Regional Sustainability >

2021 , Vol. 2 >Issue 3: 239 - 255

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.regsus.2021.11.004

Full Length Article

Spatio-temporal characteristics of regional sustainable economic growth drivers of China

  • WANG Linchuan ,
  • WU Cisheng ,
  • ZHAO Xuyang ,
  • LIU Duanyong ,
  • ZHANG Tao
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  • School of Management, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, 230009, China

Received date: 2021-03-07

  Revised date: 2021-09-07

  Accepted date: 2021-11-06

  Online published: 2021-12-24

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Abstract

Intellectual capital (IC) has become a universal performance indicator for the socioeconomic development of countries and regions. Based on a review of national intellectual capital (NIC) and regional intellectual capital (RIC) evaluation literature, we used the regional intellectual capital indicator (RICI) as a model for China’s RIC evaluation to indirectly understand China’s potential economic growth drivers. Specifically, we collected statistical data of 31 provinces (including municipalities and autonomous regions) in China from 2004 to 2016 to measure RICI and analyze its dynamic characteristics from temporal and spatial perspectives. In this paper, Delphi analysis was used to construct RICI model, and cluster analysis and exploratory spatial data analysis were used to analyze the temporal and spatial characteristics of RICI in China. The results showed that RICI, which represents China’s overall economic growth drivers, increases annually and is consistent with economic development level during the study period. Regarding the geo-spatial space, RICI follows the trend of “high in the east and low in the west”, gradually decreasing from eastern to western China. For RIC structure, the shape of the radar chart of IC structure located in the eastern coastal areas is usually biased towards strong external relational capital, while that in western China is generally biased towards structural capital. For spatial correlation, China’s RICI has dependence on geographical adjacent space and economic space. Our research can provide policy suggestions for the sustainable development of regional economy from an IC perspective.

Key words： Regional intellectual capital; Intellectual capital structure; Spatial correlation; Moran’s I; Economic growth drivers; Sustainable economic growth

Cite this article

WANG Linchuan , WU Cisheng , ZHAO Xuyang , LIU Duanyong , ZHANG Tao . Spatio-temporal characteristics of regional sustainable economic growth drivers of China[J]. Regional Sustainability, 2021 , 2(3) : 239 -255 . DOI: 10.1016/j.regsus.2021.11.004

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