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High-technology employment growth in China: geographic disparities in economic structure and sectoral performance

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  • Qiang Li

    (University of Seoul)

  • Jason F. Kovacs

    (University of Seoul)

  • Geun Hee Choi

    (University of Seoul)

Abstract

This paper examines the geography of high-technology industry growth in China through the shift-share analysis of relevant employment data from 2004 to 2014. To overcome the shortcomings identified in previous shift-share-based research, a new modified analytical technique was employed. The results unexpectedly show that China’s four metropolitan areas with special administrative status (Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chongqing) no longer play a leading role in driving high-tech employment growth. Moreover, the more sparsely populated regions of Xinjiang, Tibet, Ningxia, Inner Mongolia, and Hainan show the most favorable high-tech employment growth. Despite possessing an incomplete array of major industrial sectors, these provincial areas and autonomous regions are specializing in fast-growing industrial sectors, consequently yielding more significant high-tech employment growth. Thus, according to our results, specialization favors high-tech employment growth. Among other findings that diverge with earlier research on China and with contemporary assumptions about the metropolitan location of most high-tech growth, our research identifies a number of regional growth corridors tied to specific high-tech sectors as well as an inverse geographic trend in which high-tech employment growth decreases from the far less urbanized western regions to the more urbanized east. This paper concludes with several policy recommendations and suggested areas for future research.

Suggested Citation

  • Qiang Li & Jason F. Kovacs & Geun Hee Choi, 2021. "High-technology employment growth in China: geographic disparities in economic structure and sectoral performance," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 54(4), pages 1025-1064, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:ecopln:v:54:y:2021:i:4:d:10.1007_s10644-020-09293-6
    DOI: 10.1007/s10644-020-09293-6
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