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Political-economy based institutional industry complex and sustainable development: The case of the salt-chemical industry in Huai’an, China

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  • Wu, Qiyan
  • Zhang, Xiaoling
  • Shang, Zhengyong
  • Li, Zaijun

Abstract

This article explains how the salt-chemical industry may evolve over time from a high-energy consumption-based industry complex in the local community to a consolidated pro-growth pluralist regime at the urban scale. The salt-chemical industry is resisting to restructure to a sustainable, environmental-friendly economic system by spilling over in the form of pro-growth political-economic coalition in local society. Theories of the Logan and Molotch's growth machine, Stone's urban regime, together with the extension of Unruh's thesis concerning the characteristics of lock-in in the technological or institutional economics approach were used to propose an enlarged lock-in political-economic framework and pro-growth Institutional Industry Complex (IIC). It is further used to explain the consensus building of the pro-growth governance. A study of the Salt-chemical and New Material Industry Park in the Huai’an Metropolitan Area, China, serves as an illustrative case. The article also suggests that the path-dependence followed in constructing a pro-growth coalition could serve as a program to unlock the pro-growth Institutional Industry Complex of salt-chemical industry and foster the anti-coalition needed.

Suggested Citation

  • Wu, Qiyan & Zhang, Xiaoling & Shang, Zhengyong & Li, Zaijun, 2015. "Political-economy based institutional industry complex and sustainable development: The case of the salt-chemical industry in Huai’an, China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 39-47.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:87:y:2015:i:c:p:39-47
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2015.08.042
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    2. Lei Li & Chenzi Pan & Shuai Ling & Mingqi Li, 2022. "Ecological Efficiency of Urban Industrial Land in Metropolitan Areas: Evidence from China," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(1), pages 1-19, January.
    3. Zaijun Li & Xiang Zheng & Dongqi Sun, 2021. "The Influencing Effects of Industrial Eco-Efficiency on Carbon Emissions in the Yangtze River Delta," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-19, December.
    4. Wu, Qiyan & Zhang, Xiaoling & Liu, Chunhui & Chen, Zhou, 2018. "The de-industrialization, re-suburbanization and health risks of brownfield land reuse: Case study of a toxic soil event in Changzhou, China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 187-194.
    5. Wu, Qiyan & Zhang, Xiaoling & Sun, Jingwei & Ma, Zhifei & Zhou, Chen, 2016. "Locked post-fossil consumption of urban decentralized solar photovoltaic energy: A case study of an on-grid photovoltaic power supply community in Nanjing, China," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 1-11.
    6. Fan Zhang & Nengsheng Luo & Yanfei Li, 2023. "What Type of Energy Structure Improves Eco-Efficiency? A Study Based on Statistical Data of 285 Prefecture-Level Entities in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-26, June.

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