IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/tefoso/v208y2024ics0040162524004657.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Influence of dialect diversity on level of urban innovation—Empirical evidence based on 276 cities in China

Author

Listed:
  • LUO, Jiahui
  • TAN, Zhixiong

Abstract

Diversity is influential and integral in innovation and economic growth. Despite the extensive research on the relationship between diversity and innovation, little attention has been paid to dialect diversity. The paper fills the research gap by investigating the impact and mechanism of dialect diversity on urban innovation in China. Also, this paper confirms the potential role of language as a non-institutional factor in urban innovation. Based on data from 276 prefecture-level cities in China, we find that dialect diversity impedes urban innovation. Moreover, in mechanism, it is not the communication barriers, but rather the identity from dialectal diversity that reduces regional trust to constrain urban innovation. Finally, we find that the negative impact of dialect diversity on urban innovation is continuous and more pronounced in eastern and southern cities. The conclusions not only enrich the theoretical research on innovation but also provide insights on how to promote language diversity governance and urban innovation for China and other countries.

Suggested Citation

  • LUO, Jiahui & TAN, Zhixiong, 2024. "Influence of dialect diversity on level of urban innovation—Empirical evidence based on 276 cities in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:208:y:2024:i:c:s0040162524004657
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123667
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0040162524004657
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123667?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. Zhu, Junbing & Grigoriadis, Theocharis N., 2022. "Chinese dialects, culture & economic performance," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    2. Zheng, Xiaolan & El Ghoul, Sadok & Guedhami, Omrane & Kwok, Chuck C.Y., 2012. "National culture and corporate debt maturity," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 36(2), pages 468-488.
    3. Ziye Li & Yi Ge Zhang & Mark Torres & Benjamin J. W. Mills, 2023. "Neogene burial of organic carbon in the global ocean," Nature, Nature, vol. 613(7942), pages 90-95, January.
    4. Wei, Yueling & Kang, Di & Wang, Yizhong, 2019. "Geography, culture, and corporate innovation," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 310-329.
    5. Alberto Alesina & Johann Harnoss & Hillel Rapoport, 2016. "Birthplace diversity and economic prosperity," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 21(2), pages 101-138, June.
    6. Ming-Chang Tsai & Leslie Laczko & Christian Bjørnskov, 2011. "Social Diversity, Institutions and Trust: A Cross-National Analysis," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 101(3), pages 305-322, May.
    7. Stelios Michalopoulos & Elias Papaioannou, 2016. "The Long-Run Effects of the Scramble for Africa," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(7), pages 1802-1848, July.
    8. Marcus Berliant & Masahisa Fujita, 2008. "Knowledge Creation As A Square Dance On The Hilbert Cube," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 49(4), pages 1251-1295, November.
    9. Yue Lu & Siying Yang & Jian Li, 2022. "The influence of high-speed rails on urban innovation and the underlying mechanism," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 17(3), pages 1-20, March.
    10. Max Nathan & Neil Lee, 2013. "Cultural Diversity, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship: Firm-level Evidence from London," Economic Geography, Clark University, vol. 89(4), pages 367-394, October.
    11. ., 2023. "Financialisation, neoliberalism and globalisation," Chapters, in: Financialisation, chapter 6, pages 122-142, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    12. Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose & Min Zhang, 2019. "Government institutions and the dynamics of urban growth in China," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 59(4), pages 633-668, September.
    13. Falck, Oliver & Heblich, Stephan & Lameli, Alfred & Südekum, Jens, 2012. "Dialects, cultural identity, and economic exchange," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 72(2), pages 225-239.
    14. Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés & Zhang, Min, 2020. "The cost of weak institutions for innovation in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    15. Xiong, Jiacai & Yang, Zelin & Wang, Xin & Chan, Kam C., 2023. "Does dialect diversity affect entrepreneurial activities? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    16. La Porta, Rafael, et al, 1997. "Trust in Large Organizations," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 87(2), pages 333-338, May.
    17. Ning, Lutao & Wang, Fan & Li, Jian, 2016. "Urban innovation, regional externalities of foreign direct investment and industrial agglomeration: Evidence from Chinese cities," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(4), pages 830-843.
    18. Ahmad Sahide & Muhlis & Misran & Ali Muhammad, 2023. "Global Media Framing Russian Invasion of Ukraine," Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, Richtmann Publishing Ltd, vol. 12, July.
    19. Camaren Peter, 2021. "Social Innovation for Sustainable Urban Developmental Transitions in Sub-Saharan Africa: Leveraging Economic Ecosystems and the Entrepreneurial State," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(13), pages 1-19, June.
    20. Natalie Brown & Geneviève K. R. Williams & Anna Stodter & Melitta A. McNarry & Olga Roldan-Reoyo & Kelly A. Mackintosh & Isabel S. Moore & Elisabeth M. P. Williams, 2023. "A Global Women’s Rugby Union Web-Based Survey," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(8), pages 1-7, April.
    21. Bart Verspagen & Marjolein C.J. Cani, ls, 2001. "Barriers to knowledge spillovers and regional convergence in an evolutionary model," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 11(3), pages 307-329.
    22. Luigi Guiso & Paola Sapienza & Luigi Zingales, 2009. "Cultural Biases in Economic Exchange?," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 124(3), pages 1095-1131.
    23. Bruce Kogut & Harbir Singh, 1988. "The Effect of National Culture on the Choice of Entry Mode," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 19(3), pages 411-432, September.
    24. Rosina Moreno & Raffaele Paci & Stefano Usai, 2005. "Spatial Spillovers and Innovation Activity in European Regions," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 37(10), pages 1793-1812, October.
    25. ., 2023. "Global trends in consumer behavior," Chapters, in: Cross-Cultural Consumer Behavior, chapter 5, pages 54-67, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    26. Charles Dhanaraj & Marjorie A Lyles & H Kevin Steensma & Laszlo Tihanyi, 2004. "Managing tacit and explicit knowledge transfer in IJVs: the role of relational embeddedness and the impact on performance," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 35(5), pages 428-442, September.
    27. K. J. Arrow, 1971. "The Economic Implications of Learning by Doing," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: F. H. Hahn (ed.), Readings in the Theory of Growth, chapter 11, pages 131-149, Palgrave Macmillan.
    28. M. Keith Chen, 2013. "The Effect of Language on Economic Behavior: Evidence from Savings Rates, Health Behaviors, and Retirement Assets," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(2), pages 690-731, April.
    29. ., 2023. "Enhancing global integration," Chapters, in: The Global Challenge, chapter 3, pages 71-105, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    30. Melitz, Jacques, 2008. "Language and foreign trade," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(4), pages 667-699, May.
    31. ., 2023. "Globalization and the desire for authoritarianism," Chapters, in: Authoritarian Capitalism in the Age of Globalization, chapter 3, pages 27-40, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    32. Ferreira, Thiago R.T. & Shousha, Samer, 2023. "Determinants of global neutral interest rates," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    33. James H. Stock & Mark W. Watson, 1989. "New Indexes of Coincident and Leading Economic Indicators," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 1989, Volume 4, pages 351-409, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    34. Stephan Brunow & Hanna Brenzel, 2012. "The effect of a culturally diverse labour supply on regional income in the EU," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 39(4), pages 461-485, November.
    35. Peter H. Egger & Andrea Lassmann, 2015. "The Causal Impact of Common Native Language on International Trade: Evidence from a Spatial Regression Discontinuity Design," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 0(584), pages 699-745, May.
    36. ., 2023. "Introduction to The Global Challenge," Chapters, in: The Global Challenge, chapter 1, pages 1-36, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    37. Max Nathan, 2015. "Same difference? Minority ethnic inventors, diversity and innovation in the UK," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 15(1), pages 129-168.
    38. ., 2023. "Financial globalization since the 1970s," Chapters, in: Financial Crises and Recession in the Global Economy, chapter 1, pages 1-34, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    39. Ruan, Jianqing & Xie, Zhuan & Zhang, Xiaobo, 2015. "Does rice farming shape individualism and innovation?," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 51-58.
    40. lv, Kangjuan & Pan, Minjie & Huang, Li & Song, Daqiang & Qian, Xinlei, 2023. "Can intellectual property rights protection reduce air pollution? A quasi-natural experiment from China," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 210-222.
    41. Audretsch, David B & Feldman, Maryann P, 1996. "R&D Spillovers and the Geography of Innovation and Production," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 86(3), pages 630-640, June.
    42. Nathan Nunn & Leonard Wantchekon, 2011. "The Slave Trade and the Origins of Mistrust in Africa," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(7), pages 3221-3252, December.
    43. Xingqiang Du, 2019. "Does CEO-Auditor Dialect Sharing Impair Pre-IPO Audit Quality? Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 156(3), pages 699-735, May.
    44. Giovanni Peri, 2005. "Determinants of Knowledge Flows and Their Effect on Innovation," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 87(2), pages 308-322, May.
    45. Chen, Yangyang & Podolski, Edward J. & Veeraraghavan, Madhu, 2017. "National culture and corporate innovation," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 173-187.
    46. ., 2023. "Development indicators at the global level," Chapters, in: Macroeconomics for Development, chapter 2, pages 15-29, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    47. Alexandre K. Magnan & Robert Bell & Virginie K. E. Duvat & James D. Ford & Matthias Garschagen & Marjolijn Haasnoot & Carmen Lacambra & Inigo J. Losada & Katharine J. Mach & Mélinda Noblet & Devanatha, 2023. "Status of global coastal adaptation," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 13(11), pages 1213-1221, November.
    48. Komikado, Hiroshi & Morikawa, So & Bhatt, Ayushman & Kato, Hironori, 2021. "High-speed rail, inter-regional accessibility, and regional innovation: Evidence from Japan," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    49. Kleer, Robin, 2010. "Government R&D subsidies as a signal for private investors," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(10), pages 1361-1374, December.
    50. Sam Youl Lee & Richard Florida & Gary Gates, 2010. "Innovation, Human Capital, and Creativity," International Review of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 14(3), pages 13-24, January.
    51. Catão, Luis A. V. & de Faria, Pedro & Martins, António & Portela, Miguel, 2023. "Globalization and Firm Performance," IZA Discussion Papers 15903, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    52. repec:hal:pseose:hal-01304131 is not listed on IDEAS
    53. Lim, Up, 2003. "The Spatial Distribution of Innovative Activity in U.S. Metropolitan Areas: Evidence from Patent Data," Journal of Regional Analysis and Policy, Mid-Continent Regional Science Association, vol. 33(2), pages 1-30.
    54. repec:rre:publsh:v:33:y:2003:i:1:p:73-84 is not listed on IDEAS
    55. Joan Freixanet & Alex Rialp & Iya Churakova, 2020. "How do innovation, internationalization, and organizational learning interact and co-evolve in small firms? a complex systems approach," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(5), pages 1030-1063, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Songtao Geng & Danyang Li, 2024. "The Impact of Host–Guest Interactions Among Young People on Cultural Sustainability: A Case Study of Dialects," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(23), pages 1-24, December.

    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. Sommer, Pia & Lakner, Sebastian & Nordt, Anke & Tanneberger, Franziska & Wegmann, Johannes, 2024. "Deriving a justified budget for peatland rewetting – Applying the German coal phase-out as a blueprint," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    2. Khan, Shah Khalid & Shiwakoti, Nirajan & Stasinopoulos, Peter & Chen, Yilun & Warren, Matthew, 2024. "The impact of perceived cyber-risks on automated vehicle acceptance: Insights from a survey of participants from the United States, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and Australia," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 87-101.
    3. Hu, Huiting & Yu, Gangning & Xiong, Xueli & Guo, Lijia & Huang, Jiashun, 2022. "Cultural Diversity and Innovation: An Empirical Study from Dialect," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    4. Xiong, Jiacai & Yang, Zelin & Wang, Xin & Chan, Kam C., 2023. "Does dialect diversity affect entrepreneurial activities? Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    5. Brixy, Udo & Brunow, Stephan & D'Ambrosio, Anna, 2020. "The unlikely encounter: Is ethnic diversity in start-ups associated with innovation?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(4).
    6. Chang'an Wang & Junqian Wu & Jianqing Ruan & Xiaoqian Liu, 2022. "Language differences, cultural identity, and innovation," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 53(4), pages 1716-1736, December.
    7. Pierpaolo Parrotta & Dario Pozzoli & Mariola Pytlikova, 2014. "The nexus between labor diversity and firm’s innovation," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 27(2), pages 303-364, April.
    8. Ernest Miguélez & Rosina Moreno, 2013. "Do Labour Mobility and Technological Collaborations Foster Geographical Knowledge Diffusion? The Case of European Regions," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 44(2), pages 321-354, June.
    9. Arthur Blouin & Julian Dyer, 2021. "How Cultures Converge: An Empirical Investigation of Trade and Linguistic Exchange," Working Papers tecipa-691, University of Toronto, Department of Economics.
    10. Leonardo M. Klüppel & Lamar Pierce & Jason A. Snyder, 2018. "Perspective—The Deep Historical Roots of Organization and Strategy: Traumatic Shocks, Culture, and Institutions," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 29(4), pages 702-721, August.
    11. Visser, Robin, 2019. "The effect of the internet on the margins of trade," Information Economics and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 41-54.
    12. Melitz, Jacques & Toubal, Farid, 2014. "Native language, spoken language, translation and trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 351-363.
    13. Ellahie, Atif & Tahoun, Ahmed & Tuna, İrem, 2017. "Do common inherited beliefs and values influence CEO pay?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(2), pages 346-367.
    14. Na Yan & Shanlang Lin & Jieping Chen & Youshuai Sun, 2023. "The Power of Culture: Does Diversity Affect the Breakthrough of the Hu Line in China?," SAGE Open, , vol. 13(3), pages 21582440231, September.
    15. Ceren Ozgen, 2021. "The economics of diversity: Innovation, productivity and the labour market," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 35(4), pages 1168-1216, September.
    16. Miguelez, Ernest & Noumedem Temgoua, Claudia, 2020. "Inventor migration and knowledge flows: A two-way communication channel?," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(9).
    17. Yang, Na & Zhang, Yuan & Yu, Lu & Wang, Jue & Liu, Xiaming, 2022. "Cross-border mergers and acquisitions, regional cultural diversity and acquirers’ corporate social responsibility: Evidence from China listed companies," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 565-578.
    18. Ernest Miguele & Rosina Moreno, 2012. "Do labour mobility and networks foster geographical knowledge diffusion? The case of European regions," Working Papers XREAP2012-14, Xarxa de Referència en Economia Aplicada (XREAP), revised Jul 2012.
    19. Firat Demir & Hyeonjin Im, 2020. "Effects of cultural institutes on bilateral trade and FDI flows: Cultural diplomacy or economic altruism?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 43(9), pages 2463-2489, September.
    20. Rosina Moreno & Ernest Miguélez, 2012. "A Relational Approach To The Geography Of Innovation: A Typology Of Regions," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(3), pages 492-516, July.

    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:tefoso:v:208:y:2024:i:c:s0040162524004657. 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.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00401625 .

    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.