IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i11p9023-d1162883.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does Stronger Environmental Regulation Promote Firms’ Export Sophistication? A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on Sewage Charges Standard Reform in China

Author

Listed:
  • Weihao Zhang

    (School of Economics and Trade, Hunan University, Changsha 410006, China)

  • Helian Xu

    (School of Economics and Trade, Hunan University, Changsha 410006, China)

  • Yuanyuan Xu

    (School of Economics and Trade, Hunan University, Changsha 410006, China)

Abstract

Based on the quasi-natural experiment of sewage charges standard reform, this paper adopts a staggered difference-in-difference model to empirically investigate the effect of environmental regulation on firms’ export sophistication and the mechanism of the effect, using the matched data from the Chinese Annual Survey of Industrial Firms and Chinese Custom Trade databases from 2004 to 2013. The results show that (1) the environmental regulation policy of sewage charges standard reform significantly promotes the upgrading of firms’ export sophistication; (2) the impact of sewage charges standard reform on firms’ export sophistication is heterogeneous, in that the promotion effect of sewage charges standard reform on firms’ export sophistication is mainly manifested in simultaneous import and export firms, large-sized firms, and local firms; and (3) the sewage charges standard reform mainly through the mechanisms of innovation compensation effect and product switching effect to promote firms’ export sophistication. This paper provides empirical evidence and policy insights for governments to formulate and implement environmental protection policies appropriately.

Suggested Citation

  • Weihao Zhang & Helian Xu & Yuanyuan Xu, 2023. "Does Stronger Environmental Regulation Promote Firms’ Export Sophistication? A Quasi-Natural Experiment Based on Sewage Charges Standard Reform in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:11:p:9023-:d:1162883
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/11/9023/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/11/9023/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Stefan Ambec & Mark A. Cohen & Stewart Elgie & Paul Lanoie, 2013. "The Porter Hypothesis at 20: Can Environmental Regulation Enhance Innovation and Competitiveness?," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 7(1), pages 2-22, January.
    2. Dechezlepretre, Antoine & Sato, Misato, 2017. "The impacts of environmental regulations on competitiveness," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 77700, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    3. Shahzad, Umer & Madaleno, Mara & Dagar, Vishal & Ghosh, Sudeshna & Doğan, Buhari, 2022. "Exploring the role of export product quality and economic complexity for economic progress of developed economies: Does institutional quality matter?," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 40-51.
    4. Antoine Dechezleprêtre & Misato Sato, 2017. "The Impacts of Environmental Regulations on Competitiveness," Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 11(2), pages 183-206.
    5. Elrod, Aaron A. & Malik, Arun S., 2017. "The effect of environmental regulation on plant-level product mix: A study of EPA's Cluster Rule," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 164-184.
    6. Ari Van Assche & Byron Gangnes, 2010. "Electronics production upgrading: is China exceptional?," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(5), pages 477-482.
    7. Thorsten Beck & Ross Levine & Alexey Levkov, 2010. "Big Bad Banks? The Winners and Losers from Bank Deregulation in the United States," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 65(5), pages 1637-1667, October.
    8. Ricardo Hausmann & Jason Hwang & Dani Rodrik, 2007. "What you export matters," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-25, March.
    9. Zhang, Yijun & Song, Yi, 2022. "Tax rebates, technological innovation and sustainable development: Evidence from Chinese micro-level data," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    10. Zhizhong Liu & Shuchi Zheng & Xinyu Zhang & Long Mo, 2023. "The Impact of Green Finance on Export Technology Complexity: Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-15, February.
    11. Saafi Sami & Nouira Ridha, 2018. "Re-Examining the Relationship Between Export Upgrading and Economic Growth: Is there a Threshold Effect?," The Economic and Social Review, Economic and Social Studies, vol. 49(4), pages 437-454.
    12. Yongzheng Liu & Jie Mao, 2019. "How Do Tax Incentives Affect Investment and Productivity? Firm-Level Evidence from China," American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, American Economic Association, vol. 11(3), pages 261-291, August.
    13. Tanaka, Shinsuke, 2015. "Environmental regulations on air pollution in China and their impact on infant mortality," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 90-103.
    14. Lu, Yi & Tao, Zhigang & Zhu, Lianming, 2017. "Identifying FDI spillovers," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 75-90.
    15. Sun, Chuanwang & Zhan, Yanhong & Gao, Xiang, 2023. "Does environmental regulation increase domestic value-added in exports? An empirical study of cleaner production standards in China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    16. Chiara Franco & Giovanni Marin, 2017. "The Effect of Within-Sector, Upstream and Downstream Environmental Taxes on Innovation and Productivity," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 66(2), pages 261-291, February.
    17. Debabrata Ghosh & Janat Shah & Sanjeev Swami, 2020. "Product greening and pricing strategies of firms under green sensitive consumer demand and environmental regulations," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 290(1), pages 491-520, July.
    18. Eriksson, Clas, 2018. "Phasing out a polluting input in a growth model with directed technological change," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 461-474.
    19. Brandt, Loren & Van Biesebroeck, Johannes & Zhang, Yifan, 2012. "Creative accounting or creative destruction? Firm-level productivity growth in Chinese manufacturing," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(2), pages 339-351.
    20. Raphael Calel & Antoine Dechezleprêtre, 2016. "Environmental Policy and Directed Technological Change: Evidence from the European Carbon Market," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 98(1), pages 173-191, March.
    21. Miaojie Yu, 2015. "Processing Trade, Tariff Reductions and Firm Productivity: Evidence from Chinese Firms," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 125(585), pages 943-988, June.
    22. Manova, Kalina & Yu, Zhihong, 2017. "Multi-product firms and product quality," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 116-137.
    23. Xiaoping Li & Shuzhou Peng & Wei‐Chiao Huang & Qian Zhou, 2022. "What Drives Chinese Firms' Export Sophistication? A Perspective from the Rise of Minimum Wages," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 30(2), pages 28-59, March.
    24. Chen, Zhongfei & Zhang, Xiao & Chen, Fanglin, 2021. "Do carbon emission trading schemes stimulate green innovation in enterprises? Evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    25. Deng, Yuping & Wu, Yanrui & Xu, Helian, 2019. "Political turnover and firm pollution discharges: An empirical study," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    26. Anwar, Sajid & Sun, Sizhong, 2018. "Foreign direct investment and export quality upgrading in China's manufacturing sector," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 289-298.
    27. Zhao, Aiwu & Wang, Jingyi & Sun, Zhenzhen & Guan, Hongjun, 2022. "Environmental taxes, technology innovation quality and firm performance in China—A test of effects based on the Porter hypothesis," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 309-325.
    28. Wang, Chunhua & Wu, JunJie & Zhang, Bing, 2018. "Environmental regulation, emissions and productivity: Evidence from Chinese COD-emitting manufacturers," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 92(C), pages 54-73.
    29. Albrizio, Silvia & Kozluk, Tomasz & Zipperer, Vera, 2017. "Environmental policies and productivity growth: Evidence across industries and firms," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 209-226.
    30. Lopresti, John, 2016. "Multiproduct firms and product scope adjustment in trade," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 160-173.
    31. Gan, Li & Hernandez, Manuel A. & Ma, Shuang, 2016. "The higher costs of doing business in China: Minimum wages and firms' export behavior," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 100(C), pages 81-94.
    32. Jing Peng & Yabin Zhang, 2020. "Impact of Global Value Chains on Export Technology Content of China’s Manufacturing Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-19, January.
    33. Shujin Zhu & Renyu Li, 2017. "Economic complexity, human capital and economic growth: empirical research based on cross-country panel data," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 49(38), pages 3815-3828, August.
    34. Song Zhang & Chunlai Chen, 2020. "Does Outward Foreign Direct Investment Facilitate China's Export Upgrading?," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 28(5), pages 64-89, September.
    35. Xu, Bin, 2010. "The sophistication of exports: Is China special?," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 21(3), pages 482-493, September.
    36. Song, Yuegang & Hao, Xiazhen & Zheng, Lei, 2022. "Intermediate import, independent innovation and export sophistication of Chinese manufacturing enterprises," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 126-140.
    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. Yuping Deng & Yanrui Wu & Helian Xu, 2019. "Environmental Regulation and Export Product Quality: Evidence from Chinese Firms," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 19-14, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    2. Zhang, Ming & Zhao, Yingxue, 2023. "Does environmental regulation spur innovation? Quasi-natural experiment in China," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    3. Yanhong Feng & Shuanglian Chen & Pierre Failler, 2020. "Productivity Effect Evaluation on Market-Type Environmental Regulation: A Case Study of SO 2 Emission Trading Pilot in China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-27, October.
    4. Peng, Jiaying & Xie, Rui & Ma, Chunbo & Fu, Yang, 2021. "Market-based environmental regulation and total factor productivity: Evidence from Chinese enterprises," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 95(C), pages 394-407.
    5. Hille, Erik & Althammer, Wilhelm & Diederich, Henning, 2020. "Environmental regulation and innovation in renewable energy technologies: Does the policy instrument matter?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 153(C).
    6. Ren, Shenggang & Hu, Yucai & Zheng, Jingjing & Wang, Yangjie, 2020. "Emissions trading and firm innovation: Evidence from a natural experiment in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    7. Themann, Michael & Koch, Nicolas, 2021. "Catching up and falling behind: Cross-country evidence on the impact of the EU ETS on firm productivity," Ruhr Economic Papers 904, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    8. Liu, Donghua & Ren, Shenggang & Li, Wenming, 2022. "SO2 emissions trading and firm exports in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    9. Jian Song & Jing Wang & Zhe Chen, 2022. "How Low-Carbon Pilots Affect Chinese Urban Energy Efficiency: An Explanation from Technological Progress," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1, November.
    10. Weizhou Su & Gaowen Lei & Sidai Guo & Hongche Dan, 2022. "Study on the Influence Mechanism of Environmental Management System Certification on Enterprise Green Innovation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-20, September.
    11. Song Zhang & Chunlai Chen, 2020. "Does Outward Foreign Direct Investment Facilitate China's Export Upgrading?," China & World Economy, Institute of World Economics and Politics, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, vol. 28(5), pages 64-89, September.
    12. Erik Hille & Patrick Möbius, 2019. "Environmental Policy, Innovation, and Productivity Growth: Controlling the Effects of Regulation and Endogeneity," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 73(4), pages 1315-1355, August.
    13. Ren, Shenggang & Yang, Xuanyu & Hu, Yucai & Chevallier, Julien, 2022. "Emission trading, induced innovation and firm performance," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    14. Weijia Zhuo, 2023. "Environmental regulation and corporate sustainability: Evidence from green innovation," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 30(4), pages 1723-1737, July.
    15. Jian Song & Yijing Wang & Jing Wang, 2022. "The Impact of SO 2 Emissions Trading Scheme on Firm’s Environmental Performance: A Channel from Robot Application," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(24), pages 1, December.
    16. Huang, Youxing & Xu, Qi & Zhao, Yanping, 2021. "Short-run pain, long-run gain: Desulfurization investment and productivity," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    17. Koch, Nicolas & Themann, Michael, 2022. "Catching up and falling behind: Cross-country evidence on the impact of the EU ETS on firm productivity," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    18. Li, Weiping & Chen, Xiaoqi & Huang, Jiashun & Gong, Xu & Wu, Wei, 2022. "Do environmental regulations affect firm's cash holdings? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    19. He, Zhenyu & Tang, Yuwei, 2023. "Local environmental constraints and firms’ export product quality: Evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    20. Marin, Giovanni & Vona, Francesco, 2023. "Finance and the reallocation of scientific, engineering and mathematical talent," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(5).

    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:15:y:2023:i:11:p:9023-:d:1162883. 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.