IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v14y2022i22p15389-d977499.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The Structural Features and Centrality Optimization of a Firm Interlocking Network of the Nodal Cities on the South Route of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road: The Case of Fujian Province

Author

Listed:
  • Yan Ma

    (School of Architecture and Urban-Rural Planning, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China)

  • Huanli Zhang

    (School of Architecture and Urban-Rural Planning, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China)

Abstract

The 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road is an important part of the “Belt and Road Initiative”. It is intended to carry out broader and deeper regional cooperation and to provide a Chinese solution for reforming the world economic governance model. Fujian Province, as the starting point of the historical Maritime Silk Road, its development status, and the development strategy is of vital importance for the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road’s sustainable and balanced regional development. Based on the data on the spatial distribution of the headquarters and branches of enterprises in information-related industries, this study, from the perspective of enterprise connection, constructed a firm interlocking network along the south route of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road covering nodal cities along the southeast coast of China and cities in Southeast Asian countries. In addition, this paper analyzed the structural features of the firm interlocking network in the region from the perspectives of centrality and connectivity and considered the goal of constructing the core area of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road to extract the influencing factors of the firm interlocking network. The core factors influencing the centrality of cities were analyzed and identified by taking Fujian Province as an example. The study found that cities in Fujian Province generally have problems such as unremarkable centrality and weak connectivity in the firm interlocking network in the region and that the three dimensions of policy coordination, financial integration, and technology exchange in the three cities of Fujian Province need to be strengthened despite the achievements made in the three dimensions of facility connectivity, unimpeded trade, and closer people-to-people bonds. Policy suggestions for promoting the centrality of nodal cities in Fujian Province and accelerating the integration into regional city networks were made based on the above research findings and Fujian Province’s development goal of constructing a core area of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road.

Suggested Citation

  • Yan Ma & Huanli Zhang, 2022. "The Structural Features and Centrality Optimization of a Firm Interlocking Network of the Nodal Cities on the South Route of the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road: The Case of Fujian Province," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(22), pages 1-17, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:22:p:15389-:d:977499
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/22/15389/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/22/15389/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xin Lao & Tiyan Shen & Hengyu Gu, 2018. "Prospect on China’s Urban System by 2020: Evidence from the Prediction Based on Internal Migration Network," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-21, February.
    2. Harald Bathelt & Peng-Fei Li, 2014. "Global cluster networks--foreign direct investment flows from Canada to China," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 14(1), pages 45-71, January.
    3. Yan Ma & Feng Xue, 2019. "Deciphering the Spatial Structures of City Networks in the Economic Zone of the West Side of the Taiwan Strait through the Lens of Functional and Innovation Networks," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-20, May.
    4. Zhaohui Chong & Chenglin Qin & Xinyue Ye, 2017. "Environmental Regulation and Industrial Structure Change in China: Integrating Spatial and Social Network Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-16, August.
    5. Xinzheng Zhao & Jing Su & Jing Chao & Xiaoqiong Liu & Tongsheng Li & Yang Rui, 2020. "The Character and Economic Preference of City Network of China: A Study Based on the Chinese Global Fortune 500 Enterprises," Complexity, Hindawi, vol. 2020, pages 1-11, September.
    6. Diego Quer & Enrique Claver & Laura Rienda, 2012. "Political risk, cultural distance, and outward foreign direct investment: Empirical evidence from large Chinese firms," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 29(4), pages 1089-1104, December.
    7. Tom Broekel & Ron Boschma, 2012. "Knowledge networks in the Dutch aviation industry: the proximity paradox," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 12(2), pages 409-433, March.
    8. Der-Shiuan Lee, 2018. "Towards Urban Resilience through Inter-City Networks of Co-Invention: A Case Study of U.S. Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-23, January.
    9. Thomas Sigler & Kirsten Martinus & Iacopo Iacopini & Ben Derudder & Julia Loginova, 2021. "The structural architecture of international industry networks in the global economy," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 16(8), pages 1-25, August.
    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. Mingbo Sun & Xueqing Zhang & Xiaoxiao Zhang, 2022. "The Impact of a Multilevel Innovation Network and Government Support on Innovation Performance—An Empirical Study of the Chengdu–Chongqing City Cluster," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-17, June.
    2. Yao, Li & Li, Jun & Li, Jian, 2020. "Urban innovation and intercity patent collaboration: A network analysis of China’s national innovation system," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    3. Denise R. Dunlap & Roberto S. Santos, 2021. "Storming the Beachhead: An Examination of Developed and Emerging Market Multinational Strategic Location Decisions in the U.S," JRFM, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-15, July.
    4. Ekaterina Turkina & Ari Van Assche & Raja Kali, 2016. "Network Structure and Industrial Clustering Dynamics in the Aerospace Industry," CIRANO Working Papers 2016s-14, CIRANO.
    5. Lorenzo Cassi & Anne Plunket, 2014. "Proximity, network formation and inventive performance: in search of the proximity paradox," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 53(2), pages 395-422, September.
    6. Sándor Juhász, 2021. "Spinoffs and tie formation in cluster knowledge networks," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 56(4), pages 1385-1404, April.
    7. Ferretti, Marco & Guerini, Massimiliano & Panetti, Eva & Parmentola, Adele, 2022. "The partner next door? The effect of micro-geographical proximity on intra-cluster inter-organizational relationships," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
    8. Tom Broekel & Wladimir Mueller, 2018. "Critical links in knowledge networks – What about proximities and gatekeeper organisations?," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(10), pages 919-939, November.
    9. Alessia Amighini & Claudio Cozza & Elisa Giuliani & Roberta Rabellotti & Vittoria Scalera, 2015. "Multinational enterprises from emerging economies: what theories suggest, what evidence shows. A literature review," Economia e Politica Industriale: Journal of Industrial and Business Economics, Springer;Associazione Amici di Economia e Politica Industriale, vol. 42(3), pages 343-370, September.
    10. Stefano Usai & Emanuela Marrocu & Raffaele Paci, 2017. "Networks, Proximities, and Interfirm Knowledge Exchanges," International Regional Science Review, , vol. 40(4), pages 377-404, July.
    11. Ravi Ramamurti & Jenny Hillemann, 2018. "What is “Chinese” about Chinese multinationals?," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(1), pages 34-48, January.
    12. Jakob Eder & Michaela Trippl, 2019. "Innovation in the periphery: compensation and exploitation strategies," PEGIS geo-disc-2019_07, Institute for Economic Geography and GIScience, Department of Socioeconomics, Vienna University of Economics and Business.
    13. Fusillo, Fabrizio & Nenci, Silvia & Pietrobelli, Carlo & Quatraro, Francesco, 2023. "Co-evolutionary Patterns of GVC-Trade and Knowledge Flows in the Mining Industry: Evidence from Latin America," Department of Economics and Statistics Cognetti de Martiis. Working Papers 202313, University of Turin.
    14. Demirbag, Mehmet & McGuinness, Martina & Akin, Ahmet & Bayyurt, Nizamettin & Basti, Eyup, 2016. "The professional service firm (PSF) in a globalised economy: A study of the efficiency of securities firms in an emerging market," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 25(5), pages 1089-1102.
    15. Niccolò Innocenti & Francesco Capone & Luciana Lazzeretti & Sergio Petralia, 2022. "The role of inventors’ networks and variety for breakthrough inventions," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 101(1), pages 37-57, February.
    16. Mariia Shkolnykova & Muhamed Kudic, 2022. "Who benefits from SMEs’ radical innovations?—empirical evidence from German biotechnology," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 1157-1185, February.
    17. Ascani, Andrea & Bettarelli, Luca & Resmini, Laura & Balland, Pierre-Alexandre, 2020. "Global networks, local specialisation and regional patterns of innovation," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(8).
    18. Sajjad Jasimuddin & Jun Li & Nicholas Perdikis, 2015. "Linkage between geographic space and knowledge transfer by multinational enterprises: a structural equation approach," The Annals of Regional Science, Springer;Western Regional Science Association, vol. 54(3), pages 769-795, May.
    19. Rune Dahl Fitjar & Franz Huber & Andrés Rodríguez-Pose, 2016. "Not too close, not too far: testing the Goldilocks principle of ‘optimal’ distance in innovation networks," Industry and Innovation, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(6), pages 465-487, August.
    20. Xie, En & Reddy, K.S. & Liang, Jie, 2017. "Country-specific determinants of cross-border mergers and acquisitions: A comprehensive review and future research directions," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 52(2), pages 127-183.

    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:22:p:15389-:d:977499. 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.