IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i15p9170-d872284.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

State-Level Urban Agglomeration and Enterprise Innovation: A Quasi-Natural Experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Kai Zhao

    (School of Economics, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, China)

  • Huahua Huang

    (School of Statistics, Huaqiao University, Xiamen 361021, China)

  • Wanshu Wu

    (College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Qingdao University of Technology, Qingdao 266033, China)

Abstract

Based on the data of listed enterprises in China from 2007 to 2019, this study uses the quasi-natural experiment method (staggered DID) to explore the actual impact of the establishment of state-level urban agglomeration on the innovation activities of enterprises and the heterogeneous impact caused by regional differences. It is found that state-level urban agglomerations play the role of “incubator” for enterprise innovation, and the establishment of urban agglomerations can not only effectively encourage enterprises to increase R&D investment, but also greatly increase the quantity of innovation output of enterprises. It is worthwhile to note that the establishment of state-level urban agglomerations has no significant impact on R&D investment and the innovation output of enterprises in the eastern region. As far as the western region is concerned, the incentive effect of the establishment of urban agglomeration on the innovation output of enterprises is significantly positive at 1% significance level, while the incentive effect on the R&D investment of enterprises is positive but not statistically significant.

Suggested Citation

  • Kai Zhao & Huahua Huang & Wanshu Wu, 2022. "State-Level Urban Agglomeration and Enterprise Innovation: A Quasi-Natural Experiment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-17, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:15:p:9170-:d:872284
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/15/9170/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/15/9170/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Petia Topalova, 2010. "Factor Immobility and Regional Impacts of Trade Liberalization: Evidence on Poverty from India," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 2(4), pages 1-41, October.
    2. Maskus, Keith E. & Milani, Sahar & Neumann, Rebecca, 2019. "The impact of patent protection and financial development on industrial R&D," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 355-370.
    3. Roper, Stephen & Du, Jun & Love, James H., 2008. "Modelling the innovation value chain," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(6-7), pages 961-977, July.
    4. Kebin Deng & Zhong Ding & Mingli Xu, 2020. "Population agglomeration and the effectiveness of enterprise subsidies: a Chinese analysis," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(8), pages 1136-1148, July.
    5. Hsu, Po-Hsuan & Tian, Xuan & Xu, Yan, 2014. "Financial development and innovation: Cross-country evidence," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(1), pages 116-135.
    6. Bronzini, Raffaello & Piselli, Paolo, 2016. "The impact of R&D subsidies on firm innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(2), pages 442-457.
    7. Bhattacharya, Utpal & Hsu, Po-Hsuan & Tian, Xuan & Xu, Yan, 2017. "What Affects Innovation More: Policy or Policy Uncertainty?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 52(5), pages 1869-1901, October.
    8. Keele, Luke J. & Titiunik, Rocío, 2015. "Geographic Boundaries as Regression Discontinuities," Political Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 23(1), pages 127-155, January.
    9. Li, Peng-Yu, 2017. "The impact of the top management teams’ knowledge and experience on strategic decisions and performance," Journal of Management & Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 23(4), pages 504-523, July.
    10. Xingling Huang & Guoping Li & Jianguo Liu, 2020. "The Impact of Spatial Structure on Economic Efficiency of Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Megalopolis in China," Complexity, Hindawi, vol. 2020, pages 1-18, July.
    11. Amore, Mario Daniele & Schneider, Cédric & Žaldokas, Alminas, 2013. "Credit supply and corporate innovation," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(3), pages 835-855.
    12. Sascha O. Becker & Andrea Ichino, 2002. "Estimation of average treatment effects based on propensity scores," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 2(4), pages 358-377, November.
    13. Pertuze, Julio A. & Reyes, Tomas & Vassolo, Roberto S. & Olivares, Nicolas, 2019. "Political uncertainty and innovation: The relative effects of national leaders’ education levels and regime systems on firm-level patent applications," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 48(9), pages 1-1.
    14. Chen, Yangyang & Podolski, Edward J. & Veeraraghavan, Madhu, 2015. "Does managerial ability facilitate corporate innovative success?," Journal of Empirical Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 313-326.
    15. Andreja Jaklič & Anže Burger & Matija Rojec, 2013. "The Quest for More Efficient R&D Subsidies," Eastern European Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 51(4), pages 5-25, July.
    16. Atanassov, Julian & Liu, Xiaoding, 2020. "Can Corporate Income Tax Cuts Stimulate Innovation?," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 55(5), pages 1415-1465, August.
    17. Männasoo, Kadri & Meriküll, Jaanika, 2020. "Credit constraints and R&D over the boom and bust: Firm-level evidence from Central and Eastern Europe," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 44(2).
    18. Hirschey, Mark & Skiba, Hilla & Wintoki, M. Babajide, 2012. "The size, concentration and evolution of corporate R&D spending in U.S. firms from 1976 to 2010: Evidence and implications," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 18(3), pages 496-518.
    19. Shuo Han & Weijun Cui & Jin Chen & Yu Fu, 2019. "Female CEOs and Corporate Innovation Behaviors—Research on the Regulating Effect of Gender Culture," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(3), pages 1-22, January.
    20. Yuan, Rongli & Wen, Wen, 2018. "Managerial foreign experience and corporate innovation," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 752-770.
    21. Hu, Albert Guangzhou & Jefferson, Gary H., 2009. "A great wall of patents: What is behind China's recent patent explosion?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 57-68, September.
    22. Robert Lang & Paul Knox, 2009. "The New Metropolis: Rethinking Megalopolis," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 43(6), pages 789-802.
    23. Atanassov, Julian & Liu, Xiaoding, 2020. "Can Corporate Income Tax Cuts Stimulate Innovation? - ERRATUM," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 55(5), pages 1755-1755, August.
    24. Steven C. Michael & John A. Pearce, 2009. "The need for innovation as a rationale for government involvement in entrepreneurship," Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 285-302, May.
    25. Hou, Qingsong & Hu, May & Yuan, Yuan, 2017. "Corporate innovation and political connections in Chinese listed firms," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 46(PA), pages 158-176.
    26. Bereskin, Frederick L. & Cicero, David C., 2013. "CEO compensation contagion: Evidence from an exogenous shock," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(2), pages 477-493.
    27. Bastiaan De Goei & Martijn Burger & Frank Van Oort & Michael Kitson, 2010. "Functional Polycentrism and Urban Network Development in the Greater South East, United Kingdom: Evidence from Commuting Patterns, 1981-2001," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(9), pages 1149-1170.
    28. Gregory Tassey, 2007. "Tax incentives for innovation: time to restructure the R&E tax credit," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 32(6), pages 605-615, December.
    29. Lin, Chen & Lin, Ping & Song, Frank, 2010. "Property rights protection and corporate R&D: Evidence from China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(1), pages 49-62, September.
    30. Hilary Hoynes & Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach & Douglas Almond, 2016. "Long-Run Impacts of Childhood Access to the Safety Net," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 106(4), pages 903-934, April.
    31. Laforet, Sylvie, 2013. "Organizational innovation outcomes in SMEs: Effects of age, size, and sector," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 48(4), pages 490-502.
    32. Crespi, Gustavo & Giuliodori, David & Giuliodori, Roberto & Rodriguez, Alejandro, 2016. "The effectiveness of tax incentives for R&D+i in developing countries: The case of Argentina," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(10), pages 2023-2035.
    33. Li, Pei & Lu, Yi & Wang, Jin, 2016. "Does flattening government improve economic performance? Evidence from China," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 18-37.
    34. 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.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    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. Amin, Md Ruhul & Wang, Xinyu & Aktas, Elvan, 2023. "Does oil price uncertainty affect corporate innovation?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    2. Qincheng Zhang & Mingzeng Yang, 2023. "Digital Transformation, Top Management Team Heterogeneity, and Corporate Innovation: Evidence from A Quasi-Natural Experiment in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-23, January.
    3. Jun Wang & Congcong Liu & Zhuan Xie & Guangjun Shen, 2024. "Tax incentives and corporate innovation: Evidence from China's value‐added tax reform," Contemporary Economic Policy, Western Economic Association International, vol. 42(1), pages 183-202, January.
    4. Suyi Zheng & Jiandong Wen, 2023. "How Does Firm-Level Economic Policy Uncertainty Affect Corporate Innovation? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-23, April.
    5. He, Lerong & Jiang, Xiaozhen & Fang, Liting, 2023. "Tax policy reform and corporate innovation in China," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PA).
    6. Zhang, Zhengyong & Xu, Zefeng & Ding, Yi, 2023. "Do economic growth target constraints affect firm innovation?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 373-388.
    7. Jiang, Xiandeng & Kong, Dongming & Xiao, Chengrui, 2020. "Policy certainty and heterogeneous firm innovation: Evidence from China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    8. Lora Dimitrova & Sapnoti K Eswar, 2023. "Capital Gains Tax, Venture Capital, and Innovation in Start-Ups," Review of Finance, European Finance Association, vol. 27(4), pages 1471-1519.
    9. Ding, Xiaoya (Sara) & Guo, Mengmeng & Kuai, Yicheng & Niu, Geng, 2023. "Social trust and firm innovation: Evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 474-493.
    10. Enrico Vanino & Stephen Roper & Bettina Becker, 2020. "Knowledge to Money: Assessing the Business Performance Effects of Publicly Funded R&D Grants," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 17(04), pages 20-24, January.
    11. Cui, Xin & Wang, Chunfeng & Sensoy, Ahmet & Liao, Jing & Xie, Xiaochen, 2023. "Economic policy uncertainty and green innovation: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    12. Luo, Kun & Lim, Edwin KiaYang & Qu, Wen & Zhang, Xuan, 2021. "Board cultural diversity, government intervention and corporate innovation effectiveness: Evidence from China," Journal of Contemporary Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 17(2).
    13. Fu, Lili & Pan, Liyuan & Wu, Fengyun, 2021. "Does passive investment have a positive governance effect? Evidence from index funds ownership and corporate innovation," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 524-545.
    14. Jie Gao & Huiying Wu & Jiaxing You & Meg Smith, 2021. "Migrant entrepreneurs and firm innovation," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 61(5), pages 6069-6112, December.
    15. Kai Zhao & Wanshu Wu & Junmei Ye, 2023. "The impact of “Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation” policy on SMEs’ innovation: Using quasi‐natural experiments," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(2), pages 348-365, April.
    16. Qian Wang & Xiaojie Pei & Huigang Liang, 2022. "Founder CEO, CEO Characteristics, and Firm Innovation Efficiency: An Empirical Study of China’s GEM-Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-22, July.
    17. Chen, Sheng-Syan & Kao, Wei-Chuan & Wang, Yanzhi, 2021. "Tax policy and innovation performance: Evidence from enactment of the alternative simplified credit," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    18. Huang, Yi-Hou & Liang, Woan-lih & Truong, Quang-Thai & Wang, Yanzhi, 2022. "No new tricks for old dogs? Old directors and innovation performance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    19. Beladi, Hamid & Hou, Qingsong & Hu, May, 2022. "The party school education and corporate innovation: Evidence from SOEs in China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    20. William, Mbanyele & Fengrong, Wang, 2022. "Economic policy uncertainty and industry innovation: Cross country evidence," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 208-228.

    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:14:y:2022:i:15:p:9170-:d:872284. 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.