IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecmode/v124y2023ics0264999323001098.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does environmental regulation promote technology transfer? Evidence from a partially linear functional-coefficient panel model

Author

Listed:
  • Cai, Hechang
  • Wang, Zilong
  • Zhang, Zhiwen
  • Xu, Liuyang

Abstract

This study employed panel data from 231 prefecture-level cities from 2005 to 2016 to investigate the relationship between environmental regulation and technology transfer in China. Previous studies suggested that environmental regulation promotes technological innovation; however, few studies focus on environmental regulation and technology transfer. After solving the endogeneity issue, the results indicated that a 1% increase in environmental regulation increased technology transfer strength by 0.322 units. Moreover, we confirmed that environmental regulation stimulates different technology transfer directions, such as outstrength, instrength, degree, outdegree, and indegree. Relevant interaction terms indicate that the effect is more substantial for city groups with lower gross domestic product (GDP) levels. We further utilized the partially linear functional-coefficient model to show that the marginal effects are only significant when the GDP of a city is within a specific range. These cities are divided into six groups to provide more detailed descriptions of environmental regulation's promoting effects.

Suggested Citation

  • Cai, Hechang & Wang, Zilong & Zhang, Zhiwen & Xu, Liuyang, 2023. "Does environmental regulation promote technology transfer? Evidence from a partially linear functional-coefficient panel model," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecmode:v:124:y:2023:i:c:s0264999323001098
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econmod.2023.106297
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264999323001098
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.econmod.2023.106297?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. Daron Acemoglu & Philippe Aghion & Leonardo Bursztyn & David Hemous, 2012. "The Environment and Directed Technical Change," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 102(1), pages 131-166, February.
    2. Cai, Xiqian & Lu, Yi & Wu, Mingqin & Yu, Linhui, 2016. "Does environmental regulation drive away inbound foreign direct investment? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 73-85.
    3. Tang, Maogang & Li, Xiuzhen & Zhang, Yun & Wu, Yingtao & Wu, Baijun, 2020. "From command-and-control to market-based environmental policies: Optimal transition timing and China’s heterogeneous environmental effectiveness," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 1-10.
    4. Kong, Qunxi & Peng, Dan & Ni, Yehui & Jiang, Xinyue & Wang, Ziqi, 2021. "Trade openness and economic growth quality of China: Empirical analysis using ARDL model," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).
    5. Zhou, Xiaoxiao & Pan, Zixuan & Shahbaz, Muhammad & Song, Malin, 2020. "Directed technological progress driven by diversified industrial structural change," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 112-129.
    6. Du, Kerui & Cheng, Yuanyuan & Yao, Xin, 2021. "Environmental regulation, green technology innovation, and industrial structure upgrading: The road to the green transformation of Chinese cities," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    7. Yang, Chih-Hai & Tseng, Yu-Hsuan & Chen, Chiang-Ping, 2012. "Environmental regulations, induced R&D, and productivity: Evidence from Taiwan's manufacturing industries," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 514-532.
    8. Kesidou, Effie & Wu, Lichao, 2020. "Stringency of environmental regulation and eco-innovation: Evidence from the eleventh Five-Year Plan and green patents," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 190(C).
    9. Zhenyu Jiang & Zongjun Wang & Yanqi Zeng, 2020. "Can voluntary environmental regulation promote corporate technological innovation?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 390-406, February.
    10. Wu, Mingqin & Cao, Xun, 2021. "Greening the career incentive structure for local officials in China: Does less pollution increase the chances of promotion for Chinese local leaders?," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    11. Ouyang, Xiaoling & Li, Qiong & Du, Kerui, 2020. "How does environmental regulation promote technological innovations in the industrial sector? Evidence from Chinese provincial panel data," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C).
    12. Xie, Rong-hui & Yuan, Yi-jun & Huang, Jing-jing, 2017. "Different Types of Environmental Regulations and Heterogeneous Influence on “Green” Productivity: Evidence from China," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 104-112.
    13. Feng, Zhijun & Cai, Hechang & Chen, Zinan & Zhou, Wen, 2022. "Influence of an interurban innovation network on the innovation capacity of China: A multiplex network perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 180(C).
    14. Heidi A. Pickman, 1998. "The effect of environmental regulation on environmental innovation," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(4), pages 223-233, September.
    15. Hering, Laura & Poncet, Sandra, 2014. "Environmental policy and exports: Evidence from Chinese cities," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 68(2), pages 296-318.
    16. Adam B. Jaffe & Karen Palmer, 1997. "Environmental Regulation And Innovation: A Panel Data Study," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 79(4), pages 610-619, November.
    17. Perino, Grischa & Requate, Till, 2012. "Does more stringent environmental regulation induce or reduce technology adoption? When the rate of technology adoption is inverted U-shaped," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 456-467.
    18. Kerui Du & Yonghui Zhang & Qiankun Zhou, 2020. "Fitting partially linear functional-coefficient panel-data models with Stata," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 20(4), pages 976-998, December.
    19. Takao Asano & Noriaki Matsushima, 2014. "Environmental regulation and technology transfers," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 47(3), pages 889-904, August.
    20. Wu, Ning & Liu, ZuanKuo, 2021. "Higher education development, technological innovation and industrial structure upgrade," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    21. Carrilho-Nunes, Inês & Catalão-Lopes, Margarida, 2022. "The effects of environmental policy and technology transfer on GHG emissions: The case of Portugal," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 255-264.
    22. Chen, Yunwei & Yang, Zhiping & Shu, Fang & Hu, Zhengyin & Meyer, Martin & Bhattacharya, Sujit, 2009. "A patent based evaluation of technological innovation capability in eight economic regions in PR China," World Patent Information, Elsevier, vol. 31(2), pages 104-110, June.
    23. Yan, Zheming & Zou, Baoling & Du, Kerui & Li, Ke, 2020. "Do renewable energy technology innovations promote China's green productivity growth? Fresh evidence from partially linear functional-coefficient models," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    24. Glass, Amy Jocelyn & Saggi, Kamal, 1998. "International technology transfer and the technology gap," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 55(2), pages 369-398, April.
    25. Lv, Chengchao & Shao, Changhua & Lee, Chien-Chiang, 2021. "Green technology innovation and financial development: Do environmental regulation and innovation output matter?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    26. Liu, Jingjing & Zhao, Min & Wang, Yanbo, 2020. "Impacts of government subsidies and environmental regulations on green process innovation: A nonlinear approach," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    27. Du, Kerui & Li, Jianglong, 2019. "Towards a green world: How do green technology innovations affect total-factor carbon productivity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 240-250.
    28. Zhuge, Liqun & Freeman, Richard B. & Higgins, Matthew T., 2020. "Regulation and innovation: Examining outcomes in Chinese pollution control policy areas," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 19-31.
    29. Dechezleprêtre, Antoine & Neumayer, Eric & Perkins, Richard, 2015. "Environmental regulation and the cross-border diffusion of new technology: Evidence from automobile patents," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(1), pages 244-257.
    30. Shi, Xinzheng & Xu, Zhufeng, 2018. "Environmental regulation and firm exports: Evidence from the eleventh Five-Year Plan in China," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 187-200.
    31. Chen, Zhibin & Xu, Yibin & Tian, Zongtao & Meng, Xu, 2022. "The Impact of Social Insurance Law on Corporate Innovation: Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    32. Chen, Yang & Cheng, Liang & Lee, Chien-Chiang & Wang, Chang-song, 2021. "The impact of regional banks on environmental pollution: Evidence from China's city commercial banks," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    33. Chakraborty, Pavel & Chatterjee, Chirantan, 2017. "Does environmental regulation indirectly induce upstream innovation? New evidence from India," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(5), pages 939-955.
    34. Bu, Maoliang & Qiao, Zhenzi & Liu, Beibei, 2020. "Voluntary environmental regulation and firm innovation in China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 10-18.
    35. Zhu, Xuehong & Zuo, Xuguang & Li, Hailing, 2021. "The dual effects of heterogeneous environmental regulation on the technological innovation of Chinese steel enterprises—Based on a high-dimensional fixed effects model," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    36. Michael E. Porter & Claas van der Linde, 1995. "Toward a New Conception of the Environment-Competitiveness Relationship," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 9(4), pages 97-118, Fall.
    37. Nordensvard, Johan & Zhou, Yuan & Zhang, Xiao, 2018. "Innovation core, innovation semi-periphery and technology transfer: The case of wind energy patents," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(C), pages 213-227.
    38. Wang, Ailun & Hu, Shuo & Li, Jianglong, 2021. "Does economic development help achieve the goals of environmental regulation? Evidence from partially linear functional-coefficient model," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C).
    39. Yonghui Zhang & Qiankun Zhou, 2021. "Partially linear functional-coefficient dynamic panel data models: sieve estimation and specification testing," Econometric Reviews, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 40(10), pages 983-1006, November.
    40. Shuai Chen & Yuyu Chen & Ziteng Lei & Jie-Sheng Tan-Soo, 2021. "Chasing Clean Air: Pollution-Induced Travels in China," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 8(1), pages 59-89.
    41. Yang, Lisha & Ni, Mengying, 2022. "Is financial development beneficial to improve the efficiency of green development? Evidence from the “Belt and Road” countries," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    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. Xie, Ronghui & Teo, Thompson S.H., 2022. "Green technology innovation, environmental externality, and the cleaner upgrading of industrial structure in China — Considering the moderating effect of environmental regulation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 184(C).
    2. Zhu, Xuehong & Zuo, Xuguang & Li, Hailing, 2021. "The dual effects of heterogeneous environmental regulation on the technological innovation of Chinese steel enterprises—Based on a high-dimensional fixed effects model," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    3. Liu, Guixian & Sun, Wei & Kong, Zhaoyang & Dong, Xiucheng & Jiang, Qingzhe, 2023. "Did the pollution charge system promote or inhibit innovation? Evidence from Chinese micro-enterprises," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    4. Xie, Yu & Wu, Desheng & Li, Xiaoyan & Tian, Suhua, 2023. "How does environmental regulation affect productivity? The role of corporate compliance strategies," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    5. Zhuo, Chengfeng & Xie, Yuping & Mao, Yanhua & Chen, Pengqin & Li, Yiqiao, 2022. "Can cross-regional environmental protection promote urban green development: Zero-sum game or win-win choice?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    6. Zhang, Ming & Zhao, Yingxue, 2023. "Does environmental regulation spur innovation? Quasi-natural experiment in China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    7. Ren, Shenggang & Yang, Xuanyu & Hu, Yucai & Chevallier, Julien, 2022. "Emission trading, induced innovation and firm performance," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    8. Wei Wang & Hailin Chen, 2023. "Extrusion Effect or Promotion Effect? The Effect of Environmental Regulation on Enterprise Green Innovation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(3), pages 1-18, January.
    9. Liu, Duan & Yu, Nizhou & Wan, Hong, 2022. "Does water rights trading affect corporate investment? The role of resource allocation and risk mitigation channels," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    10. Xu, Le & Yang, Lili & Li, Ding & Shao, Shuai, 2023. "Asymmetric effects of heterogeneous environmental standards on green technology innovation: Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 117(C).
    11. Muyao Li & Jinsong Zhang & Ramakrishnan Ramanathan & Ruiqian Li, 2020. "Opening the Black Box: The Impacts of Environmental Regulations on Technological Innovation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-18, June.
    12. Cui, Xin & Wang, Panpan & Sensoy, Ahmet & Nguyen, Duc Khuong & Pan, Yuying, 2022. "Green Credit Policy and Corporate Productivity: Evidence from a Quasi-natural Experiment in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    13. Zhou, Peng & Song, Frank M. & Huang, Xiaoqi, 2023. "Environmental regulations and firms' green innovations: Transforming pressure into incentives," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    14. Xiaoxiao Zhou & Ming Xia & Teng Zhang & Juntao Du, 2020. "Energy- and Environment-Biased Technological Progress Induced by Different Types of Environmental Regulations in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-26, September.
    15. Ren, Shenggang & Hu, Yucai & Zheng, Jingjing & Wang, Yangjie, 2020. "Emissions trading and firm innovation: Evidence from a natural experiment in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    16. Liu, Donghua & Ren, Shenggang & Li, Wenming, 2022. "SO2 emissions trading and firm exports in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    17. Xianpu Xu & Xiawan Li & Lin Zheng, 2022. "A Blessing or a Curse? Exploring the Impact of Environmental Regulation on China’s Regional Green Development from the Perspective of Governance Transformation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-24, January.
    18. Ding, Jinxiu & Lu, Zhe & Yu, Chin-Hsien, 2022. "Environmental information disclosure and firms’ green innovation: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 147-159.
    19. Xianghua Yue & Shikuan Zhao & Xin Ding & Long Xin, 2022. "How the Pilot Low-Carbon City Policy Promotes Urban Green Innovation: Based on Temporal-Spatial Dual Perspectives," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-20, December.
    20. Zhou, Xiaoxiao & Jia, Mengyu & Wang, Lu & Sharma, Gagan Deep & Zhao, Xin & Ma, Xiaowei, 2022. "Modelling and simulation of a four-group evolutionary game model for green innovation stakeholders: Contextual evidence in lens of sustainable development," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 197(C), pages 500-517.

    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:eee:ecmode:v:124:y:2023:i:c:s0264999323001098. 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: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/inca/30411 .

    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.