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How can export improve firms’ energy efficiency? The role of innovation investment

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  • He, Ling-Yun
  • Huang, Geng

Abstract

With the continuous development of the global economy, global energy resources have been severely consumed in the past few decades. Under this situation, can trade play a positive role in optimizing the allocation of resources and help to solve the global energy problem? This topic is extremely important for promoting the sustainable development of global economy. However, up to now, little is known about the relationship between trade and energy consumption in production. This paper establishes a trade model at the firm-level to analyze the impacts of export on firms’ energy efficiency in production. Our model shows that export can lead to the increase of firms’ energy efficiency. We also propose a novel mechanism of innovation investment to explain why export affects firms’ environmental performance. Export can stimulate firms to invest more in innovation, and thereby improving firms’ energy efficiency, which implies that trade liberalization is beneficial to the improvement of firms’ environmental performance. These findings in our theoretical model can be applied to different industries and different countries. Altogether, this paper is the first theoretical analysis to study the impacts of export on firms’ energy efficiency, having important policy implications on promoting sustainable development of the global economy.

Suggested Citation

  • He, Ling-Yun & Huang, Geng, 2021. "How can export improve firms’ energy efficiency? The role of innovation investment," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 90-97.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:streco:v:59:y:2021:i:c:p:90-97
    DOI: 10.1016/j.strueco.2021.08.017
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    Cited by:

    1. Huang, Geng & Lin, Xi & He, Ling-Yun, 2023. "Good for the environment? Foreign investment opening in service sector and firm's energy efficiency," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 127(PA).
    2. Yubo Zhao & Shijing Zhu & Wei Kong & Liang Ren, 2023. "Global Value Chain Position and Corporate Environmental Performance: A Comparison of Domestic and Foreign Perspectives in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-23, May.
    3. Mandasari, Putriesti & Luckstead, Jeff, 2023. "Examining the nexus between exporting status and CO2 productivity in Indonesian agro-based manufacturing," 2023 Annual Meeting, July 23-25, Washington D.C. 336003, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Zhang, Caiqing & Chen, Panyu, 2022. "Applying the three-stage SBM-DEA model to evaluate energy efficiency and impact factors in RCEP countries," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    5. Doğan, Buhari & Ghosh, Sudeshna & Hoang, Dung Phuong & Chu, Lan Khanh, 2022. "Are economic complexity and eco-innovation mutually exclusive to control energy demand and environmental quality in E7 and G7 countries?," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    6. He, Ling-Yun & Huang, Geng, 2023. "Can importing improve the energy efficiency? Theory and evidence from Chinese industrial firms," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 451-469.
    7. Shao, Jun & Wang, Lianghu, 2023. "Can new-type urbanization improve the green total factor energy efficiency? Evidence from China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PB).
    8. Yu Xiang & Jing Zheng & Xunhua Tu, 2022. "The Impact of Intermediate Goods Imports on Energy Efficiency: Empirical Evidence from Chinese Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-23, October.
    9. Zhao, Nan & Liu, Xiaojie & Zhang, Zizhe, 2022. "Does competition from the informal sector affect firms’ energy intensity? Evidence from China," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 130-142.
    10. Zhao, Yueyang & Mao, Jinzhou, 2022. "Energy effects of non-energy policies: Minimum wage standard and enterprise energy efficiency in China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    11. Huang, Geng & He, Ling-Yun & Lin, Xi, 2023. "Deterioration or improvement? Intermediate product import and enterprises' environmental performance," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 139-150.
    12. Xiekui Zhang & Baocheng Yu, 2023. "The Impact of Ownership Structure on Technological Innovation and Energy Intensity: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-18, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Export; Energy efficiency; Innovation investment; Trade liberalization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • F18 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Environment
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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