Multi-indicator Evaluation and Analysis of Coordinated Industrial Development of Urban Agglomerations

The level of coordinated industrial development in a region is considered as an important factor of measuring the construction of urban agglomerations. As the economic development patterns and stages vary in regions, a single-standard evaluation system is generally insufficient in evaluating and analyzing the coordinated industrial development of urban agglomerations. This paper, with multivariate values and diversified development demands considered, quantitatively describes the industrial development of urban agglomerations from four dimensions: economics, specialization, balance, and friendliness. On this basis, it synthesizes the indicator parameters effectively and proposes a multi-indicator evaluation model. Through the model, the paper comparatively analyzes the present status and development course of coordinated industrial development of typical urban agglomerations (Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration, the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration, and the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration) in China. The results show that Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei urban agglomeration has the clearest division of industries, but its industrial spillover effect is limited, the industrial structure of small and medium cities is too simple, and the economic gap among cities narrows at a very slow rate. The core cities in the Yangtze River Delta urban agglomeration exert certain driving effect upon the economy of their surrounding areas. However, they hardly give full play to their comparative advantages due to a low level of regional integration and high industrial similarity among cities. Compared with the above two urban agglomerations, the Pearl River Delta urban agglomeration enjoys more reasonable division of industries among cities, significant driving effect of core cities, and higher level of coordinated industrial development as driven by the market economy.