IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/kap/empiri/v51y2024i4d10.1007_s10663-024-09622-2.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How does the national e-commerce demonstration city pilot policy boost economic growth? Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Yun Yang

    (Tianjin University of Commerce)

  • Feng Hao

    (Tianjin University of Commerce)

  • Xingchen Meng

    (Tsinghua University)

Abstract

Given that e-commerce is an essential way to improve the efficiency of resource allocation and boost economic growth in the era of digital technology, China has launched the national e-commerce demonstration city (NEDC) pilot project to enhance the application and extension of e-commerce. This study aims to explore the effect of the NEDC pilot policy on economic growth. Based on data sources from 285 prefecture-level cities in China from 2005 to 2021, this study assesses the effect of the NEDC pilot policy on economic growth by applying the staggered difference-in-differences (DID) method with the two-way fixed effects (TWFE) model. In addition, this study investigates the issues of heterogeneity, mediating effects, and cost–benefit of the NEDC pilot policy. The major results of this study are as follows: (1) Compared to non-demonstration cities, the implementation of the NEDC pilot policy resulted in a 4.1% increase in GDP in demonstration cities. Moreover, this boosting effect is particularly significant in prefecture-level cities associated with a high level of digital technology application; however, this positive effect disappears in prefecture-level cities with a high degree of local government intervention. (2) Decreasing transaction costs, increasing business opportunities, and reducing labor misallocation are the main mediating channels for the impact of the NEDC pilot policy on economic growth, implying that the NEDC pilot policy has played an important role in reducing information asymmetry, transaction links, and resource misallocation. (3) The benefits of the NEDC pilot policy exceed its costs as revealed by the fact that the pilot policy has dramatically increased the ratio of GDP to network costs, electricity consumption costs, and labor costs. This study recommends that when strengthening the application of e-commerce, it is essential to reduce excessive government intervention and enhance e-commerce support measures to ensure the role of e-commerce in facilitating economic growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Yun Yang & Feng Hao & Xingchen Meng, 2024. "How does the national e-commerce demonstration city pilot policy boost economic growth? Evidence from China," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 51(4), pages 929-975, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:empiri:v:51:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s10663-024-09622-2
    DOI: 10.1007/s10663-024-09622-2
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s10663-024-09622-2
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s10663-024-09622-2?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Romer, Paul M, 1986. "Increasing Returns and Long-run Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 94(5), pages 1002-1037, October.
    2. Gene M. Grossman & Elhanan Helpman & Ezra Oberfield & Thomas Sampson, 2017. "Balanced Growth Despite Uzawa," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(4), pages 1293-1312, April.
    3. Francesco Caselli & James Feyrer, 2007. "The Marginal Product of Capital," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(2), pages 535-568.
    4. Robert E. Lucas Jr., 2015. "Human Capital and Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(5), pages 85-88, May.
    5. Hansen, Lars Peter, 1982. "Large Sample Properties of Generalized Method of Moments Estimators," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(4), pages 1029-1054, July.
    6. Simon Freyaldenhoven & Christian Hansen & Jesse M. Shapiro, 2019. "Pre-event Trends in the Panel Event-Study Design," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 109(9), pages 3307-3338, September.
    7. Lin, Chen & Man-lai Wong, Sonia, 2013. "Government intervention and firm investment: Evidence from international micro-data," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 32(C), pages 637-653.
    8. Clément de Chaisemartin & Xavier D'Haultfœuille, 2020. "Two-Way Fixed Effects Estimators with Heterogeneous Treatment Effects," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(9), pages 2964-2996, September.
    9. Kleibergen, Frank & Paap, Richard, 2006. "Generalized reduced rank tests using the singular value decomposition," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 133(1), pages 97-126, July.
    10. Falk, Martin & Hagsten, Eva, 2015. "E-commerce trends and impacts across Europe," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 170(PA), pages 357-369.
    11. Limin Wen & Shufang Sun, 2023. "The Impact of Urban E-Commerce Transformation on Carbon Emissions in Chinese Cities: An Empirical Analysis Based on the PSM-DID Method," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-16, March.
    12. Robert M. Solow, 1956. "A Contribution to the Theory of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 70(1), pages 65-94.
    13. Larcker, David F. & Rusticus, Tjomme O., 2010. "On the use of instrumental variables in accounting research," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 186-205, April.
    14. Romer, Paul M, 1990. "Endogenous Technological Change," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 98(5), pages 71-102, October.
    15. Eliana La Ferrara & Alberto Chong & Suzanne Duryea, 2012. "Soap Operas and Fertility: Evidence from Brazil," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 4(4), pages 1-31, October.
    16. Kleibergen, Frank, 2007. "Generalizing weak instrument robust IV statistics towards multiple parameters, unrestricted covariance matrices and identification statistics," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 139(1), pages 181-216, July.
    17. Mincer, Jacob, 1984. "Human capital and economic growth," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 3(3), pages 195-205, June.
    18. Aoki, Shuhei, 2012. "A simple accounting framework for the effect of resource misallocation on aggregate productivity," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 473-494.
    19. Clarke, Damian, 2017. "Estimating Difference-in-Differences in the Presence of Spillovers," MPRA Paper 81604, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. K. J. Arrow, 1971. "The Economic Implications of Learning by Doing," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: F. H. Hahn (ed.), Readings in the Theory of Growth, chapter 11, pages 131-149, Palgrave Macmillan.
    21. Tokar, Travis & Jensen, Robert & Williams, Brent D., 2021. "A guide to the seen costs and unseen benefits of e-commerce," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 323-332.
    22. Cai Zhou & Bowen Li, 2023. "How does e‐commerce demonstration city improve urban innovation? Evidence from China," Economics of Transition and Institutional Change, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(4), pages 915-940, October.
    23. Min Zhong & Zengtao Wang & Xing Ge, 2022. "Does Cross-Border E-Commerce Promote Economic Growth? Empirical Research on China’s Pilot Zones," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-18, September.
    24. Marin Falk & Eva Hagsten, 2015. "E-commerce trends and impacts across Europe," UNCTAD Discussion Papers 220, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development.
    25. Beibei Yan & Tianjun Liu, 2022. "Can E-Commerce Adoption Improve Agricultural Productivity? Evidence from Apple Growers in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-16, December.
    26. Goodman-Bacon, Andrew, 2021. "Difference-in-differences with variation in treatment timing," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 225(2), pages 254-277.
    27. Taehyun Kim & Quoc H Nguyen, 2020. "The Effect of Public Spending on Private Investment," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 24(2), pages 415-451.
    28. Joshua D. Angrist & Jörn-Steffen Pischke, 2009. "Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricist's Companion," Economics Books, Princeton University Press, edition 1, number 8769.
    29. Goodman-Bacon, Andrew & Marcus, Jan, 2020. "Using Difference-in-Differences to Identify Causal Effects of COVID-19 Policies," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 14(2), pages 153-158.
    30. Barbara M. Fraumeni, 2001. "E-Commerce: Measurement and Measurement Issues," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(2), pages 318-322, May.
    31. Xue, Yan & Tang, Chang & Wu, Haitao & Liu, Jianmin & Hao, Yu, 2022. "The emerging driving force of energy consumption in China: Does digital economy development matter?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    32. Marianne Bertrand & Esther Duflo & Sendhil Mullainathan, 2004. "How Much Should We Trust Differences-In-Differences Estimates?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 119(1), pages 249-275.
    33. Isaac Ehrlich & Francis T. Lui, 1999. "Bureaucratic Corruption and Endogenous Economic Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 107(S6), pages 270-293, December.
    34. Philippe Aghion & Peter Howitt, 2017. "Some Thoughts on Capital Accumulation, Innovation, and Growth," Annals of Economics and Statistics, GENES, issue 125-126, pages 57-78.
    35. Dongmin Kong & Ni Qin, 2021. "Does Environmental Regulation Shape Entrepreneurship?," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 80(1), pages 169-196, September.
    36. Peter Howitt, 1999. "Steady Endogenous Growth with Population and R & D Inputs Growing," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 107(4), pages 715-730, August.
    37. Jingbo Hu & Taohua Ouyang & William X. Wei & Jiawei Cai, 2020. "How Do Manufacturing Enterprises Construct E-Commerce Platforms for Sustainable Development? A Case Study of Resource Orchestration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(16), pages 1-18, August.
    38. Robert J. Barro, 2001. "Human Capital and Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(2), pages 12-17, May.
    39. Romer, Paul M, 1987. "Growth Based on Increasing Returns Due to Specialization," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 77(2), pages 56-62, May.
    40. Wen, Mei, 2004. "E-commerce, productivity, and fluctuation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 55(2), pages 187-206, October.
    41. Paul M. Romer, 1994. "The Origins of Endogenous Growth," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 8(1), pages 3-22, Winter.
    42. Lucas, Robert Jr., 1988. "On the mechanics of economic development," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 3-42, July.
    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. Capolupo, Rosa, 2009. "The New Growth Theories and Their Empirics after Twenty Years," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 3, pages 1-72.
    2. Zhang, Xiaobei & Wang, Xiaojun, 2021. "Measures of human capital and the mechanics of economic growth," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    3. Milenko Popovic, 2006. "Capital Augmenting And Labor Augmenting Approach In Measuring Contribution Of Human Capital And Education To Economic Growth," Montenegrin Journal of Economics, Economic Laboratory for Transition Research (ELIT), vol. 2(4), pages 71-108.
    4. FitzGerald, John & Kearney, Ide & Morgenroth, Edgar & Smyth, Diarmaid, 1999. "National Investment Priorities For The Period 2000-2006," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number PRS33.
    5. Daniele Schilirò, 2019. "The Growth Conundrum: Paul Romer’s Endogenous Growth," International Business Research, Canadian Center of Science and Education, vol. 12(10), pages 75-85, October.
    6. Gnidchenko, Andrey, 2011. "Моделирование Технологических И Институциональных Эффектов В Макроэкономическом Прогнозировании [Technological and Institutional Effects Modeling in Macroeconomic Forecasting]," MPRA Paper 35484, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised May 2011.
    7. William Darity & Lewis S. Davis, 2005. "Growth, trade and uneven development," Cambridge Journal of Economics, Cambridge Political Economy Society, vol. 29(1), pages 141-170, January.
    8. Amavilah, Voxi Heinrich, 2014. "Knowledge = Technology + Human Capital and the Lucas and Romer Production Functions," MPRA Paper 58847, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Turnovsky, S., 2000. "Growth in an Open Economy: some Recent Developments," Papers 5, Warwick - Development Economics Research Centre.
    10. Jeon, Heesang, 2015. "Knowledge and Contemporary Capitalism in Light of Marx's Value Theory," Thesis Commons g5njk, Center for Open Science.
    11. Schilirò, Daniele, 2006. "Crescita economica, conoscenza e capitale umano. Le teorie e i modelli di crescita endogena di Paul Romer e Robert Lucas [Economic growth, knowledge and human capital. Theories and models of endoge," MPRA Paper 52435, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. repec:ebl:ecbull:v:2:y:2002:i:1:p:1-15 is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Chris Belmert Milindi & Roula Inglesi-Lotz, 2023. "Impact of technological progress on carbon emissions in different country income groups," Energy & Environment, , vol. 34(5), pages 1348-1382, August.
    14. Fernandes, Leonardo H.S. & de Araújo, Fernando H.A. & Silva, Igor E.M. & Neto, Jusie S.P., 2021. "Macroeconophysics indicator of economic efficiency," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 573(C).
    15. Voxi Heinrich Amavilah & Antonio Rodríguez Andrés, 2024. "Knowledge Economy and the Economic Performance of African Countries: A Seemingly Unrelated and Recursive Approach," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(1), pages 110-143, March.
    16. Osvaldo Lagares, 2016. "Capital, Economic Growth and Relative Income Differences in Latin America," Discussion Papers 16/03, Department of Economics, University of York.
    17. Aykut Kibritçioglu, 2002. "On the Smithian origins of "new" trade and growth theories," Economics Bulletin, AccessEcon, vol. 2(1), pages 1-15.
    18. Jensen Christian, 2014. "Replication and Returns to Scale in Production," The B.E. Journal of Theoretical Economics, De Gruyter, vol. 14(1), pages 127-148, February.
    19. Federico D’Aloia & Philippe Gugler, 2024. "Impact of Covid-19 on the Economic Growth of ASEAN Countries: Convergence or Divergence?," International Journal of Global Business and Competitiveness, Springer, vol. 19(2), pages 83-95, October.
    20. Bucci, Alberto & Eraydın, Levent & Müller, Moritz, 2019. "Dilution effects, population growth and economic growth under human capital accumulation and endogenous technological change," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    21. Zoltan J. Acs & Attila Varga, 2008. "Geography, Endogenous Growth, and Innovation," Chapters, in: Entrepreneurship, Growth and Public Policy, chapter 12, pages 152-168, Edward Elgar Publishing.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    NEDC; Economic growth; Mediating effect; Cost–benefit analysis; Local government intervention;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L81 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Retail and Wholesale Trade; e-Commerce
    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • O38 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Government Policy
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:kap:empiri:v:51:y:2024:i:4:d:10.1007_s10663-024-09622-2. 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: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.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.