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We investigate the labor market effects of a loan guarantee program targeting French SMEs during the financial crisis. Exploiting differences in regional treatment intensity in a border discontinuity design, we uncover a central trade-off for such interventions. While the program has a positive impact on workers' employment and earnings trajectories that translates into positive aggregate employment effects, it dampens the worker reallocation toward more productive firms that happens following recessions, and particularly so for high-skill workers. This labor allocation effect is economically significant and translates into a reduction in aggregate productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We find firm-level evidence that removing labor market rigidities can harm productivity growth. This holds, in particular, in industries with a high 'cumulativeness' of knowledge, i.e. when accumulation of worker-embodied (and often 'tacit') knowledge from experience is important for innovative competencies. We conclude that there is a trade-off between the efficient allocation of scarce resources in a static neoclassical perspective and dynamic Schumpeterian efficiency, the latter requiring rigidities in labor markets that are valuable for innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates the productivity impacts and the subsequent adjustment costs associated with hiring different knowledge workers. I focus on the difference between hiring former entrepreneurs, employees who change jobs, and unemployed individuals. I am the first to evaluate the direct impact that hiring former entrepreneurs has on firm productivity and the heterogenous adjustment costs associated with the different types of new hires. I find no difference between the first-year adjustment costs of entrepreneurs and those of regular-wage employees. Hiring former entrepreneurs is a way to increase productivity after the first year of employment only if the former entrepreneurs are from the highest end of the ability distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion of knowledge is an important determinant of economic development. International trade has been established as a key mechanism in facilitating diffusion. The rise of global value chains (GVCs) has transformed trade in recent years. Yet the role of GVCs in giving rise to knowledge spillovers remains under-explored. In this paper, we study the elasticity of industry-level total factor productivity (TFP) to technology that is imported through intermediate trade in GVCs. To do so, we combine novel input–output decomposition methods with recent insights from the literature on the factor content of trade. We focus on a panel of 32 countries and 39 sectors over the 2000–2014 period using WIOD and OECD data. We find that domestic TFP is elastic to knowledge flows arising from GVCs and that the magnitude of this effect is larger relative to all other knowledge flows. We also find that GVC participation is particularly conducive to technology upgrading in countries that are far away from the technology frontier, and that GVC-related spillovers persist over large geographical distances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I examine whether competition from domestic industry rivals affects firms' proclivity to undertake foreign direct investment (FDI) and their country location choices. I find that competition affects foreign production decisions and the geography of international investments. While firms enduring stiffer competition are significantly less likely to undertake FDI, this effect is heterogeneous across firms. Competition deters FDI more strongly when costs are heavier, whereas it has weaker effects when efficiency is higher, growth opportunities are valuable, and cash reserves are higher. FDI location models suggest that when going abroad, firms facing stronger competition are more likely to pursue economies of productivity and taxation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the productivity effects for domestic suppliers from joining and exiting the value chains of foreign-owned multinational enterprises (MNEs). Our econometric analysis is based on firm-to-firm transactions recorded in the value-added tax declarations' data from Estonia and use of propensity score matching and difference-in-difference regression approach. The treatment analysis based on period 2015–2019 suggests that starting to supply the foreign-owned firms initially boosts the value added per employee of the domestic firms, including the effects on the scale of production and the capital–labor ratio. These first linkages to the foreign-owned MNEs do not affect the total factor productivity (TFP) of domestic firms, suggesting that the TFP effects take time to materialize. We find no significant positive effects on the second-tier suppliers: the positive effects are limited to the first-tier suppliers with direct links to foreign-owned firms. One novel result is the evidence that the productivity of suppliers does not fall, on average, after decreasing or ending supplier relationships with the foreign-owned firms. However, this average effect hides significant heterogeneity. Domestic firms with prior high levels of productivity and those at the time of exit from the MNE relationship start to export, gain in productivity in next periods, whereas the firms with low prior productivity levels lose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the promotion of marine power strategies and marine ecological civilization construction, marine green development has become an important issue. This study utilizes the mixed distance function Epsilon-based measure and the global Malmquist--Luenberger index model, which accommodates both radial and non-radial models, to evaluate the marine green total factor productivity (GTFP) across 11 coastal regions of China. The findings of this study are as follows. First, the marine GTFP showed a gradual increase in China's coastal regions during the study period, with notable differences observed among the three primary marine economic circles. Second, technological advancement was the primary driver of the transformation of marine GTFP. Third, the distribution across the space pattern of marine GTFP tended to be concentrated continuously, which shows that the overall spatial distribution pattern of marine GTFP remained relatively stable. Fourth, there is no obvious σ convergence in a northern, eastern marine economic circle. Both absolute and conditional β convergence exists, indicating that the marine GTFP converged to their respective steady-state levels during the study period. This study can provide decision-making reference for accelerating the green growth and sustainable development of China's marine economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The downstream concentration of agricultural products markets under the asymmetric competition pattern of the supply chain has a profound impact on upstream agricultural production. Is this centralized market structure sustainable and efficient? The study examines the effects and mechanisms of agricultural product downstream concentration on the high-quality development of agriculture using the dairy industry as an example. Panel data from 10 provinces in China from 2004 to 2021 were selected for analysis. Using Malmquist index, fixed effects model and other methods, the research results prove that: (1) Downstream dairy market concentration is unfavorable to upstream raw milk total factor productivity growth. However, there is scale heterogeneity in this negative effect, with a positive impact for small-scale farming and a negative impact on medium-scale and large-scale farming. (2) Downstream market concentration drives upstream raw milk total factor productivity growth through technical efficiency improvements and market demand expansion, but it also inhibits raw milk total factor productivity growth through mechanisms that squeeze production margins and impede technological progress. Negative mechanisms are the main effect. (3) Higher wages, higher raw milk prices and an improved ratio of concentrate to crude are all helping to mitigate the negative effects of downstream concentration to some extent, but net profit retention and a high proportion of fixed assets will further exacerbate the negative effects. To better address the challenges brought by the trend of downstream market concentration and promote high-quality agricultural development, this paper proposes three suggestions: enhancing the market position of dairy farmers, regulating monopolistic behavior of oligopolies, and building a mechanism for linking interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The primary function and spatial layout of agriculture are essential foundations and prerequisites for achieving green development. This paper explores the growth drivers for the green transformation of agricultural production in Guangdong, China, aiming to guide the continuous green and low-carbon development of agricultural productivity in Guangdong. Methods: Based on the panel data of 21 prefecture-level cities in Guangdong, China, from 2004 to 2022, this paper uses DEA-BCC and DEA-Malmquist to measure the agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP) and its decomposition efficiency in Guangdong China. The SDM is employed to analyze its spatial spillover roles of the agricultural industrial structure (AIS) innovation. Results: The results show that the AGTFP varies with an overall fluctuating upward trend, but the imbalance of regional differences still exists, characterized as "Pearl River Delta > Eastern Wing > Western Wing > Mountainous Area," indicating the siphoning role from Pearl River Delta. There is a strong spatial correlation between the AGTFP and the AIS. Discussion: Our evidence suggests that the AIS innovation improves the AGTFP and can have positive spatial consequences in neighboring areas. Besides, human capital hinders AGTFP, accounting for the self-exploitation in agricultural production driven by the excessive labor force input. Our findings highlight the spatial impact of the AIS innovation on the AGTFP when greening agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) empowers the real economy, promotes intelligent transformation, and upgrades enterprises. However, whether AI applications improve enterprises' total factor productivity (TFP) in developing countries remains unknown. Based on a textual analysis of the annual reports of Chinese A-share listed companies, we constructed indicators to measure AI applications in companies. Furthermore, the development status and influencing factors of AI applications in Chinese enterprises were explored, and the influence of AI applications on TFP was examined. The results reveal that the probability of AI application varies across enterprises. Large enterprises with a low proportion of fixed assets and high profitability are located in highly market-oriented regions and those operating in strongly competitive industries are more likely to apply AI. AI applications can significantly increase TFP, which holds true after a series of robustness tests. This influence is heterogeneous across industries and enterprises, and the positive effects are more pronounced for producer services and high-tech manufacturing, as well as state-owned, large, and labour-intensive enterprises. AI applications increase TFP mainly through technological innovation and by replacing low-end labour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the potential negative effects of city-county mergers on firm-level total factor productivity (TFP). A theoretical framework is established to explain how city-county mergers could lead to higher institutional and non-institutional costs, thus influencing government decision-making and resource allocation. As a result, firms operating in the economy will absorb these costs and adjust their behavior accordingly. By employing Chinese firm-level data in a difference-in-differences approach, this study finds a statistically significant negative effect of transitioning county-level cities into municipal districts (TCD) on firm-level productivity. Additionally, this study identifies the financial situation of reformed governments and the internal environment of firms as two mechanisms through which the TCD reform influences firm-level productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the influence of business strategy on green total factor productivity (GTFP), focusing on the mediating effect of digital transformation and the moderating effect of organizational legitimacy. Leveraging micro-data from China’s listed industrial enterprises spanning from 2011 to 2021, findings reveal: (1) Prospector strategies exhibit a greater propensity to enhance GTFP compared to defender strategies. (2) Digital transformation partially mediates between business strategy and GTFP. (3) Organizational legitimacy moderates between business strategy and GTFP. Specifically, when a company possesses robust financial standing (pragmatic legitimacy), a better environmental track record (moral legitimacy), and establishment of Environmental Management System certification (cognitive legitimacy), the positive relationship between business strategy and GTFP is strengthened. (4) Further research indicates that business strategy exerts a more pronounced effect on enhancing GTFP for companies with larger scales and weaker political connections, as well as those situated in regions characterized by high fiscal revenue and favorable legal environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the influence of digital government initiatives on corporate total factor productivity (TFP). Employing a difference-in-differences (DID) methodology and analyzing data from publicly listed companies spanning the period 2010 to 2020, we investigate the impact of digital governance on corporate TFP. Our findings reveal a noteworthy positive effect, with an average TFP increase of 5%. Further exploration through heterogeneity analysis indicates that this impact is particularly pronounced in regions with robust network infrastructure, increased marketization, and decreased economic uncertainty, particularly among privately-owned enterprises. Moreover, we identify key mechanisms through which digital governance fosters this enhancement in TFP, including the facilitation of technological innovation, efficient allocation of high-skilled labor, and improved investment efficiency. Our research underscores the significant role of digital government initiatives in bolstering corporate TFP and contributes to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying this relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of regional digital economy development on firms’ Green Total Factor Productivity (GTFP), aiming to understand its role in enhancing green governance efficiency. Using panel data from Chinese listed firms and cities from 2011 to 2019, we empirically analyse the impact. Our findings reveal that regional digital economy development significantly improves firm GTFP by enhancing technical efficiency, fostering ICT agglomeration, and advancing industrial structure. Additionally, the impact varies based on city traits (e.g. fossil-fuel reliance, low-carbon focus, and Yangtze River Economic Belt location) and firm specifics (e.g. state-owned enterprises and financially constrained firms), as well as market competition. These results highlight the importance of tailored strategies to leverage digitalisation for firm-level green transition, and infer promoting the digital economy, fostering ICT agglomeration, and developing region-specific strategies considering diverse contexts (i.e. city traits, firm specifics and market) to enhance firm GTFP and support sustainable growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital technology plays a vital role in driving toward a zero-carbon future. This paper explores whether new infrastructure, serving as carriers for digital technology, contributes to carbon reduction and efficiency gains in cities. Drawing on panel data from 280 Chinese cities spanning 2011 to 2019, we establish a theoretical analytical framework to investigate how new infrastructure influences urban carbon performance through the perspectives of influence, threshold, and spatial spillover effects. The study reveals that new infrastructures development has a contributing effect on the total factor carbon productivity of cities, with consistent results across various testing methods. Additionally, the threshold effect test suggests that the dual threshold of regional energy consumption influences the enhancing effect of new infrastructure on total factor carbon productivity, exhibiting nonlinear characteristics. Furthermore, the spatial spillover effect test suggests that new infrastructure construction accelerates the local carbon emission performance, while having a positive spillover effect on neighboring cities. This study provides innovative ideas and experiences from China for the global realization of simultaneous promotion of digital economy development and energy conservation and emission reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the development of carbon finance can promote sustainable economic growth in China through spatial spillover effects. On the basis of a theoretical analysis of this mechanism, this paper takes 30 provincial-level administrative regions in China as the research object and uses a variety of spatial econometric analysis techniques to empirically test them. It assesses sustainable economic development measured by green total factor productivity (GTFP). This study documents a significant and positive impact of province-level carbon finance improvement on sustainable economic growth through improving technological progress and increasing technological market turnover. The economic influence of carbon finance on sustainable economic growth is still positive after considering possible endogeneity concerns. Results reveal heterogeneity and spatial spillover effects of carbon finance on GTFP, notably stronger in eastern regions compared to central and western ones. We find that the technological progress and technological market turnover have significant and positive promotional effects on GTFP with increasing levels of carbon finance. This paper provides policy implications for improving sustainable economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the impact of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) on reducing smog pollution in key provinces along the route. Utilizing data from 284 prefecture-level cities in China from 2007 to 2018, this study adopted a propensity score matching-difference-in-differences approach, and conducted a series of robustness checks. The results indicate that the BRI has overall reduced particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than 2.5 µm (PM2.5) levels in key provinces along the route, and robustness checks find consistent results. Dynamic effect tests reveal a significant reduction in the annual average PM2.5 levels in key provinces along the route after the BRI was implemented in 2014. Tests on underlying mechanism find that the BRI mainly reduced PM2.5 levels in key provinces along the route by promoting technological innovation and optimizing industrial structure. Furthermore, heterogeneity tests find that the BRI significantly reduced PM2.5 levels only in cities of key provinces along the Silk Road Economic Belt, with variations in significance due to regional differences, city administrative levels, and marketization. In addition, the BRI has enhanced green total factor productivity in key provinces along the route by reducing PM2.5 levels. This study enriches research on the economic consequences of the BRI in terms of environmental protection, and also provides empirical support for the construction of the green "Belt and Road." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on panel data from 2011 to 2021 encompassing 390 listed enterprises in China, we investigate the potential influence of media coverage on the Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) performance of heavy-polluting enterprises. The study discerns that positive media coverage significantly contributes to an enhanced ESG performance among heavy-polluting enterprises, particularly those in eastern and western China and those entrenched within highly competitive industries. Positive media coverage predominantly amplifies these enterprises' environmental and social performance dimensions, while intriguingly, negative media coverage unexpectedly positively impacts their environmental performance. Green total factor productivity and green innovation emerge as crucial facilitators in bolstering the relationship between positive media coverage and the ESG performance of these enterprises. Our research findings provide valuable insights into understanding enterprise ESG behavior and the role of media coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This 12-week Goldilocks Work intervention was delivered almost as planned with high quality and adherence to the predefined protocol. • Despite the high level of adherence, the intervention did not result in a change towards the intended 'just right' ergonomic balance in physical behaviors. • This Goldilocks Work intervention did not promote musculoskeletal health or change productivity among industrial workers with physically demanding work. • Further research is needed to identify effective implementation strategies that can change physical behaviors within an industrial setting. Introduction: Industrial workers with physically demanding work have increased risk of musculoskeletal pain. The present 12-week Goldilocks Work intervention aimed to organize work among industrial workers to comprise a 'just right' ergonomic balance of physical behaviors (i.e., sit, stand and active) intended to promote musculoskeletal health. The paper investigates the effectiveness of the intervention in reducing low back pain after work. Methods: 83 workers across 28 workteams in a biotech organization were recruited. Workteams were randomly allocated to receive the intervention or work as usual (control). Intervention workteams implemented the Goldilocks Work planning tool to organize their work tasks towards a predefined 'just right' ergonomic balance (i.e., composition of 60% sitting, 30% standing, 10% active work and hourly task alternation). The primary outcome was low back pain intensity. Secondary outcomes were bodily pain, fatigue, physical exertion, productivity and energy after work measured in the survey, and composition and alternations of physical behaviors measured using wearable sensors. Results: The intervention was delivered almost as planned, with good quality and high adherence among most workteams. However, the intervention did not change physical behaviors towards the intended 'just right' ergonomic balance. No significant reduction in low back pain (0.07, CI 95%: −0.68; 0.82), bodily pain (0.10, CI 95%: −0.57; 0.76), tiredness (−0.53, CI 95%: −1.24; 0.19), physical exertion (−0.18, CI 95%: −0.83; 0.48), or improvement in energy (0.39, CI 95%: −1.02; 0.23) or productivity (−0.03, CI 95%: −0.77; 0.72) were found. Conclusion: This Goldilocks Work intervention did not promote musculoskeletal health among industrial workers and did not change physical behaviors as intended. Thus, more research is needed into implementation strategies to change physical behaviors during productive work towards an evidence-based 'just right' ergonomic balance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2015, the United Nations (UN) proposed the 2030 Agenda, a resolution that outlines the global goals for sustainable development. This report focuses on promoting health and well-being, emphasizing the importance of primary healthcare (PHC). However, Brazil faces challenges in managing its healthcare system, exacerbated by fiscal policy changes that have reduced public sector expenditures after 2015. This study was motivated by these recent changes in Brazil's fiscal policy. We evaluated potential fluctuations in total factor productivity (TFP) in 5,524 Brazilian municipalities' primary healthcare from 2015 to 2019. TFP, a measure of efficiency and production technology in PHC, was computed using the bootstrapping Malmquist productivity index (MPI) derived from the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) algorithm. This study focused on the economic recession and austerity measures initiated in 2015. Moreover, it's essential to highlight that the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic in Brazil in 2020 brought significant changes to the country's economic, social, and health dynamics. Therefore, this research intentionally concentrated on the pre-pandemic period. Our results revealed that TFP in the PHC sector in Brazil decreased between 2015 and 2019. It was possible to note that three out of every four Brazilian municipalities experienced either stagnation or a decline in the TFP of primary healthcare, with more pronounced challenges in the Midwest and Northeast regions. Looking at the TFP elements, we could see a continuous drop in technical efficiency everywhere in the country, markedly in the Midwest and Northeast. Conversely, there was a considerable uptick in Brazil's technological component. These results implied that there might have been advancements in PHC's technological infrastructure, preventing even less favorable outcomes in the TFP indicator. We concluded that the productivity of primary healthcare in Brazil declined when the 2015 fiscal ceiling was implemented. This decrease in performance was evident in the sluggish growth rate of primary healthcare inputs, a diminution in vaccination coverage indicators, and an increase in hospitalizations for preventable causes. Given that health is a crucial component of social well-being, it is vital to highlight the need for comprehensive efforts to guarantee the effective operation and advancement of primary healthcare services, even during economic downturns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The integration of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) brings about a significant improvement in the efficiency and productivity of industrial processes. The speed and accuracy of various tasks have been greatly enhanced with the utilization of IIoT which allows smoother operations and cost-effective solutions, to protect uninterrupted intrusions and avoid potential threats. This article proposes a novel recurrent federated network-based enhanced local search grasshopper (RFN-ELG) algorithm. Datasets like UNSW-NB15 and MQTT-IoT-IDS2020 datasets are employed to determine the performances of IIoT via two diverse phases, namely the data preprocessing phase as well as attack detection phase. The recurrent neural networks (RNNs) are integrated with federated learning (FL) to overcome the gradient issues during the training process. In addition to this, the hyperparameters of RNN-FL are tuned via a grasshopper optimization algorithm with a local search strategy. Accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and false alarm rate (FAR) are the performance metrics taken for attack detection, where accuracy attains the value of 98.1%, precision attains the value of 97.4%, recall attains the value of 96.1%, F1-score attains the value of 97.2%, and FAR attains the value of 96.1%, respectively. Therefore, the proposed RFN-ELG algorithm attains high performance in detecting the attacks in IIoT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Engaging in export activities is a key factor influencing firm performance. This paper explores the export-productivity and export-capital intensity relationship using firm-level data from the Brazilian manufacturing industry over the period 2007–2014. The empirical strategy combines Propensity Score Matching (PSM) and Differences in Differences (DD) methods and explores the fact that firms enter the external market at different moments, generating a variation in the period and permanence in international trade. We find static and dynamic effects on labor productivity, total factor productivity, and capital intensity. Firms that start exports experience an average productivity growth of about 5% and a 2% decrease in capital intensity compared to non-exporting firms. The permanence in the activity magnifies these impacts. After three periods, the growth (reduction) in productivity (capital intensity) is around 10.5% (4.7%). We identify heterogeneous effects, leading to variations in magnitude across dimensions such as technological intensity, size, age, ex-ante levels of productivity and capital intensity, and intensive margin of trade. We also show that firms become more labor intensive by demanding more skilled workers. • Engaging in export activities is a key factor influencing firm performance. • We explore the export-productivity and export-capital intensity relationship using firm-level data from Brazilian manufacturing industry over the period 2007-2014. • We find static and dynamic effects on labor productivity, total factor productivity, and capital intensity. • Firms that start export experience an average productivity growth of about 5% and a 2% decrease in capital intensity compared to non-exporting firms. • Firms become more labor intensive by demanding more skilled workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the impact of heat waves on the productivity of the Italian food industry. Using daily weather and firm‐level data for the 2004–2019 period, we show that a heat wave causes, on average, a reduction in Total Factor Productivity (TFP) of about 3.2%. Smaller firms are more severely affected, with a reduction of approximately 7%, revealing unequal impacts within the same country and sector. The reduction in TFP can be partially attributed to lower workers' productivity, with labour input increased in order to compensate for productivity loss. The estimated effect is heterogeneous across subsectors, with some well‐known Italian products (e.g., wine production) more severely affected by heat waves. These findings have significant policy implications due to the expected increase in the frequency of heat waves caused by climate change, and are particularly important in the case of the Italian food industry, which is mainly composed of small firms. The paper highlights the need to investigate further the impacts of heat stress on the entire food system, as most of the literature has predominantly focused on the agricultural sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Chinese government is constantly pursuing a green transformation of its industry under the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At the same time, the booming digital economy has brought new opportunities and challenges to the Chinese government, and it is relevant to discuss the contribution of the digital economy to China's green development. In this study, we use panel data for 247 cities in China from 2011-2019. The impact of the digital economy on green total factor productivity is examined, and the mechanism of green technological innovation in this process is verified. It has been found that the digital economy can promote GTFP and that green technological innovation has a positive moderating role in this process. We also verify the threshold effect of green technological innovation, and the role of the digital economy can be inflated when green technological innovation reaches the corresponding threshold. Of course, these findings pass a series of robustness tests, and they are plausible. Accordingly, we put forward some policy recommendations to mitigate the possible problems in reality in order to promote green production in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) plays a significant role in realizing sustainable economic development. This paper uses the textual content of annual reports of listed companies to count 73 words frequencies related to AI and construct AI indicators through precise vocabulary. It also examines how AI affects environment, social, and governance (ESG) performance at the firm level using unbalanced panel data of Chinese listed firms from 2007 to 2022. The results indicate that the development of artificial intelligence has significantly improved the ESG performance of Chinese listed companies, and the conclusion still holds after a series of robustness tests. As a moderating variable, macroeconomic policy uncertainty reinforces the positive impact of AI on ESG performance. In terms of the impact mechanism, AI enhances firms' ESG performance by increasing firms' total factor productivity and R&D expenditures. The results of heterogeneity analysis show that AI has a significant positive impact on the ESG performance of non-state-owned firms, firms with executives without overseas backgrounds, and technology and capital-intensive firms. Compared with the western region, AI in the eastern and central regions has a more significant improvement effect on ESG performance. Our study deepens the knowledge and understanding of the role played by AI in the green development process at the micro level. It provides valuable suggestions and reflections for promoting AI development at the micro-enterprise level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Government intervention in industrial development is prevalent across both developed and developing nations. This paper evaluates the efficacy of Chinese government intervention in high-tech industries in fostering economic development. Methodologically, we assess government intervention's effectiveness by examining the heterogeneity of agglomeration effects in high-tech industries across various locations before and after policy interventions. Our study reveals several key findings: (1) Overall, high-tech industry agglomeration yields positive intra-industry and local spillover effects. (2) Agglomeration effects exhibit significant spatial and temporal variations. Before 2013, government intervention was limited, and high-tech industries predominantly clustered in the eastern region due to market forces, resulting in significantly positive agglomeration effects. However, post-2013, government intervention became evident, particularly driven by competitive dynamics in less-developed regions and central government support for these areas. Consequently, high-tech industries in these regions generated positive intra-industry and local spillover effects, leading to a shift in the distribution of high-tech industry hubs towards the central and western regions. Nonetheless, agglomeration effects diminished in these regions, signaling distortions. (3) Not all high-tech industries exert positive impacts; for instance, the ICT manufacturing sector, characterized by general technology, demonstrates the most pronounced effects, whereas the aerospace manufacturing industry shows relatively weaker agglomeration effects. (4) High-tech industries primarily enhance industrial profitability by refining intermediate inputs and foster local total factor productivity and green total factor productivity through knowledge spillovers. Consequently, policy interventions should aim to effectively facilitate intermediary mechanisms. These findings offer valuable insights into how governments can judiciously intervene in high-tech industries to promote sustainable economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use the elements of a macroeconomic production function—physical capital, human capital, labor, and technology—together with standard growth models to frame the role of religion in economic growth. Unifying a growing literature, we argue that religion can enhance or impinge upon economic growth through all four elements because it shapes individual preferences, societal norms, and institutions. Religion affects physical capital accumulation by influencing thrift and financial development. It affects human capital through both religious and secular education. It affects population and labor by influencing work effort, fertility, and the demographic transition. And it affects total factor productivity by constraining or unleashing technological change and through rituals, legal institutions, political economy, and conflict. Synthesizing a disjoint literature in this way opens many interesting directions for future research. (JEL E22, I25, J10, N30, O33, O43, Z12) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the effect of government subsidies on outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) by Chinese listed firms. Based on a panel dataset covering Chinese listed firms from 2009 to 2021, our findings indicate that government subsidies can promote OFDI by enhancing the production efficiency, innovation capability, and social performance of Chinese listed firms. Furthermore, the heterogeneous analyses show that non‐tax‐based subsidies significantly promote OFDI by Chinese listed firms, and government subsidies do not result in a discernible preference for greenfield investments or mergers and acquisitions. In addition, government subsidies can significantly contribute to promoting OFDI for non‐SOEs, older firms, firms in globally emerging sectors and domestically catching‐up sectors, as well as firms located in eastern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study gives new evidence on the effects of public debt on economic growth in India with key macroeconomic indicators from 1980 to 2019. In the past decade, and after the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a substantial rise in public debt, which reached 90% of the GDP in April 2021. Therefore, it is imperative to study the impact of different public debt sources on the Indian economy to help policymakers frame informed debt management policies. The long-run equilibrium relationship and cointegrating coefficients are calculated using Johansen cointegration and fully modified ordinary least square techniques. Toda and Yamamoto's (1995) Granger causality test is used as a short-run diagnostic test for the long-run equilibrium relationship. The study's major findings suggest that domestic debt, total factor productivity (TFP) and exports are the major determinants of economic development in the long run. In contrast, economic prosperity determines the growth of external debt, debt service payments and TFP in the short run. It is recommended that the government should control and channel public debt productively for favourable growth effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the market‐based‐view of the firm, this study investigates the relationship between trademark intensity and firm performance under the conditions of product market competition, total factor productivity, and SG&A efficiency. Higher trademark intensity is more positively associated with performance, and this positive association is amplified under higher product market competition or weakened under higher SG&A efficiency or total factor productivity. To address potential endogeneity, we employ partialing out lasso regression and cross‐fit partialing out lasso regression techniques, which yield consistent results. The findings provide valuable insights into the interplay between trademark intensity and firm performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The empirical literature on Special economic zones (SEZs) has shown that SEZs have become critical policy tools for advancing economic and firm performance, especially in developing economies where financial capital, human capital, technology and technical know‐how to drive these performances are in limited supply. While the importance and effects of SEZs cannot be overemphasised and are well documented, particularly in Asia, SEZs' operationalisation, structure and policy practice appear to vary, especially in Ghana and hence a need to examine SEZ effects on firm performance in Ghana. Thus, following the difference in the structure and practice of SEZs and its limited empirical evidence in African emerging economies, this present study employs analysis of variance, treatment estimation and regression models covering 328 firms between 2018 and 2021 to shed insights on how SEZ dynamics/features affect firm performance (measured with total factor productivity, labour productivity, profitability, revenue generation and value added) in Ghana. Our results suggest firms operating under SEZ dynamics have varying significant effects on firm performance. Thus, while firms registered as SEZ firms and operating in SEZ enclaves and firms registered as SEZ firms and operating outside SEZ enclaves have significant positive effects on the performance indicators of firms, firms that are not registered as SEZ firms and operating outside SEZ enclaves detracted firm performance. Clearly, firms that possess SEZ dynamics/features tend to promote performance of firms as denoted in the empirical literature and theoretical approaches to SEZ. Arguably, the tax holidays, cheaper tariffs and infrastructural benefits derived by SEZ registered firms boost their productivity, revenue and profit performance higher than non‐SEZ registered firms. These results suggest policymakers/government should reduce administrative bottlenecks of registering as SEZ firms and operating in SEZ enclaves to increase the number of SEZ firm operations to induce performance and create room for fiscal revenue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examine the effect of digital financial reporting on firm productivity. Information frictions represent a constraint that impedes efficient resource allocation and a major source of such frictions stems from the fact that firms' production functions (the conversion from inputs to outputs) are not observable to corporate outsiders. Digital communication of corporate financial data fundamentally changes how firm-specific information is disclosed, released, and disseminated by mitigating information asymmetry between corporate insiders and outsiders and facilitates the processing of such information. We use the staggered implementation of the SEC's Electronic Data Gathering and Analysis Retrieval (EDGAR) system to investigate the impact of digital financial reporting on firms' productivity. We show that the implementation of EDGAR results in an economically meaningful and statistically significant increase on firms' productivity, measured by total factor productivity (TFP). By focusing on the role of information dissemination in coordinating investments and production, our findings provide evidence on the real effects of "going digital" in corporate reporting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current climate issues pose a challenge to green development, so it is important to study the relationship between climate change and agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP). This paper constructs a panel smooth transition regression (PSTR) model using panel data from 2005 to 2019 in China to evaluate the relationship between climate change and agricultural green total factor productivity. Selecting agricultural operation scale, agricultural premium and green finance index as transfer variables, the PSTR model is constructed, respectively. The empirical results show that the impacts of different types of climate change on AGTFP have significant nonlinear characteristics. Smaller and larger agricultural operation scales can mitigate the negative impact of sunshine impact on AGTFP. Higher agricultural premiums and lower or higher green finance index can mitigate the negative impact of temperature shock and sunshine shock on AGTFP. Based on the research results, we put forward policy recommendations to encourage the expansion of agricultural operation scale, promote agricultural insurance and promote the construction of a green financial system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the miracle of China achieving a balance between environmental governance and high economic growth has attracted the attention of many scholars, especially at the production level in various industries. To search for production activities with sustainable development potential and explore their characteristics. This study uses the panel data of 31 provinces in China from 2011 to 2020 to establish a unified analysis framework based on the division criteria of three industries. It takes the three industries' total factor productivity (TFP) as the entry point to study the impact of environmental regulation (ER) on economic growth and its potential mechanisms at the production level. The results show that ER will force the secondary industry to improve TFP but also negatively affect the TFP of the primary and tertiary industries. In addition, ER indirectly affects TFP in the three industries by affecting public environmental concerns and foreign direct investment. This results from the comprehensive effect of production cost effects, compensation effects of innovation, and compensation effects of optimizing resource allocation caused by ER. Moreover, the positive impact of ER on the TFP of the secondary industry is nonlinear. The higher the level of digital economy development, the more significant the positive impact. More importantly, there are regional differences in the impact of ER on the TFP of the primary and secondary industries. This article considers both static and dynamic panels and the results of the two models show consistency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the effects of migration on economic outcomes have gained significant attention among researchers and policymakers. In the African context, the complex interplay between migration and economic outcomes is of particular importance, as many countries face unique challenges, such as limited resources, ongoing conflicts, and uneven development. This paper explores the impact of immigration, international migrant cash transfers, and emigration on total factor productivity in Africa, and its implications for public policy. We used the World Development Indicators, the Pen World Table from 2000 to 2020, and instrumental variable estimation in an endogenous growth model. The findings indicate that emigrant human capital and remittances have a negative impact on total factor productivity, whereas immigrant human capital positively affects it. These results highlight the importance of well-defined public migration policies that promote brain circulation, attract skilled immigrants, enhance domestic human capital development, and foster regional co-operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWith new technologies emerging, productivity is increasing, while environmental issues are being addressed. Studies focus on the benefits of technological progress but pay limited attention to potential risks. This paper uses data from 286 Chinese cities to explore the impact of industrial robots on urban green total factor productivity. We find that industrial robots significantly reduces urban green total factor productivity. Mechanism analysis shows the main effect is driven by manufacturing agglomeration and crowding out environmental investment. Urban green total factor productivity decomposition shows that industrial robots block green technical progress and efficiency. Heterogeneity analysis shows that industrial robots significantly impact urban green total factor productivity in developed, highly market-oriented, and industrialized regions. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the role of industrial robots in urban green development and provide corresponding policy implications for guiding the harmonious development of technology and sustainable urban growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As China's second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, agriculture is essential to achieving the goal of "carbon peak" and "carbon neutrality." Based on the measurement of agricultural carbon emissions (ACE) and agricultural carbon intensity (ACI) in 19 regions along the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YEB) and Yellow River Basin (YRB) in China from 2001 to 2020, this paper first uses the super-efficiency SBM model to measure ACE efficiency from static and dynamic perspectives. Then, the coupling coordination degree (CCD) between ACE efficiency and green finance in each region of the two basins is explored. Finally, Grey Relation Analysis (GRA) is used to obtain the influencing factors of CCD. The following conclusions are drawn: (1) The ACE in the YEB is almost twice that of the YRB. The ACE of the two basins generally experienced a trend of first growth and then declined, but the peak time was different. The ACI of the two basins showed a trend of continuous decline, and the decline rate of the YRB was faster. (2) The ACE efficiency of the two basins showed an overall upward trend, and the growth degree of different regions was vastly different. From the factor decomposition, the technological progress (TP) of the two basins significantly impacts the total factor productivity (TFP). (3) The CCD of ACE efficiency and green finance in the two basins increased from near imbalance to barely coordination level, and the CCD of the YEB increased slightly faster. The CCD of the two basins has a spatial difference of "downstream > midstream > upstream." (4) Among the influencing factors of the CCD of the two systems, the influencing degree of the factors is as follows from large to small: quality of human capital, level of economic development, government regulation, scientific and technological innovation ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The difficulty in transforming old industrial areas constitutes a significant factor contributing to regional development imbalances. Can regional tax incentives, as a crucial component of regional policies, polish the "rust belt" regions? This study leverages the inaugural Value-Added Tax (VAT) reform in China as an opportunity to explore the potential of regional tax incentives in achieving sustainable development in traditional industrial areas. Drawing upon a comprehensive industrial enterprise database, we employ a Propensity Score Matching-Difference in Differences (PSM-DID) approach to examine the efficacy of these tax incentives. Our findings reveal that: (1) Regional tax incentives primarily enhance firms productivity by stimulating investment in enterprises, yet they do not contribute to improved investment efficiency or spur innovation within firms. (2) Regional tax incentives have alleviated financing constraints for enterprises in old industrial bases, significantly enhancing the Total Factor Productivity (TFP) of firms with higher financing constraints. This policy has had an even stronger impact on improving the TFP of state-owned and monopolistic enterprises. (3) Regional tax incentives have impeded productivity growth by preventing the exit of low-efficiency firms and the entry of high-efficiency ones. These incentives also increased the likelihood of "zombie firms" forming and failed to promote endogenous economic growth in the Northeast region. Additionally, they have distorted the allocation of resources towards capital and technology-intensive industries in that area. In China's old industrial bases, regional tax incentives should be coordinated with market-oriented reforms; these regional tax incentive policies should also be further enriched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The efficient development of the agricultural product circulation industry, as a crucial component of agricultural growth, directly impacts the successful realization of the country's rural revitalization strategy. Despite the favorable trend in the development of China's agricultural product circulation industry, with continuous growth in the volume of agricultural product circulation and overall logistics turnover, challenges persist. There remains a prevalent emphasis on "heavy production and light circulation" in agricultural development, leading to high circulation costs and notably low efficiency. This situation necessitates imminent reforms within the agricultural product circulation industry. In response to emerging contradictions in the contemporary agricultural product circulation domain, the country has strategically advocated for digital development. The advancement of next-generation information technology has propelled the reforms within the agricultural product circulation industry and the exploration of intelligent technology applications in this field aligns with practical developmental needs. Firstly, this article constructs an evaluation framework for agricultural product circulation efficiency based on the perspective of dual online and offline circulation channels. Utilizing the data envelopment analysis (DEA) method, the study calculates the static efficiency of agricultural product circulation in China. Through regional comparisons, it is revealed that the overall efficiency of agricultural product circulation is highest in the eastern region, followed by the central and northeastern regions, with the western region lagging behind. Secondly, employing the Malmquist index model, the study investigates the changes in total factor productivity within agricultural product circulation. The findings indicate the following trends during the statistical period: the circulation of agricultural products in the eastern region has maintained a substantial growth rate primarily driven by technological advancements; in the northeastern region, the overall total factor productivity in agricultural product circulation shows an increasing trend but displays an M-shaped variation; the central region witnesses relatively low average annual growth in total factor productivity, characterized by significant fluctuations primarily influenced by variations in pure technical efficiency; the western region experiences a continuous decline in scale efficiency and pure technical efficiency compared to the previous year, with only a rise in technological progress index supporting a slight increase in total factor productivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing efficiency and productivity in countries' healthcare systems is a global challenge. The Chinese government invested huge resources to improve the efficiency and productivity of the healthcare system across the country. To assess the success of the mission above, this research utilized DEA-SBM Meta frontier analysis alongside the Malmquist Productivity Index. These methodologies were employed to gauge Efficiency, production technology heterogeneity, and productivity of healthcare systems change across 31 mainland Chinese provinces and four distinct geographical regions throughout the study period spanning from 1997 to 2022. Results revealed that the mean efficiency score of China's healthcare system is 0.7672. It indicates a growth potential of 23.28 percent in the operational efficiency of healthcare systems. The eastern region's efficiency level (0.86917) is higher among all four regions. Zhejiang, Shandong, and Guangdong are the top three healthcare-efficiency performers. The technology gap ratio indicates that eastern regions witnessed a high TGR (0.9909), showing the country's attainment of superior healthcare technologies. Beijing, Guangdong, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Zhejiang witnessed higher TGR values among all 31 mainland Chinese provinces. The total factor productivity index of the healthcare system witnessed a slight growth of 0.33%, with an average MI score of 1.0033. Efficiency change (EC) was found to be the main determinant of TFPC as technology change TC is less than EC. Moreover, the MI score of the Western region (1.033) is higher than the corresponding Eastern, northeastern, and central regions. Guizhou, Anhui, and Yunnan were found to be the top three performers in TFPC growth. Finally, the Kruskal–Wallis test confirmed the statistically significant difference among 4 Chinese regions for the healthcare system's efficiency, TFPC, and TGR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economic green transition is the change of economic development mode under environmental constraints; this process will generate huge demand for credit financing. Understanding the connection between credit allocation and environmental performance is crucial for the coordinated development of the economy and environment. Utilizing the Chinese Industrial Enterprises Database, I constructed a city-level green credit index and compiled panel data from 2006 to 2013 for 282 selected cities in China. A spatial model was employed to explore the influence of green credit on the economic green transition. The findings reveal a positive relationship between green credit and economic green transition during the study period. Green credit not only enhances local green total factor productivity but also exerts beneficial impacts on adjacent areas though demonstration effects. Additionally, the reallocation of credit resources and the innovation of clean technologies are identified as key mechanisms through which green credit fosters a greener economy. However, the study also finds that the impact of green credit is moderated by factors such as a high reliance on natural resources, the underdevelopment of market intermediaries, and excessive governmental intervention, which can undermine its effectiveness. Furthermore, the efficacy of green credit exhibits regional heterogeneity; it has a significant positive impact in the eastern regions of China, while its influence appears to be non-significantly positive in the central and western regions. This study enriches the research on the macroeconomic impacts of green credit, offering practical evidence and theoretical support for the implementation of green credit policies by local governments in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The rapid aging of the labor force has serious implications for socioeconomic development and poses challenges to food sustainability. Existing studies have focused on the impact of labor force aging on land productivity, but little attention has been paid to the comprehensive capacity of agricultural production, namely the total factor productivity of agriculture. Methods: We estimate the impact of labor force aging on total factor productivity in agriculture using data from 170,506 sample farm households from the National Fixed Point Survey data from 2003 to 2020. We estimate the results using a panel fixed effects approach and mitigate the endogeneity problem using an instrumental variables approach to ensure the robustness of the estimates. Results and discussion: The results show that labor force aging has an adverse effect on the agricultural total factor productivity of farm households and remains robust after addressing endogeneity and substituting explanatory variables. The aging effect shows significant heterogeneity across different food functional areas with different types of farm households. The negative impact of labor force aging on total factor productivity in agriculture is mainly concentrated in the main grain-production and grain-producing and marketingbalanced areas. We also find that the negative impact of labor force aging is more significant among large-scale farmers. The mechanism analysis finds that the aging of the labor force adversely affects the agricultural total factor productivity by inhibiting technological progress and reducing the efficiency of agricultural resource allocation. These insights, when considered in the light of global trends towards agricultural labor aging, suggest that policy interventions aimed at promoting technological adoption, enhancing resource allocation efficiency, and supporting the transitioning of older farmers may hold promise for maintaining food sustainability and addressing the challenges posed by an aging agricultural workforce in numerous developing nations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of China's carbon emission trading (CET) framework on the green development of the construction sector, a topic that has been underexplored. Utilizing annual data from 107 publicly listed construction companies from 2007 to 2022, we apply green total factor productivity (GTFP) as a metric for green development. Our findings reveal that GTFP increased by 0.36 during this period. Using the Difference-in-Differences (DID) methodology, we account for factors such as market dimensions, ownership structure, financial stability, geographical location, and state financial aid. The interaction term coefficient in our model is 0.0089, significant at the 1% level, indicating that CET implementation has significantly improved GTFP in construction enterprises. Heterogeneity analysis further shows that the CET's impact is more pronounced in large-scale, state-owned, highly indebted enterprises, those located in the eastern region, and those receiving government subsidies, with coefficients of 0.112, 0.0108, 0.0092, 0.0133, and 0.0099, respectively, all significant at the 1% level. These results underscore the importance of unified market development and tailored governance strategies. The study concludes with policy recommendations and calls for further research to explore CET's nuanced impacts across different sectors and regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper seeks to draw a research agenda for unveiling the underlying bottlenecks and possibilities for improving the agricultural total factor productivity in the European Union (EU). To this aim, the paper first surveys the key challenges for the modern agricultural economy. Then, the case of the EU is discussed by looking at the convergence in the partial productivity indicators (including the GHG emission) and growth efficiency that relate to the gap in the total factor productivity growth. The results suggest that the EU member states exhibited growth inefficiency (i.e., a gap in the total factor productivity growth) of 5–9% on average during 2004–2021. The paper also discusses the possibilities to utilize the production theory for assessing the pathways towards improvements in the productivity and sustainability of the EU agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The power industry's low carbon transition is pivotal for achieving carbon reduction and sustainable development. This study uses the super epsilon-based measurement (Super-EBM) model and the Malmquist index to evaluate the power industry's low carbon transition efficiency using data from 30 provinces in China from 2010 to 2020, and utilizes the Tobit model to comprehensively analyze the factors affecting the low carbon transition of power industry. In addition, this paper examines the spatial differences in the power industry's low carbon transition efficiency as well as its distributional characteristics and dynamic evolutionary patterns. Conclusion is drawn as follows this paper analyzes the regional differences, spatial distribution characteristics and dynamic evolutionary trends of the power industry's low carbon transition. The main conclusions are as follows: (1) The power industry's low carbon transition efficiency in China shows an uptrend, with the western China region having the highest overall level of efficiency, greater fluctuations in the central China region, and more stability in the eastern China region, technological progress is a central factor in increasing total factor productivity, the efficiency of the power industry's low carbon transition is positively influenced by the electricity prices, and negatively influenced by the energy structure, environmental regulations and economic structure; (2) the Intraregional differences and hypervariable density are the main reasons sources of the overall differences in the efficiency of the power industry's low carbon transition; Intraregional differences in the eastern, central, and western China regions are decreasing year by year, but the efficiency of the power industry's low carbon transition in the western China region is still distributed in a multipolar way; (3) The dynamic evolutionary trends of the efficiency distribution of the low carbon transition in power industry is influenced by the type of spatial lag in the neighboring area. Where areas with low efficiency makes it difficult to achieve short-term leapfrog development, and areas with a cluster of high-efficiency provinces are prone to "Siphon Effect". The findings provide a theoretical basis for promoting the efficiency of the power industry's low carbon transition and coordinating the strategic adjustment of economic and environmental green development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pilot Free Trade Zones (PFTZs) are a crucial new platform for China to build a more open economic system. Existing literature primarily focuses on the 'Bring In' effect of PFTZs, often overlooking the importance of 'Going Out' aspects. To bridge this gap, this paper uses data from China's Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed enterprises from 2007 to 2021 and constructs a time-varying difference-in-differences (DID) model to test the impact of establishment of PFTZs on international expansion of enterprises. The study finds that establishment of PFTZs can significantly promote international expansion of enterprises, with a more pronounced effect on the scope of international expansion than on its depth. Mechanism analysis reveals that PFTZs can facilitate international expansion of enterprises by driving digital transformation, enhancing total factor productivity and management efficiency, and alleviating financing constraints. Notably, senior managers with overseas work experience play a crucial role in enhancing this relationship. Further, PFTZs not only have a linkage effect with the Belt and Road Initiative but also a radiation effect on neighboring cities. This study provides an analytical perspective and empirical evidence for evaluating policy effects of PFTZs and offers valuable insights that will enable PFTZ policies to be refined and facilitate successful implementation of the 'Going Out' strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper studies the knowledge spillover effect through industrial correlation in the process of interregional textile industry transfer and its effects on the TFP of China's textile industry. The paper calculates the industrial similarity coefficients of subdivided industries with the textile industry and identifies the related industries of China's textile industry by using the data of China's input-output table and extension tables from 2002 to 2017. Then, the paper defines the industrial correlation spillover as the weighted sum of the indirect R&D investment of one industry from its related industries and constructs a quantitative method to qualify the industrial correlation spillover. Furthermore, the paper makes two empirical analyses on the existence of industrial correlation spillover in the interregional industrial transfer and its effects on productivity using the panel data of two-digit subdivided industries in 30 provinces. The results show that the correlation spillover effect does exist and promotes the interregional textile industry transfer from the eastern coastal region to the central and the northern-coastal regions; the correlation spillover from the related tertiary industries in industrial transfer promotes the TFP of China's textile industry, but the correlation spillover from the related secondary industries impedes the TFP of the textile industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China's new urbanization strategy serves as a key instrument for achieving sustainable development goals in urban areas. However, a consensus on how and whether new urbanization affects urban green total factor productivity (GTFP) has yet to be reached. This analysis targets 276 prefecture-level and above cities, using panel data from 2011 to 2019 to assess the impact of the new urbanization pilot policy (NUPP) on GTFP. The research findings demonstrate that implementing China's NUPP has significantly enhanced urban GTFP. Furthermore, the population-land-industry coupling coordination degree (PLICCD), as well as the industry-environment-economy coupling coordination degree (IEECCD), play crucial facilitating roles in the aforementioned enhancement effects. The results remain robust even after employing PSM-staggered difference-in-differences (DID) estimation and excluding other policy interferences. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis, based on urban characteristics, reveals that the NUPP significantly enhances GTFP in resource-based, non-resource-based, industrial, non-intensive compactness, and non-expansionary urbanization cities. Finally, the paper offers three policy recommendations. First, new urbanization initiatives should be more actively promoted in China and other developing countries. Second, the construction of new urbanization plans should focus on the coordinated development of "population-land-industry" and "industry-environment-economy." Third, the government should implement new urbanization initiatives tailored to the specific characteristics of different cities. This study provides valuable insights for the general public, policymakers, and scholars to better understand the potential of coordinating the development of population, land, industry, the environment, and the economy to improve GTFP. Moreover, it offers a broad perspective for evaluating sustainable urban development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]