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Promoting Urban Innovation through Smart Cities: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment in China

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Listed:
  • Mingbo Ji

    (School of Economics, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China)

  • Mengyun Jin

    (School of Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China)

  • Lingyun Chen

    (Administrative Services Center, Sichuan Provincial Water Resources Department, Chengdu 610017, China)

  • Yuwei Liu

    (School of Business, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, China)

  • Yihao Tian

    (School of Public Administration, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China)

Abstract

It is of great theoretical and practical significance to investigate the influence of intelligent city construction on urban innovation. Based on the data of 238 cities in China from 2006 to 2019, this paper utilizes the staggered difference-in-differences (staggered DID) model and the mediating effect model to examine the impact and mechanisms of smart city construction on urban innovation. We find that China’s smart city pilot policies significantly promote urban innovation. Mechanism analysis shows that this innovation promotion effect acts through improving urban informatization, government financial expenditure on science and technology, and the upgrading of the city’s industrial structure. Further analysis shows that smart city construction has a stronger promoting effect on innovation in cities of a larger scale, that located in the eastern region, and have a lower level of science and education. Overall, our findings provide new insights into urban innovation and objectively assess the impact of smart city construction in China.

Suggested Citation

  • Mingbo Ji & Mengyun Jin & Lingyun Chen & Yuwei Liu & Yihao Tian, 2024. "Promoting Urban Innovation through Smart Cities: Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:13:y:2024:i:3:p:319-:d:1350115
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Leonid Kogan & Dimitris Papanikolaou & Amit Seru & Noah Stoffman, 2017. "Technological Innovation, Resource Allocation, and Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 132(2), pages 665-712.
    3. Cai, Xiqian & Lu, Yi & Wu, Mingqin & Yu, Linhui, 2016. "Does environmental regulation drive away inbound foreign direct investment? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 73-85.
    4. Feldman, Maryann P. & Audretsch, David B., 1999. "Innovation in cities:: Science-based diversity, specialization and localized competition," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 409-429, February.
    5. Ferraris, Alberto & Belyaeva, Zhanna & Bresciani, Stefano, 2020. "The role of universities in the Smart City innovation: Multistakeholder integration and engagement perspectives," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 163-171.
    6. Ying Xiong & Shengsheng Li, 2022. "Can the Establishment of University Science and Technology Parks Promote Urban Innovation? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-19, August.
    7. Wang, Jinxiu & Deng, Kun, 2022. "Impact and mechanism analysis of smart city policy on urban innovation: Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 574-587.
    8. Lucas, Robert Jr., 1988. "On the mechanics of economic development," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 3-42, July.
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