spatial econometrics. In case studies, we also found that the key role of innovation drive and social contribution in HQDCI has been highlighted, and the balance of development has constrained HQDCI in some regions. In terms of spatial analysis, we find that the role of economic circles and city clusters in promoting HQDCI deserves attention, mainly because economic circles and city clusters can drive regional coordination, resource integration, and innovation diffusion. This paper expects to provide some insights into the transformation and sustainable development of other developing countries through this evaluation and analysis system based on the transformation of China’s construction industry.