New Research Highlights Importance of Investment in New Infrastructure for Economic Development and Technological Innovation

Strategic Insights -

Research presented in a new study from Liaoning University emphasizes the significance of investment in new infrastructure supported by information technology for the economic development and technological innovation of developing countries. The study employed a comprehensive index of China's sustainable innovation ecosystem and established a spatial Durbin panel regression model to empirically test the spatial spillover effect of new infrastructure investment. The findings indicate that new infrastructure investment has a positive impact on the sustainability of regional innovation ecosystems.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study used panel data from 31 provinces and cities in China from 2010 to 2023 to analyze the impact of new infrastructure investment on sustainable innovation ecosystems.
  • The research found that for every 1% increase in new infrastructure investment under the neighborhood matrix, economic matrix, and geographic matrix, the comprehensive index of the sustainable innovation ecosystem increases by 0.049%, 0.022%, and 0.060%, respectively.
  • The study identified two important pathways through which new infrastructure investment enhances the sustainability of regional innovation ecosystems: R&D capital agglomeration and human capital agglomeration.
  • Public investments in education, social security, and environmental protection have a positive moderating effect on the sustainability of new infrastructure investment and innovation ecosystems.
  • The research concluded that the study is an interesting topic that has reference value for enhancing the sustainability of innovation ecosystems in developing countries.
  • Zhian Yang and Pingzhang Lv are the authors of the study, published in Digital Economy and Sustainable Development, a journal published by Springer.

Statistics:

  • The comprehensive index of China's sustainable innovation ecosystem increased by 0.049%, 0.022%, and 0.060% for every 1% increase in new infrastructure investment under the neighborhood matrix, economic matrix, and geographic matrix, respectively.
  • The study analyzed panel data from 31 provinces and cities in China from 2010 to 2023.
  • The research covered a period of 13 years, from 2010 to 2023.

Sources:

  • The spatial spillover effects of new infrastructure investment on sustainable innovation ecosystems: analysis based on provincial panel data in China. Digital Economy and Sustainable Development, 2025,3(1):1-16.
  • Liaoning University
  • Springer