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The impact of the digital economy on creative industries development: Empirical evidence based on the China

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  • Xiaodi Zhao
  • Lei Shen
  • Zhengyun Jiang

Abstract

Digital economy has become a "new engine" that driving global economic growth. Nevertheless, numerous controversies persist regarding whether and how digital economy can facilitate the development of emerging industries. Thus, this paper investigates how digital economy affects creative industries development in China and whether innovation efficiency mediates this relationship. Drawing upon a panel data set containing 29 Chinese provinces from 2012 to 2019, an econometric model is constructed for empirical analysis. We find that digital economy significantly promotes creative industries development, and innovation efficiency plays a partial mediating role between digital economy and creative industries development. According to the influence mechanism, the digital economy of various regions could promote the creative industries development by improving the innovation efficiency. Finally, relevant suggestions were put forward from the expanding application paths, improving regional innovation efficiency, and creating an innovative environment.

Suggested Citation

  • Xiaodi Zhao & Lei Shen & Zhengyun Jiang, 2024. "The impact of the digital economy on creative industries development: Empirical evidence based on the China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(3), pages 1-18, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0299232
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0299232
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Li, Feng, 2020. "The digital transformation of business models in the creative industries: A holistic framework and emerging trends," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 92.
    2. Jinlin Li & Litai Chen & Ying Chen & Jiawen He, 2022. "Digital economy, technological innovation, and green economic efficiency—Empirical evidence from 277 cities in China," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(3), pages 616-629, April.
    3. Zhou, Jianghua & Li, Jizhen & Jiao, Hao & Qiu, Hang & Liu, Zixu, 2020. "The more funding the better? The moderating role of knowledge stock on the effects of different government-funded research projects on firm innovation in Chinese cultural and creative industries," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 92.
    4. Guo, Bingnan & Wang, Yu & Zhang, Hao & Liang, Chunyan & Feng, Yu & Hu, Feng, 2023. "Impact of the digital economy on high-quality urban economic development: Evidence from Chinese cities," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
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