中国的城镇化推进与区域创新--来自卫星灯光数据的经验证据

Urbanization Promotion and Regional Innovation in China:Empirical Evidence from Satellite Light Data

基于卫星监测的夜间灯光数据构造的夜间灯光强度表征城镇化水平及专利授权数度量区域创新能力,利用2006-2017年中国286个地级市面板数据,就城镇化水平对区域创新的影响及其作用机制进行了实证考察。实证发现:①城镇化水平显著提升了区域创新能力,且这种正向作用具有显著的空间溢出效应和区域异质性;②城镇化对区域创新的促进作用存在门槛效应,当城镇化水平跨过单一门槛值,其对区域创新的作用逐渐增强;③中介效应模型检验结果显示,城镇化推进可以通过创新要素流动与产业结构升级来提升区域创新能力。研究结论为积极稳妥推进城镇化建设、促进创新型国家建设提供政策启示。

The impact of urbanization on regional innovation and the corresponding mechanism is investigated by using the panel data of 286 prefecture-level cities in China from 2006 to 2017.The urbanization level is represented by the night-time light intensity constructed by the satellite-monitored night-light data.Regional innovation capability is measured by the number of patents granted.The results show as follows.The improvement urbanization level has a significantly positive effect on regional innovation,with significant spatial spillover effects and regional heterogeneity.Urbanization has a threshold effect on regional innovation.It indicates that the impact of urbanization on innovation is increasing when urbanization level crosses a single threshold.It is verified by the mediation effect model that the promotion of urbanization can enhance regional innovation capabilities by promoting the flow of innovation factors and upgrading the industrial structure.The research conclusions of this article provide policy enlightenment for actively and steadily promoting urbanization construction and promoting the construction of an innovative country.