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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
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Wei Cui & An-Wei Wan & Yuan Zheng, 2024. "Mechanisms of the effect of fertility policies on the labor-capital income gap," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(4), pages 1-25, April.
    3. Dániel Fróna & Dorina Fróna-Hadas, 2025. "Digital Transformation in Rural Hungary: Infrastructure, Skills and Uptake Across Regions," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-24, October.
    4. 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.
    5. Yuan-Qi Xie & Hui Liu, 2024. "The welfare effects of digital infrastructure: Micro-level evidence from China," E&M Economics and Management, Technical University of Liberec, Faculty of Economics, vol. 27(4), pages 33-53, December.
    6. Yuan, Xiao & Zhang, Jinlong & Shi, Jing & Wang, Jiachen, 2024. "What can green finance do for high-quality agricultural development? Fresh insights from China," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    7. Albérico Travassos Rosário & Paula Rosa Lopes & Filipe Sales Rosário, 2025. "How Digital Development Leverages Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-34, July.
    8. Li, Xitong & He, Peiming & Liao, Honglin & Liu, Jindan & Chen, Litai, 2024. "Does network infrastructure construction reduce urban–rural income inequality? Based on the “Broadband China” policy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).

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