•  
  •  
 

Keywords

digital economy, regional innovation ability, spatial spillover effect, regional heterogeneity, spatial econometric model

Abstract

In the context of the construction of digital China, the digital economy is becoming a new driving force to promote China into the ranks of the world's scientific and technological innovation powers. Different from traditional economic forms, digital economy takes digital knowledge and information as key production factors and stimulates innovation vitality with its characteristics of high innovation, strong penetration and wide coverage. The vigorous development of the digital economy provides a new growth point for economic development. It not only optimizes the allocation of innovation factors and improves the efficiency of economic operation, but also overcomes the constraints of time and space, builds a digital innovation network, strengthens cross-regional exchanges and cooperation, and narrows the innovation gap between regions. It has become a key force to promote the improvement of regional innovation capacity. Therefore, exploring the mechanism of digital economy affecting regional innovation capacity is of great significance for promoting the improvement of innovation quality, promoting the efficient flow of innovation factors, and avoiding the fragmentation of innovation output in the eastern, central and western regions. Based on the panel data of 30 provinces in China from 2013 to 2020, this paper constructs a dual index system of digital economy and regional innovation capability, and analyzes the impact mechanism of digital economy on regional innovation capability from the direct effect, intermediary effect and spatial spillover effect respectively. Benchmark regression model, intermediary effect model and spatial Durbin model were constructed to empirically test the influence path and regional heterogeneity of digital economy on regional innovation capability. According to the research results, this paper draws the following conclusions: Digital economy can not only improve regional innovation capacity, but also bring positive effects on innovation strength, innovation efficiency and innovation potential; The level of financial development and the degree of marketization are two important ways for digital economy to empower regional innovation ability. Digital economy can enhance regional innovation ability by improving the level of financial development and the degree of marketization; China's regional innovation capacity presents the characteristics of high-high agglomeration and low-low agglomeration, and there is a strong positive spatial correlation. Digital economy has a positive spatial spillover effect on regional innovation capacity, which not only improves the innovation capacity of the region, but also drives the improvement of the innovation capacity of neighboring regions. The results of heterogeneity analysis show that compared with the eastern region, the development of digital economy has a significant effect on the improvement of innovation ability in the western region. The research conclusions provide theoretical support and policy suggestions for promoting the optimization and coordinated development of regional innovation space in the new era. Countermeasures and suggestions are put forward: strengthen the construction of digital economy infrastructure, accelerate the process of digital industrialization and industry digitalization, raise the level of social financial development and marketization, and increase investment in research and development. By building a digital regional innovation and development network to promote cross-regional innovation cooperation, we will implement the digital economy development strategy in light of local conditions and promote the coordinated development of regional innovation capabilities.

DOI

10.16315/j.stm.2024.01.001

Download

Share

COinS