IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v13y2021i22p12707-d680959.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

An Analysis on the Influence of R&D Fiscal and Tax Subsidies on Regional Innovation Efficiency: Empirical Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Weijiang Liu

    (Centre for Quantitative Economics, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China)

  • Yue Bai

    (School of Business, Jilin University, Changchun 130012, China)

Abstract

To promote the National Mid-andLong-Term Scientific and Technical Development Program, utilizing the technical innovation data from 30 provinces of China from2002–2016, this paper evaluates the inter-provincial differences of China’s regional innovation efficiency from four aspects of technical efficiency, efficiency index change, returns to scale, and projection analysis by using the DEA-Malmquist index method and constructs of the DEA-Tobit random response model to explore the impact of government funding on regional innovation efficiency. The research results show that: (1) The local development of regional innovation efficiency in China is unbalanced, and the level of pure technical efficiency restricts the improvement of innovation efficiency. (2) In the prophase of the scientific and technical development plan, technological progress has led to the growth of total factor productivity, resulting in the formation of scale effect; in the later stage, the scale return shows an overall increasing trend, and the continuous expansion of technological scale and opportunities has improved the regional innovation efficiency. (3) The R&D fiscal and tax subsidies have policy sustainability, and the direct government funding can significantly improve innovation efficiency, while the enterprises investment is opposite, and the pretax additional deduction has a negative but not significant impact. The government should give priority to direct subsidy and supplemented by tax preference, making reasonable policy allocations to expand the policy effect.

Suggested Citation

  • Weijiang Liu & Yue Bai, 2021. "An Analysis on the Influence of R&D Fiscal and Tax Subsidies on Regional Innovation Efficiency: Empirical Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-24, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:22:p:12707-:d:680959
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/22/12707/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/13/22/12707/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fei Fan & Huan Lian & Song Wang, 2020. "Can regional collaborative innovation improve innovation efficiency? An empirical study of Chinese cities," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(1), pages 440-463, March.
    2. Watkins, Andrew & Papaioannou, Theo & Mugwagwa, Julius & Kale, Dinar, 2015. "National innovation systems and the intermediary role of industry associations in building institutional capacities for innovation in developing countries: A critical review of the literature," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 44(8), pages 1407-1418.
    3. Robert M. Solow, 1956. "A Contribution to the Theory of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 70(1), pages 65-94.
    4. Czarnitzki, Dirk & Hanel, Petr & Rosa, Julio Miguel, 2011. "Evaluating the impact of R&D tax credits on innovation: A microeconometric study on Canadian firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 217-229, March.
    5. Fabrizio Barca & Philip McCann & Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose, 2012. "The Case For Regional Development Intervention: Place‐Based Versus Place‐Neutral Approaches," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(1), pages 134-152, February.
    6. Francis Fukuyama, 2013. "What Is Governance?," Working Papers 314, Center for Global Development.
    7. Chen, Kaihua & Kou, Mingting & Fu, Xiaolan, 2018. "Evaluation of multi-period regional R&D efficiency: An application of dynamic DEA to China's regional R&D systems," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 103-114.
    8. Liu, Feng-chao & Simon, Denis Fred & Sun, Yu-tao & Cao, Cong, 2011. "China's innovation policies: Evolution, institutional structure, and trajectory," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(7), pages 917-931, September.
    9. Li Li & Jean Chen & Hongli Gao & Li Xie, 2019. "The certification effect of government R&D subsidies on innovative entrepreneurial firms’ access to bank finance: evidence from China," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 241-259, January.
    10. Zhao Chen & Zhikuo Liu & Juan Carlos Suárez Serrato & Daniel Yi Xu, 2021. "Notching R&D Investment with Corporate Income Tax Cuts in China," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 111(7), pages 2065-2100, July.
    11. Dominique Guellec & Bruno Van Pottelsberghe De La Potterie, 2003. "The impact of public R&D expenditure on business R&D," Economics of Innovation and New Technology, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 12(3), pages 225-243.
    12. Szczygielski, Krzysztof & Grabowski, Wojciech & Pamukcu, Mehmet Teoman & Tandogan, Vedat Sinan, 2017. "Does government support for private innovation matter? Firm-level evidence from two catching-up countries," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(1), pages 219-237.
    13. Mauro, Paolo, 1998. "Corruption and the composition of government expenditure," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(2), pages 263-279, June.
    14. Hall, Bronwyn & Van Reenen, John, 2000. "How effective are fiscal incentives for R&D? A review of the evidence," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 29(4-5), pages 449-469, April.
    15. Paul L. Joskow, 2011. "Comparing the Costs of Intermittent and Dispatchable Electricity Generating Technologies," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 101(3), pages 238-241, May.
    16. Vesa Harmaakorpi & Satu Rinkinen, 2020. "Regional development platforms as incubators of business ecosystems. Case study: The Lahti urban region, Finland," Growth and Change, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(2), pages 626-645, June.
    17. Brown, James R. & Martinsson, Gustav & Petersen, Bruce C., 2017. "What promotes R&D? Comparative evidence from around the world," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 447-462.
    18. Kaihua Chen & Jiancheng Guan, 2012. "Measuring the Efficiency of China's Regional Innovation Systems: Application of Network Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 46(3), pages 355-377, April.
    19. Hong, Jin & Feng, Bing & Wu, Yanrui & Wang, Liangbing, 2016. "Do government grants promote innovation efficiency in China's high-tech industries?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 57, pages 4-13.
    20. Seema Sharma & V. J. Thomas, 2008. "Inter-country R&D efficiency analysis: An application of data envelopment analysis," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 76(3), pages 483-501, September.
    21. Zhang, Yi & Chen, Kaihua & Fu, Xiaolan, 2019. "Scientific effects of Triple Helix interactions among research institutes, industries and universities," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 86, pages 33-47.
    22. Heckman, James J, 1974. "Shadow Prices, Market Wages, and Labor Supply," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 42(4), pages 679-694, July.
    23. Scott J. Wallsten, 2000. "The Effects of Government-Industry R&D Programs on Private R&D: The Case of the Small Business Innovation Research Program," RAND Journal of Economics, The RAND Corporation, vol. 31(1), pages 82-100, Spring.
    24. Doh, Soogwan & Kim, Byungkyu, 2014. "Government support for SME innovations in the regional industries: The case of government financial support program in South Korea," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 43(9), pages 1557-1569.
    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. Xiaojie Yuan & Huiling Wang, 2025. "Does Local Governments’ Innovation Competition Drive High-Quality Manufacturing Development? Empirical Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-19, July.
    2. Wendong Zhu & Dahai Li & Limin Han, 2022. "Spatial–Temporal Evolution and Sustainable Type Division of Fishery Science and Technology Innovation Efficiency in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-19, June.
    3. Hyensup Shim & Kiyoon Shin, 2021. "Empirical Analysis of Evidence-Based Policymaking in R&D Programmes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-15, December.
    4. Wang, Xiaofei & Xu, Lirong & Gao, Qin & Liu, Nan & Wang, Chongmei & Li, Ke, 2025. "Effect of consumer subsidies on coal mine efficiency and its transmission mechanism," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    5. Jiaqi Chen & Sang‐Ho Lee, 2023. "Cournot–Bertrand comparisons under R&D competition: Output versus R&D subsidies," International Journal of Economic Theory, The International Society for Economic Theory, vol. 19(1), pages 77-100, March.
    6. Di Gao & Hao Yue & Haowen Guan & Bingqing Wu & Yuming Huang & Jian Zhang, 2025. "Incorporating Electricity Consumption into Social Network Analysis to Evaluate the Coordinated Development Policy in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-18, July.
    7. Yamin Du & Wonchul Seo, 2022. "A Comparative Study on the Efficiency of R&D Activities of Universities in China by Region Using DEA–Malmquist," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-13, August.

    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. Zhao, Chuanmin & Qu, Xi & Luo, Shougui, 2019. "Impact of the InnoCom program on corporate innovation performance in China: Evidence from Shanghai," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 103-118.
    2. Yang, Bofei & Zhu, Shengjun, 2022. "Public funds in high-tech industries: A blessing or a curse," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 83(C).
    3. Dimos, Christos & Pugh, Geoff & Hisarciklilar, Mehtap & Talam, Ema & Jackson, Ian, 2022. "The relative effectiveness of R&D tax credits and R&D subsidies: A comparative meta-regression analysis," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    4. Hong, Jin & Feng, Bing & Wu, Yanrui & Wang, Liangbing, 2016. "Do government grants promote innovation efficiency in China's high-tech industries?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 57, pages 4-13.
    5. Emmanuel Duguet, 2012. "The effect of the incremental R&D tax credit on the private funding of R&D an econometric evaluation on french firm level data," Revue d'économie politique, Dalloz, vol. 122(3), pages 405-435.
    6. Knoll, Bodo & Riedel, Nadine & Schwab, Thomas & Todtenhaupt, Maximilian & Voget, Johannes, 2021. "Cross-border effects of R&D tax incentives," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(9).
    7. Guo, Di & Guo, Yan & Jiang, Kun, 2022. "Government R&D support and firms’ access to external financing: funding effects, certification effects, or both?," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 115(C).
    8. Zhang, JingJing & Guan, Jiancheng, 2018. "The time-varying impacts of government incentives on innovation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 132-144.
    9. Li, Fengshu & Andries, Petra & Pellens, Maikel & Xu, Jianzhong, 2021. "The importance of large firms for generating economic value from subsidized technological innovation: A regional perspective," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 171(C).
    10. Shuang Wang & Shukuan Zhao & Dong Shao & Hongyu Liu, 2020. "Impact of Government Subsidies on Manufacturing Innovation in China: The Moderating Role of Political Connections and Investor Attention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-21, September.
    11. Emmanuel Duguet, 2008. "L’effet du credit d’impôt recherche sur le financement privé de la recherche : une évaluation économétrique," Documents de recherche 08-08, Centre d'Études des Politiques Économiques (EPEE), Université d'Evry Val d'Essonne.
    12. Labeaga, José M. & Martínez-Ros, Ester & Sanchis, Amparo & Sanchis, Juan A., 2021. "Does persistence in using R&D tax credits help to achieve product innovations?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    13. Spyros Arvanitis, 2013. "Micro-econometric approaches to the evaluation of technology-oriented public programmes: a non-technical review of the state of the art," Chapters, in: Albert N. Link & Nicholas S. Vonortas (ed.), Handbook on the Theory and Practice of Program Evaluation, chapter 3, pages 56-88, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    14. Siying Long & Zhongju Liao, 2021. "Are fiscal policy incentives effective in stimulating firms' eco‐product innovation? The moderating role of dynamic capabilities," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(7), pages 3095-3104, November.
    15. Hyoung Sun Yoo & Chul Lee & Seung-Pyo Jun, 2018. "The Characteristics of SMEs Preferring Cooperative Research and Development Support from the Government: The Case of Korea," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-18, August.
    16. Ibrahim Alnafrah, 2021. "Efficiency evaluation of BRICS’s national innovation systems based on bias-corrected network data envelopment analysis," Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 1-28, December.
    17. Emmanuel Chavez, 2020. "The Effects of R&D Tax Credits and Subsidies onPrivate R&D in Mexico (Chapter 2)," PSE Working Papers halshs-02652063, HAL.
    18. Kwangsoo Shin & Minkyung Choy & Chul Lee & Gunno Park, 2019. "Government R&D Subsidy and Additionality of Biotechnology Firms: The Case of the South Korean Biotechnology Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-22, March.
    19. Takalo, Tuomas & Tanayama, Tanja & Toivanen, Otto, 2013. "Market failures and the additionality effects of public support to private R&D: Theory and empirical implications," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 634-642.
    20. Yu, Anyu & Zhang, Qin & Yu, Rongjian & Cheng, Yu, 2023. "More is better or in waste? A resource allocation measure of government grants for facilitating firm innovations," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:22:p:12707-:d:680959. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.