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Political Uncertainty and Innovation in China

Author

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  • Feng, Xunan

    (Southwestern University of Finance and Economics)

  • Johansson, Anders C.

    (Stockholm China Economic Research Institute)

Abstract

We hypothesize that political uncertainty has an adverse effect on investments in activities related to innovation. Combining two hand-collected data sets on changes in local government officials and research and development (R&D) activity at the firm level in China, we examine how political turnover influences investments in R&D. We find that a change in local political leaders is associated with a significant decrease in R&D activity. This result is robust to various robustness tests. The decrease is larger when the new political leader is promoted from outside the city in question. Moreover, the decrease is significantly larger for privately controlled firms, firms operating in regions characterized by weak economic institutions, and firms within R&D-intensive industries. Our findings suggest that political uncertainty constitutes an important channel through which the local political process influences activities related to innovation.

Suggested Citation

  • Feng, Xunan & Johansson, Anders C., 2017. "Political Uncertainty and Innovation in China," Stockholm School of Economics Asia Working Paper Series 2017-44, Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm China Economic Research Institute.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:hascer:2017-044
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Wei-Fong Pan, 2019. "Geopolitical Risk and R&D investment," Economics Discussion Papers em-dp2019-11, Department of Economics, University of Reading.
    2. Chen, Yinghui, 2021. "Does political turnover stifle or stimulate corporate innovation?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 1126-1145.
    3. Ling Huang & Haiyue Liu & Jack Hou & Fulong Xiao, 2022. "Long‐term financing effects of Chinese non‐SOEs Belt and Road OFDI," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(S1), pages 1819-1850, April.
    4. Cornelia Storz & Tobias ten Brink & Na Zou, 2022. "Innovation in emerging economies: How do university-industry linkages and public procurement matter for small businesses?," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 39(4), pages 1439-1480, December.
    5. Xing Shi & Ya Zhang & Yanrui Wu & Huaqing Wu, 2023. "Political Turnover and Firm Innovation in China: The Moderating Role of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Environment," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 23-08, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    6. Chen, Sophia & Ratnovski, Lev & Tsai, Pi-Han, 2019. "Credit and fiscal multipliers in China," BOFIT Discussion Papers 5/2019, Bank of Finland Institute for Emerging Economies (BOFIT).
    7. Mr. Lev Ratnovski & Sophia Chen & Pi-Han Tsai, 2017. "Credit and Fiscal Multipliers in China," IMF Working Papers 2017/273, International Monetary Fund.
    8. Jiang, Xiandeng & Kong, Dongming & Xiao, Chengrui, 2020. "Policy certainty and heterogeneous firm innovation: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    9. Lin, Yongjia & Fu, Xiaoqing & Fu, Xiaolan, 2021. "Varieties in state capitalism and corporate innovation: Evidence from an emerging economy," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    10. Cao, Yang & Chen, Yinghui & Zhang, Yuhe, 2022. "Political uncertainty, innovation-driven strategy, and corporate R&D," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    11. Andrea De Meo & Lorenzo Ferrari, 2018. "Political Turnover and the Performance of Local Public Enterprises," CEIS Research Paper 438, Tor Vergata University, CEIS, revised 08 Aug 2018.
    12. repec:zbw:bofitp:2019_005 is not listed on IDEAS

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Innovation; R&D expenditures; Political turnover; Political uncertainty; Local officials; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G18 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • G32 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Financing Policy; Financial Risk and Risk Management; Capital and Ownership Structure; Value of Firms; Goodwill
    • G38 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - Government Policy and Regulation
    • O30 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - General
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O32 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Management of Technological Innovation and R&D

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