IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v15y2023i6p5458-d1102203.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Research on the Impact of Digital Empowerment on China’s Human Capital Accumulation and Human Capital Gap between Urban and Rural Areas

Author

Listed:
  • Dapeng Sun

    (College of Marxism, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian 116026, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Bintong Yu

    (School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Jun Ma

    (College of Marxism, Dongbei University of Finance and Economics, Dalian 116025, China)

Abstract

Human capital is a key factor in the economic growth and sustainable development of a country. However, the impact of digitalization on human capital accumulation and the urban-rural human capital gap in China is seldom a focus in the literature. This paper establishes a three-sector economic growth model surrounding knowledge accumulation, endogenous technology, and labor mobility. It is designed to theoretically explain the influence of digital empowerment on human capital accumulation and its urban-rural gap in an economy. An empirical test is also conducted using CFPS panel data for 25 Chinese provinces from 2016 to 2018. The results show that: Firstly, digital empowerment significantly promotes the accumulation of human capital in rural and urban areas. The number of years of education increases by 1.37% in rural areas and 3.07% in urban areas for each index point of digitalization increase. Secondly, the impact of digitalization on the human capital gap between urban and rural areas demonstrates an inverted U-shaped curve. However, it is still within the Matthew Effect that the human capital gap between urban and rural areas is widening in tandem with digital development. Finally, the Matthew Effect in digitalization on the urban-rural human capital gap is relatively larger in the female group, higher education population, and larger family size.

Suggested Citation

  • Dapeng Sun & Bintong Yu & Jun Ma, 2023. "Research on the Impact of Digital Empowerment on China’s Human Capital Accumulation and Human Capital Gap between Urban and Rural Areas," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-21, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:6:p:5458-:d:1102203
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/6/5458/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/15/6/5458/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Romer, Paul M, 1986. "Increasing Returns and Long-run Growth," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 94(5), pages 1002-1037, October.
    2. Eryong Xue & Jian Li & Xingcheng Li, 2021. "Sustainable Development of Education in Rural Areas for Rural Revitalization in China: A Comprehensive Policy Circle Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-17, November.
    3. Jinqi Su & Ke Su & Shubin Wang, 2021. "Does the Digital Economy Promote Industrial Structural Upgrading?—A Test of Mediating Effects Based on Heterogeneous Technological Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-24, September.
    4. Wei Chen & Quanzhong Wang & Hong Zhou, 2022. "Digital Rural Construction and Farmers’ Income Growth: Theoretical Mechanism and Micro Experience Based on Data from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-21, September.
    5. Kwok-Kee Wei & Hock-Hai Teo & Hock Chuan Chan & Bernard C. Y. Tan, 2011. "Conceptualizing and Testing a Social Cognitive Model of the Digital Divide," Information Systems Research, INFORMS, vol. 22(1), pages 170-187, March.
    6. Lucas, Robert Jr., 1988. "On the mechanics of economic development," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 22(1), pages 3-42, July.
    7. Robert E. Lucas Jr., 2015. "Human Capital and Growth," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 105(5), pages 85-88, May.
    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. Yashuo Xue & Mei Kong & Ruiying Chen & Qingmin Wang & Yangyang Shen & Jiakun Zhuang, 2023. "How Does Internet Use Promote Returned Migrant Workers’ Entrepreneurship: Evidence from Rural China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-22, June.

    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. Zhang, Xiaobei & Wang, Xiaojun, 2021. "Measures of human capital and the mechanics of economic growth," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    2. Augusto Schianchi, 2016. "La crescita endogena: una rilettura critica," QUADERNI DI ECONOMIA DEL LAVORO, FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2016(106), pages 31-48.
    3. Sajjad Barkhordari & Maryam Fattahi & Naser Ali Azimi, 2019. "The Impact of Knowledge-Based Economy on Growth Performance: Evidence from MENA Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(3), pages 1168-1182, September.
    4. Rao, B. Bhaskara, 2010. "Estimates of the steady state growth rates for selected Asian countries with an extended Solow model," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 27(1), pages 46-53, January.
    5. Prof. Dr. Adem KALCA & Resc. Assist. Atakan DURMAZ, 2012. "Diaspora As The Instrument Of Humane Capital," International Journal of Business and Social Research, LAR Center Press, vol. 2(5), pages 94-104, October.
    6. Jung-Suk Yu & M. Kabir Hassan & Abdullah Mamun & Abul Hassan, 2014. "Financial Sectors Reform and Economic Growth in Morocco: An Empirical Analysis," Journal of Emerging Market Finance, Institute for Financial Management and Research, vol. 13(1), pages 69-102, April.
    7. repec:zbw:rwidps:0030 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. He, Qichun, 2018. "Inflation and innovation with a cash-in-advance constraint on human capital accumulation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 171(C), pages 14-18.
    9. Kawalec Paweł, 2020. "The dynamics of theories of economic growth: An impact of Unified Growth Theory," Economics and Business Review, Sciendo, vol. 6(2), pages 19-44, June.
    10. Kar, Sabyasachi & Pritchett, Lant & Raihan, Selim & Sen, Kunal, 2013. "Looking for a break: Identifying transitions in growth regimes," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 38(PB), pages 151-166.
    11. Iamsiraroj, Sasi, 2016. "The foreign direct investment–economic growth nexus," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 116-133.
    12. George Asumadu & Emmanuel Amo-Bediako, 2021. "Stock Market Performance and Economic Growth Nexus: A Panacea or Pain to Ghana?," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 5(4), pages 423-429, April.
    13. Antoine d'Autume, 1992. "Coïntégration et modèles dynamiques," Économie et Prévision, Programme National Persée, vol. 106(5), pages 71-83.
    14. Gao, Ting, 2004. "Regional industrial growth: evidence from Chinese industries," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 34(1), pages 101-124, January.
    15. Schreiner, Lena & Madlener, Reinhard, 2022. "Investing in power grid infrastructure as a flexibility option: A DSGE assessment for Germany," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    16. Siemiński, Paweł & Hadyński, Jakub & Poczta, Walenty, 2020. "Diversification Of Human Capital Resources In Rural And Urban Areas In Poland," Roczniki (Annals), Polish Association of Agricultural Economists and Agribusiness - Stowarzyszenie Ekonomistow Rolnictwa e Agrobiznesu (SERiA), vol. 2020(1).
    17. Eckstein, Zvi & Zilcha, Itzhak, 1994. "The effects of compulsory schooling on growth, income distribution and welfare," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 54(3), pages 339-359, July.
    18. Antonio Ciccone & Giovanni Peri & Douglas Almond, "undated". "Capital, Wages, and Growth: Theory and Evidence," Working Papers 152, IGIER (Innocenzo Gasparini Institute for Economic Research), Bocconi University.
    19. Kumar, Sanjesh & Singh, Baljeet, 2019. "Barriers to the international diffusion of technological innovations," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 82(C), pages 74-86.
    20. Carine Nourry, 2012. "Dasgupta, D.: Modern growth theory," Journal of Economics, Springer, vol. 105(1), pages 97-100, January.
    21. Gerald A. Carlino, 2014. "New ideas in the air: cities and economic growth," Business Review, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, issue Q4, pages 1-7.

    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:6:p:5458-:d:1102203. 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.