IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/asieco/v88y2023ics1049007823000714.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Political turnover and firm innovation in China: The moderating role of innovation and entrepreneurship environment

Author

Listed:
  • Shi, Xing
  • Zhang, Ya
  • Wu, Yanrui
  • Wu, Huaqing

Abstract

The empirical work in this paper is based on an analysis of the data of China's listed companies, the innovation and entrepreneurship index, and local official turnover data at the city level. It shows that policy uncertainty caused by local political turnover in local governments significantly reduces firm innovation. However, improvement in local innovation and entrepreneurship environment can lessen this negative impact. This moderating effect is especially relevant among non-high-tech or financially constrained firms. The robustness of these findings is checked through a series of alternative analyses such as dealing with endogeneity, optional measures of the dependent variable and subsamples.

Suggested Citation

  • Shi, Xing & Zhang, Ya & Wu, Yanrui & Wu, Huaqing, 2023. "Political turnover and firm innovation in China: The moderating role of innovation and entrepreneurship environment," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:asieco:v:88:y:2023:i:c:s1049007823000714
    DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2023.101651
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1049007823000714
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.asieco.2023.101651?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. Chen, Kaihua & Guan, Jiancheng, 2011. "Mapping the functionality of China's regional innovation systems: A structural approach," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 11-27, March.
    2. Bhattacharya, Utpal & Hsu, Po-Hsuan & Tian, Xuan & Xu, Yan, 2017. "What Affects Innovation More: Policy or Policy Uncertainty?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 52(5), pages 1869-1901, October.
    3. Ansgar Belke & Irina Dubova & Thomas Osowski, 2018. "Policy uncertainty and international financial markets: the case of Brexit," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(34-35), pages 3752-3770, July.
    4. Fagerberg, Jan, 2018. "Mobilizing innovation for sustainability transitions: A comment on transformative innovation policy," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(9), pages 1568-1576.
    5. Pei-Fen Chen & Chien-Chiang Lee & Jhih-Hong Zeng, 2019. "Economic policy uncertainty and firm investment: evidence from the U.S. market," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(31), pages 3423-3435, July.
    6. 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.
    7. Hirschey, Mark & Skiba, Hilla & Wintoki, M. Babajide, 2012. "The size, concentration and evolution of corporate R&D spending in U.S. firms from 1976 to 2010: Evidence and implications," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 496-518.
    8. Lin William Cong & Sabrina T. Howell, 2021. "Policy Uncertainty and Innovation: Evidence from Initial Public Offering Interventions in China," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(11), pages 7238-7261, November.
    9. Guariglia, Alessandra & Liu, Pei, 2014. "To what extent do financing constraints affect Chinese firms' innovation activities?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 223-240.
    10. Shi, Xing & Wu, Yanrui, 2017. "The effect of internal and external factors on innovative behaviour of Chinese manufacturing firms," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 46(S), pages 50-64.
    11. Lubos Pástor & Pietro Veronesi, 2012. "Uncertainty about Government Policy and Stock Prices," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 67(4), pages 1219-1264, August.
    12. Dang, Dandan & Fang, Hongsheng & He, Minyuan, 2019. "Economic policy uncertainty, tax quotas and corporate tax burden: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 1-1.
    13. William, Mbanyele & Fengrong, Wang, 2022. "Economic policy uncertainty and industry innovation: Cross country evidence," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 208-228.
    14. Hanming Fang & Zhe Li & Nianhang Xu & Hongjun Yan, 2023. "Firms and Local Governments: Relationship Building during Political Turnovers," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 27(2), pages 739-762.
    15. An, Heng & Chen, Yanyan & Luo, Danglun & Zhang, Ting, 2016. "Political uncertainty and corporate investment: Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 174-189.
    16. Meghana Ayyagari & Asli Demirgüç-Kunt & Vojislav Maksimovic, 2008. "How Important Are Financing Constraints? The Role of Finance in the Business Environment," The World Bank Economic Review, World Bank, vol. 22(3), pages 483-516, November.
    17. Liu, Xiaohui & Buck, Trevor, 2007. "Innovation performance and channels for international technology spillovers: Evidence from Chinese high-tech industries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 355-366, April.
    18. Chen, Yinghui, 2021. "Does political turnover stifle or stimulate corporate innovation?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C), pages 1126-1145.
    19. Ben S. Bernanke, 1983. "Irreversibility, Uncertainty, and Cyclical Investment," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 98(1), pages 85-106.
    20. Demirguc-Kunt, Asli & Love, Inessa & Maksimovic, Vojislav, 2006. "Business environment and the incorporation decision," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 30(11), pages 2967-2993, November.
    21. David Urbano & David Audretsch & Sebastian Aparicio & Maria Noguera, 2020. "Does entrepreneurial activity matter for economic growth in developing countries? The role of the institutional environment," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 1065-1099, September.
    22. Cui, Xin & Wang, Chunfeng & Sensoy, Ahmet & Liao, Jing & Xie, Xiaochen, 2023. "Economic policy uncertainty and green innovation: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    23. José Antonio Alonso & Carlos Garcimartín, 2013. "The Determinants Of Institutional Quality. More On The Debate," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(2), pages 206-226, March.
    24. Chong, Terence Tai-Leung & Lu, Liping & Ongena, Steven, 2013. "Does banking competition alleviate or worsen credit constraints faced by small- and medium-sized enterprises? Evidence from China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(9), pages 3412-3424.
    25. Pástor, Ľuboš & Veronesi, Pietro, 2013. "Political uncertainty and risk premia," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 110(3), pages 520-545.
    26. Deng, Yuping & Wu, Yanrui & Xu, Helian, 2019. "Political turnover and firm pollution discharges: An empirical study," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    27. Timothy G. Conley & Christian B. Hansen & Peter E. Rossi, 2012. "Plausibly Exogenous," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 94(1), pages 260-272, February.
    28. Berkowitz, Daniel & Caner, Mehmet & Fang, Ying, 2012. "The validity of instruments revisited," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 166(2), pages 255-266.
    29. Feng, Gen-Fu & Zheng, Mingbo, 2022. "Economic policy uncertainty and renewable energy innovation: International evidence," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 1(2).
    30. Contractor, Farok J. & Dangol, Ramesh & Nuruzzaman, N. & Raghunath, S., 2020. "How do country regulations and business environment impact foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(2).
    31. Tian, Jing & Li, Haiwei & You, Pin, 2022. "Economic policy uncertainty, bank loan, and corporate innovation," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    32. Klaus E. Meyer & Saul Estrin & Sumon Kumar Bhaumik & Mike W. Peng, 2009. "Institutions, resources, and entry strategies in emerging economies," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(1), pages 61-80, January.
    33. Lei Cheng & Zhen Lei, 2015. "Does the expansion of Chinese state-owned enterprises affect the innovative behavior of private enterprises?," Asia-Pacific Journal of Accounting & Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 22(1), pages 24-54, March.
    34. Drobetz, Wolfgang & El Ghoul, Sadok & Guedhami, Omrane & Janzen, Malte, 2018. "Policy uncertainty, investment, and the cost of capital," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 28-45.
    35. Wang, Nannan & Cui, Dengfeng & Dong, Yin, 2023. "Study on the impact of business environment on private enterprises' technological innovation from the perspective of transaction cost," Innovation and Green Development, Elsevier, vol. 2(1).
    36. Julio, Brandon & Yook, Youngsuk, 2016. "Policy uncertainty, irreversibility, and cross-border flows of capital," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 13-26.
    37. Teimuraz Gogokhia & George Berulava, 2021. "Business environment reforms, innovation and firm productivity in transition economies," Eurasian Business Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 11(2), pages 221-245, June.
    38. Li, Xibao, 2009. "China's regional innovation capacity in transition: An empirical approach," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 38(2), pages 338-357, March.
    39. Phan, Hieu V. & Nguyen, Nam H. & Nguyen, Hien T. & Hegde, Shantaram, 2019. "Policy uncertainty and firm cash holdings," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 71-82.
    40. Cumming, Douglas & Rui, Oliver & Wu, Yiping, 2016. "Political instability, access to private debt, and innovation investment in China," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 68-81.
    41. Cao, Jerry & Julio, Brandon & Leng, Tiecheng & Zhou, Sili, 2016. "Political Turnover, Ownership, and Corporate Investment," RIEI Working Papers 2016-06, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Research Institute for Economic Integration.
    42. Maria Minniti, 2008. "The Role of Government Policy on Entrepreneurial Activity: Productive, Unproductive, or Destructive?," Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, , vol. 32(5), pages 779-790, September.
    43. M. Teresa Fernández Fernández & Francisco J. Blanco Jiménez & Juan R. Cuadrado Roura, 2015. "Business incubation: innovative services in an entrepreneurship ecosystem," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(14), pages 783-800, October.
    44. Cheng, Lei & Cheng, Hong & Zhuang, Ziyin, 2019. "Political connections, corporate innovation and entrepreneurship: Evidence from the China Employer-Employee Survey (CEES)," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 286-305.
    45. Charles J. Hadlock & Joshua R. Pierce, 2010. "New Evidence on Measuring Financial Constraints: Moving Beyond the KZ Index," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(5), pages 1909-1940.
    46. Sergio Correia & Paulo Guimarães & Tom Zylkin, 2020. "Fast Poisson estimation with high-dimensional fixed effects," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 20(1), pages 95-115, March.
    47. Yinghua Ren & Qing Guo & Huiming Zhu & Wanming Ying, 2020. "The effects of economic policy uncertainty on China’s economy: evidence from time-varying parameter FAVAR," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(29), pages 3167-3185, June.
    48. Weijie Luo & Xiaoming Zhang, 2022. "Political turnover and corporate research and development: evidence from China," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(7), pages 573-578, April.
    49. Su, Zhong-qin & Xiao, Zuoping & Yu, Lin, 2019. "Do political connections enhance or impede corporate innovation?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 94-110.
    50. Weiguo Zhong & Ya Lin & Danxue Gao & Haibin Yang, 2019. "Does politician turnover affect foreign subsidiary performance? Evidence in China," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 50(7), pages 1184-1212, September.
    51. Jonathan Brogaard & Andrew Detzel, 2015. "The Asset-Pricing Implications of Government Economic Policy Uncertainty," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 61(1), pages 3-18, January.
    52. Jiang, Xiandeng & Kong, Dongming & Xiao, Chengrui, 2020. "Policy certainty and heterogeneous firm innovation: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    53. Huseyin Gulen & Mihai Ion, 2016. "Editor's Choice Policy Uncertainty and Corporate Investment," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 29(3), pages 523-564.
    54. Pertuze, Julio A. & Reyes, Tomas & Vassolo, Roberto S. & Olivares, Nicolas, 2019. "Political uncertainty and innovation: The relative effects of national leaders’ education levels and regime systems on firm-level patent applications," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
    55. Xu, Zhaoxia, 2020. "Economic policy uncertainty, cost of capital, and corporate innovation," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    56. Furman, Jeffrey L. & Porter, Michael E. & Stern, Scott, 2002. "The determinants of national innovative capacity," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 31(6), pages 899-933, August.
    57. Kong, Qunxi & Li, Rongrong & Wang, Ziqi & Peng, Dan, 2022. "Economic policy uncertainty and firm investment decisions: Dilemma or opportunity?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    58. Tao Huang & Fei Wu & Jin Yu & Bohui Zhang, 2015. "Political risk and dividend policy: Evidence from international political crises," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 46(5), pages 574-595, June.
    59. Igor N. Dubina & David F. J. Campbell & Elias G. Carayannis & Anna A. Chub & Evangelos Grigoroudis & Olga V. Kozhevina, 2017. "The Balanced Development of the Spatial Innovation and Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Based on Principles of the Systems Compromise: A Conceptual Framework," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 8(2), pages 438-455, June.
    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. 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.
    2. Fengxiu Zhou & Chien-Chiang Lee, 2023. "Political uncertainty and innovation of export enterprises: international evidence for developing countries," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(6), pages 4371-4400, December.
    3. Ma, Huanyu & Hao, Dapeng, 2022. "Economic policy uncertainty, financial development, and financial constraints: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 368-386.
    4. Ahmad, Muhammad Farooq & Aziz, Saqib & El-Khatib, Rwan & Kowalewski, Oskar, 2023. "Firm-level political risk and dividend payout," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    5. Afzali, Mansoor & Ҫolak, Gönül & Fu, Mengchuan, 2021. "Economic uncertainty and corruption: Evidence from public and private firms," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    6. Theodora Bermpei & Antonios Nikolaos Kalyvas & Lorenzo Neri & Antonella Russo, 2022. "Does economic policy uncertainty matter for financial reporting quality? Evidence from the United States," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 795-845, February.
    7. Mario Daniele Amore & Margherita Corina, 2021. "Political elections and corporate investment: International evidence," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(9), pages 1775-1796, December.
    8. 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).
    9. Tian, Jing & Li, Haiwei & You, Pin, 2022. "Economic policy uncertainty, bank loan, and corporate innovation," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    10. Shehub Bin Hasan & Md Samsul Alam & Sudharshan Reddy Paramati & Md Shahidul Islam, 2022. "Does firm-level political risk affect cash holdings?," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 59(1), pages 311-337, July.
    11. Frank Obenpong Kwabi & Samuel Owusu-Manu & Agyenim Boateng & Ernest-Bruno Ezeani & Min Du, 2022. "Economic policy uncertainty and cost of capital: the mediating effects of foreign equity portfolio flow," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 457-481, August.
    12. Caixe, Daniel Ferreira, 2022. "Corporate governance and investment sensitivity to policy uncertainty in Brazil," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(PB).
    13. Cui, Xin & Wang, Chunfeng & Liao, Jing & Fang, Zhenming & Cheng, Feiyang, 2021. "Economic policy uncertainty exposure and corporate innovation investment: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    14. Paudyal, Krishna & Thapa, Chandra & Koirala, Santosh & Aldhawyan, Sulaiman, 2021. "Economic policy uncertainty and cross-border mergers and acquisitions," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    15. Fedorova, Elena & Ledyaeva, Svetlana & Drogovoz, Pavel & Nevredinov, Alexandr, 2022. "Economic policy uncertainty and bankruptcy filings," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    16. Xu, Zhaoxia, 2020. "Economic policy uncertainty, cost of capital, and corporate innovation," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    17. Li, Xiao, 2020. "The impact of economic policy uncertainty on insider trades: A cross-country analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 41-57.
    18. Vo, Hong & Nguyen, Tien & Truong, Hang, 2023. "Economic policy uncertainty and corporate investment: An empirical comparison of Korean chaebol and non-chaebol firms," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    19. Lou, Zhukun & Chen, Siyu & Yin, Wenwei & Zhang, Chuan & Yu, Xiaoyu, 2022. "Economic policy uncertainty and firm innovation: Evidence from a risk-taking perspective," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 78-96.
    20. Xiangyuan Meng & Haoge Guo & Jie Li, 2023. "Economic policy uncertainty and corporate investment: evidence from China," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(6), pages 4491-4529, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Political turnover; Policy uncertainty; Innovation and entrepreneurship environment; Firm innovation; China;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:asieco:v:88:y:2023:i:c:s1049007823000714. 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/asieco .

    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.