Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The influence of civilized city honorary title on the urban innovation capacity

  • Published:
Environment, Development and Sustainability Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Currently, China has entered a stage of high-quality development due to innovations and improving capabilities of the cities. Being the most valuable urban brand, civilized cities are a symbol of the city’s comprehensive ability. Their construction blueprint coincides with the realization of high-quality development. Therefore, exploring the relationship between civilized cities’ construction and urban innovative development is a matter of great significance for improving national high-quality development policies and strengthening civilized cities’ construction. This paper examined the data from 242 cities from 2003 to 2016, applying the multi-period difference-in-difference model to test the established hypothesis. The results indicate that the pilot policy for civilized cities has effectively improved the level of urban innovation. The results also validate that the title of the civilized city effectively promotes the urban innovation level by promoting the agglomeration of human capital, improving the level of informatization, and increasing investment in scientific as well as technological innovation. At the same time, there are significant differences in policy effectiveness for cities with different urban levels and geographical locations. The construction of future civilized cities should focus on attracting and cultivating high-quality talents, strengthening investment and support in information infrastructure construction, and scientific and technological innovation research and development to adapt to local conditions and resultantly achieve the improvement in urban innovation level.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available on request.

References

  • Al-Minhas, U., Ndubisi, N. O., & Barrane, F. Z. (2020). Corporate environmental management: A review and integration of green human resource management and green logistics. Management of Environmental Quality: an International Journal, 31(2), 431–450.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Amore, M. D., Schneider, C., & Žaldokas, A. (2013). Credit supply and corporate innovation. Journal of Financial Economics, 109(3), 835–855.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bandura, A., Adams, N. E., Hardy, A. B., & Howells, G. N. (1980). Tests of the generality of self-efficacy theory. Cognitive Therapy Research Policy, 4(1), 39–66.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, T., & Demirguc-Kunt, A. (2006). Small and medium-size enterprises: Access to finance as a growth constraint. Journal of Banking Finance, 30(11), 2931–2943.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bertrand, M., & Mullainathan, S. (2003). Enjoying the quiet life? Corporate governance and managerial preferences. Journal of Political Economy, 111(5), 1043–1075.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beugelsdijk, S., & Cornet, M. (2002). A far friend is worth more than a good neighbour: Proximity and innovation in a small country. Journal of Management Governance, 6(2), 169–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Black, D., & Henderson, V. (2003). Urban evolution in the USA. Journal of Economic Geography, 3(4), 343–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai, Q., Li, D., & Shu, S. (2022). Are academic leaders less aggressive? Evidence from corporate expansion. Emerging Markets Finance Trade, 59(1), 218–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cao, Y., Wan, N., Zhang, H., Zhang, X., & Zhou, Q. (2020). Linking environmental regulation and economic growth through technological innovation and resource consumption: Analysis of spatial interaction patterns of urban agglomerations. Ecological Indicators, 112, 106062.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cashore, B. (2002). Legitimacy and the privatization of environmental governance: How non-state market-driven (NSMD) governance systems gain rule-making authority. Governance, 15(4), 503–529.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, J. (2021). The influence of fiscal and financial policies on upgrading of regional industrial structure. Open Access Library Journal, 8(11), 1–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Q., & Mao, Y. (2021). Do city honors increase tourism economic growth? A quasi-natural experimental research study based on “civilized city” selection in China. Sustainability, 13(22), 12545. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212545

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, S., Jin, H., & Lu, Y. (2019). Impact of urbanization on CO2 emissions and energy consumption structure: A panel data analysis for Chinese prefecture-level cities. Structural Change Economic Dynamics, 49, 107–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, Y., Song, J., Zhong, S., Liu, Z., & Gao, W. (2022). Effect of destructive earthquake on the population-economy-space urbanization at county level-a case study on Dujiangyan county. China. Sustainable Cities Society, 76, 103345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cui, T., Chen, C., Jia, A., Li, D., Shi, Y., Zhang, M., & Liu, C. (2021). Characterization and human microfold cell assay of fish oil microcapsules: Effect of spray drying and freeze-drying using konjac glucomannan (KGM)-soybean protein isolate (SPI) as wall materials. Journal of Functional Foods, 83, 104542.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • De Chaisemartin, C., & d’Haultfoeuille, X. (2020). Two-way fixed effects estimators with heterogeneous treatment effects. American Economic Review, 110(9), 2964–2996.

  • Fan, F., Cao, D., & Ma, N. (2020). Is improvement of innovation efficiency conducive to haze governance? Empirical evidence from 283 Chinese cities. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(17), 6095.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fang, C., Danlin, Y., Mao, H., Bao, C., & Huang, J. (2018). Optimization goals and keys for the spatial pattern of China’s urban development. In C. Fang, Y. Danlin, H. Mao, C. Bao, & J. Huang (Eds.), China’s Urban Pattern (pp. 173–232). Singapore: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-7694-7_4

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Gao, K., & Yuan, Y. (2021). The effect of innovation-driven development on pollution reduction: Empirical evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China. Technological Forecasting Social Change, 172, 121047.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gerlach, H., Rønde, T., & Stahl, K. (2009). Labor pooling in R&D intensive industries. Journal of Urban Economics, 65(1), 99–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glaeser, E. L., & Resseger, M. G. (2010). The complementarity between cities and skills. Journal of Regional Science, 50(1), 221–244.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gong, Y., Yao, K., Zhang, R., Liu, B., & Wang, F. (2021). Rethinking livelihood resilience after development-induced displacement and resettlement: A case study of Qianping Reservoir. International Journal of Water Resources Development, 37(5), 841–864.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goodman-Bacon, A. (2021). Difference-in-differences with variation in treatment timing. Journal of Econometrics, 225(2), 254–277.

  • Haitao, W., Yunwei Li, Y., Hao, S. R., & Zhang, P. (2020). Environmental decentralization, local government competition, and regional green development: Evidence from China. Science of the Total Environment, 708, 135085. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135085

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Han, J., Zeeshan, M., Ullah, I., Rehman, A., & Afridi, F. E. A. (2022). Trade openness and urbanization impact on renewable and non-renewable energy consumption in China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(27), 41653–41668.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • He, L., Zhang, Y., Yuan, E., Wang, F., Ma, Q., & Chai, X. (2021). Free trade zone policy and carbon dioxide emissions: A synthetic control group approach. Polish Journal of Environmental Studies, 31(4), 3573–3586.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hou, B., Zhang, Y., Hong, J., Shi, X., & Yang, Y. (2021). New knowledge and regional entrepreneurship: The role of intellectual property protection in China. Knowledge Management Research Practice, 21(3), 471–485.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, Y., Jiang, H., & Zhong, Z. (2020). Impact of green credit on industrial structure in China: Theoretical mechanism and empirical analysis. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 27, 10506–10519.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huang, H., Mo, R., & Chen, X. (2021). New patterns in China’s regional green development: An interval Malmquist–Luenberger productivity analysis. Structural Change Economic Dynamics, 58, 161–173.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jahanger, A., Ozturk, I., Onwe, J. C., Joseph, T. E., & Hossain, M. R. (2023a). Do technology and renewable energy contribute to energy efficiency and carbon neutrality? Evidence from top ten manufacturing countries. Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 56, 103084.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jahanger, A., Zaman, U., Hossain, M. R., & Awan, A. (2023b). Articulating CO2 emissions limiting roles of nuclear energy and ICT under the EKC hypothesis: An application of non-parametric MMQR approach. Geoscience Frontiers, 14(5), 101589.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ji, X. Y. (2020). Does financial geography affect urban innovation capability? Industrial Economics Research, 1, 114–127.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, Y., Hossain, M. R., Khan, Z., Chen, J., & Badeeb, R. A. (2023). Revisiting research and development expenditures and trade adjusted emissions: green innovation and renewable energy R&D role for developed countries. Journal of the Knowledge Economy. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-023-01220-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ke, X., Chen, H., Hong, Y., & Hsiao, C. (2017). Do China’s high-speed-rail projects promote local economy?—New evidence from a panel data approach. China Economic Review, 44, 203–226.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kou, Z., & Liu, X. (2017). FIND report on city and industrial innovation in China. School of Economics, Fudan University.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewin, A. Y., Massini, S., & Peeters, C. (2009). Why are companies offshoring innovation? The emerging global race for talent. Journal of International Business Studies, 40(6), 901–925. https://doi.org/10.1057/jibs.2008.92

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leydesdorff, L., & Ivanova, I. (2016). Open innovation and triple helix models of innovation: Can synergy in innovation systems be measured? Journal of Open Innovation: Technology, Market, Complexity, 2(1), 1–12.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, C., & Li, G. (2020). Does environmental regulation reduce China’s haze pollution? An empirical analysis based on panel quantile regression. PLoS ONE, 15(10), e0240723.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li, H., Wang, J., Yang, X., Wang, Y., & Wu, T. (2018). A holistic overview of the progress of China’s low-carbon city pilots. Sustainable Cities Society, 42, 289–300.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Z., Zhou, Y., Yang, G., He, S., Qiu, X., Zhang, L., Deng, Q., & Zheng, F. (2019). Using circular RNA SMARCA5 as a potential novel biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma. Clinica Chimica Acta, 492, 37–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cca.2019.02.001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Li, X., Du, K., Ouyang, X., & Liu, L. (2022a). Does more stringent environmental regulation induce firms’ innovation? Evidence from the 11th Five-year plan in China. Energy Economics, 112, 106110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Y., Long, W., Ning, X., Zhu, Y., Guo, Y., Huang, Z., & Hao, Y. (2022b). How can China’s sustainable development be damaged in consequence of financial misallocation? Analysis from the perspective of regional innovation capability. Business Strategy and the Environment, 31(7), 3649–3668.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, Y. P., Lin, L. L., Gao, Q., & Liu, W. T. (2022). Development of digital inclusive finance and business startups of migrant population: Evidences from the China migrants dynamic survey. Contemporary Finance & Economics, 4, 65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Z., Li, H., Hu, Y., & Li, C. (2018). Human capital structure upgrading and economic growth: A reconsideration of disparities among China’s eastern, central and western regions. Economic Research Journal, 53(2), 50–63.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lu, J., Zhao, Y. N., & Su, Y. (2020). “Civilized city” selection and environmental pollution control: A quasi-natural experiment. Journal of Finance and Economics, 46(4), 109–124.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lucas, R. E., Jr. (1988). On the mechanics of economic development. Journal of Monetary Economics, 22(1), 3–42.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lundvall, B. Å. (2007). National innovation systems—analytical concept and development tool. Industry Innovation, 14(1), 95–119.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lv, H., Shi, S., & Gursoy, D. (2022). A look back and a leap forward: a review and synthesis of big data and artificial intelligence literature in hospitality and tourism. Journal of Hospitality Marketing Management, 31(2), 145–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Malmberg, A., Malmberg, B., & Lundequist, P. (2000). Agglomeration and firm performance: economies of scale, localisation, and urbanisation among Swedish export firms. Environment and Planning a: Economy and Space, 32(2), 305–321. https://doi.org/10.1068/a31202

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mao, Z., Yi, L., Yan, D., & Xing, Y. (2018). Special economic zones and region manufacturing upgrading. China Industrial Economics, 3, 62–79.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ming, L., & Xia, Y. (2016). Migration in the People’s Republic of China. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2838116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Montmartin, B., & Herrera, M. (2015). Internal and external effects of R&D subsidies and fiscal incentives: Empirical evidence using spatial dynamic panel models. Research Policy, 44(5), 1065–1079.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nelson, R. R., & Phelps, E. S. (1966). Investment in humans, technological diffusion, and economic growth. The American Economic Review, 56(1/2), 69–75.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nilssen, M. (2019). To the smart city and beyond? Developing a typology of smart urban innovation. Technological Forecasting Social Change, 142, 98–104.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pan, X., Guo, S., Li, M., & Song, J. (2021). The effect of technology infrastructure investment on technological innovation——A study based on spatial durbin model. Technovation, 107, 102315.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Piva, M., & Vivarelli, M. (2007). Is demand-pulled innovation equally important in different groups of firms? Cambridge Journal of Economics, 31(5), 691–710.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qi, W., Qiuyan, T., & Tingzhou, L. (2020). Influence of quality difference in universities of liberal arts and science on regional innovation. An Empirical Study Based on Higher Educational Quality, 2, 27–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rosenthal, S. S., & Strange, W. C. (2001). The determinants of agglomeration. Journal of Urban Economics, 50(2), 191–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shi, D., Hu, K., & Chen, J. (2019). Does urban civilization promote the high-quality development of enterprises? A research based on the perspectives of environmental regulation and transaction cost. Industrial Economics Research, 103(6), 27–38.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shi, R., Song, D., Rui, G., & Wu, H. (2022). How the establishment of the national civilized city promotes urban green development: From the perspective of administrative competing theory—A quasi experiment study in China. International Journal of Environmental Research Public Health, 19(17), 11103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sodiq, A., Baloch, A. B., Khan, S. A., Sezer, N., Mahmoud, S., Jama, M., & Abdelaal, A. (2019). Towards modern sustainable cities: Review of sustainability principles and trends. Journal of Cleaner Production, 227, 972–1001. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.04.106

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Storper, M., & Venables, A. J. (2004). Buzz: Face-to-face contact and the urban economy. Journal of Economic Geography, 4(4), 351–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tang, S., Wu, X., & Zhu, J. (2020). Digital finance and enterprise technology innovation: Structural feature, mechanism identification and effect difference under financial supervision. Management World, 36(5), 52–66.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tether, B. S. (2002). Who co-operates for innovation, and why: An empirical analysis. Research Policy, 31(6), 947–967.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turok, I., & McGranahan, G. (2013). Urbanization and economic growth: The arguments and evidence for Africa and Asia. Environment and Urbanization, 25(2), 465–482.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Hear, N., & Bakewell, O. (2018). Push-pull plus: Reconsidering the drivers of migration. Journal of Ethnic Migration Studies, 44(6), 927–944.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, L., Xue, Y., Chang, M., & Xie, C. (2020). Macroeconomic determinants of high-tech migration in China: The case of Yangtze River delta urban agglomeration. Cities, 1(107), 102888.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Q., Zhang, M., & Wang, W. (2021). Analysis of the impact of foreign direct investment on urbanization in China from the perspective of circular economy. Environmental Science Pollution Research, 28(18), 22380–22391.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, W., Yu, X., Wang, D., Yang, J., & Zhang, B. (2021a). Spatio-temporal evolution of technology flows in China: Patent licensing networks 2000–2017. The Journal of Technology Transfer, 46, 1674–1703.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, X., Zhang, J., Ren, S., Ran, Q. J. J., & o. C. P. (2021b). Can the new energy demonstration city policy reduce environmental pollution? Evidence from a Quasi-Natural Experiment in China., 287, 125015.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yang, S., Jingjing, L., Feng, D., & Liu, F. (2022). Can government-led civilized city construction promote green innovation? Evidence from China. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-20487-5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, S., Jahanger, A., & Hossain, M. R. (2023a). Does China’s low-carbon city pilot intervention limit electricity consumption? An analysis of industrial energy efficiency using time-varying DID model. Energy Economics, 121, 106636.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yang, S., Jahanger, A., & Hossain, M. R. (2023b). How effective has the low-carbon city pilot policy been as an environmental intervention in curbing pollution? Evidence from Chinese industrial enterprises. Energy Economics, 118, 106523.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ye, X., & Liu, J. (2020). The impact of government support and market-oriented reforms on manufacturing technology progress. Economic Research Journal, 55, 83–98.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yifang, W., & Yunxiang, B. (2020). Developing national major science and technology infrastructure and leading international scientific and technological innovation. Managing the World, 36(05), 172–188.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yu, L., Wang, S., Li, T., & Han, L. (2021). Response of soil faunal communities to tea tree cultivars in the hilly region of western Sichuan. China. Scientia Horticulturae, 275, 109701.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yun, Z., & Fusen, Z. (2017). Research on the impact of international technology spillover and absorptive capacity on the independent innovation of high-tech industries. Journal of Finance Economics, 43(03), 94–106.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeeshan, M., Han, J., Rehman, A., & Afridi, F. E. A. (2020). The unrevealing nexus between foreign direct investments, institutional quality and financial development in Pakistan. Amazonia Investiga, 9(36), 22–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeeshan, M., Han, J., Rehman, A., Ullah, I., Alam, F. E., & Afridi,. (2021). Exploring asymmetric nexus between CO2 emissions, environmental pollution, and household health expenditure in China. Risk Management and Healthcare Policy, 14, 527–539. https://doi.org/10.2147/RMHP.S281729

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zeeshan, M., Han, J., Rehman, A., Ullah, I., & Mubashir, M. (2022). Exploring the role of information communication technology and renewable energy in environmental quality of South-East Asian emerging economies. Frontiers in Environmental Science, 10, 917468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, E., & Fan, L. (2022). Study on the"quality effect" of new infrastructure construction. Frontiers in Business, Economics Management, 5(2), 82–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, C., Liu, Q., Ge, G., Hao, Y., & Hao, H. (2021). The impact of government intervention on corporate environmental performance: Evidence from China’s national civilized city award. Finance Research Letters, 39, 101624.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu, J., & Zhang, L. (2022). Evolutionary game analysis of the implementation of fiscal policy in resource-based cities. Resources Policy, 76, 102618.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhu, C., Wang, G., Leloup, P. H., Cao, K., Mahéo, G., Chen, Y., & Wu, B. (2021). Role of the early miocene Jinhe–Qinghe thrust belt in the building of the southeastern tibetan plateau topography. Tectonophysics, 811, 228871.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

Major Commissioned Project of 2022 Liaoning Social Science Planning Fund (L22ZD005) and 2022 Liaoning Provincial Social Science Planning Fund Project (L22BJY033) and General Project 2021 Liaoning Provincial Department of Education Science Research Fund (LJKR0135).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Business Administration, Liaoning Technical University, XingCheng, Liaoning, 125105, People’s Republic of China

    Jiabin han, Ziyi Chen & Muhammad Zeeshan

  2. Faculty of Management Sciences, National University of Modern Languages, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Alam Rehman

  3. Reading Academy, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China

    Irfan Ullah

  4. Finance and Economics Department, College of Business, University of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

    Suleman Sarwar

Authors
  1. Jiabin han
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ziyi Chen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Muhammad Zeeshan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Alam Rehman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Irfan Ullah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Suleman Sarwar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ziyi Chen.

Ethics declarations

Ethical approval

All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Consent to participation

This study does not involve animals or human objects.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

han, J., Chen, Z., Zeeshan, M. et al. The influence of civilized city honorary title on the urban innovation capacity. Environ Dev Sustain (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-03504-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-03504-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation