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The Threshold Effect of Knowledge Diversity on Urban Green Innovation Efficiency Using the Yangtze River Delta Region as an Example

Author

Listed:
  • Han Bao

    (Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China)

  • Tangwei Teng

    (Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China)

  • Xianzhong Cao

    (Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China)

  • Shengpeng Wang

    (Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China)

  • Senlin Hu

    (Center for Modern Chinese City Studies, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China)

Abstract

Green innovation in the Yangtze River Delta is closely related to higher-quality integrated development, and knowledge diversity is crucial to the realization of regional green technology innovation and development. This study measured the green innovation efficiency of cities in the Yangtze River Delta region from 2010 to 2018 utilizing the Super-SBM model based on undesired outputs. In addition, this study used patent data to investigate regional knowledge deversity, including related variety, and unrelated variety, and to examine the spatio-temporal characteristics of green innovation efficiency and the threshold effect of knowledge diversity. The results demonstrated that related variety was positively correlated with the efficiency of urban green innovation, which was in line with extant studies. Unrelated variety was accompanied by an increase in urban science and technology investment and expansion of urban scale, and the negative effect of knowledge unrelated variety was significantly weakened. This study deepened the understanding of the mechanism of action of diversity, which is conducive to the sustainable development goals as regards the formulation of policies related to green innovation and the development of various types of cities.

Suggested Citation

  • Han Bao & Tangwei Teng & Xianzhong Cao & Shengpeng Wang & Senlin Hu, 2022. "The Threshold Effect of Knowledge Diversity on Urban Green Innovation Efficiency Using the Yangtze River Delta Region as an Example," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(17), pages 1-18, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:17:p:10600-:d:897375
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Shanshan Gao & Wenqi Li & Jiayi Meng & Jianfeng Shi & Jianhua Zhu, 2023. "A Study on the Impact Mechanism of Digitalization on Corporate Green Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-21, April.

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