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How cross-regional collaborative innovation networks affect regional economic resilience: Evidence from 283 cities in China

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  • Du, Yanan
  • Wang, Qingxi
  • Song, Yan
  • Xin, Yueji

Abstract

This paper investigates the impact of China's cross-regional collaborative innovation networks on economic resilience in different periods after a shock. We find that the deeper a city's participation in a cross-regional collaborative innovation network is, the more beneficial it is to the economy's ability to resist risk and facilitate recovery. This finding has passed a series of robustness tests. During the shock-resistant period, the enhanced network status of core cities, urban agglomeration cities, and cities with higher initial economic levels positively affects economic resilience. The centrality of cities in cross-regional collaborative innovation networks formed by capital-intensive, technology-intensive industries and services significantly enhances economic resilience. During the recovery-adjustment period, the elevated status of core cities, urban agglomeration cities, nonurban agglomeration cities, and cities with higher initial economic levels similarly enhances economic resilience. Regional centrality in collaborative innovation networks formed by labour-intensive, capital-intensive, and technology-intensive industries, as well as services, improves economic resilience. Additionally, the elevated status of the network enhances economic resilience to risk by driving innovation quantity and intensive margin in the technological field, and improves economic resilience to adjustment by driving innovation quantity, innovation quality, margins of intensification and expansion in the technology field.

Suggested Citation

  • Du, Yanan & Wang, Qingxi & Song, Yan & Xin, Yueji, 2025. "How cross-regional collaborative innovation networks affect regional economic resilience: Evidence from 283 cities in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 215(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:tefoso:v:215:y:2025:i:c:s0040162525000885
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techfore.2025.124057
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