Research on Industry Difference and Convergence of Green Innovation Efficiency of Manufacturing Industry in China Based on Super-SBM and Convergence Models

Abstract

To accurately grasp the current situation of green innovation efficiency in the manufacturing industry in China, this paper analyzes the differences and convergence characteristics of green innovation efficiency in various industries. Based on the panel data of 29 manufacturing industries in China from 2010 to 2019, the super-slack-based measure (Super-SBM) model measures the green innovation efficiency of manufacturing industries whose evolution characteristics are classified and analyzed from the perspective of technical demand. The Dagum Gini coefficient decomposition method indicates the source of industry differences in green innovation efficiency of the manufacturing industry in China with its convergence characteristics analyzed from the time dimension by constructing σ and β convergence models. The results reveal the improvement of green innovation efficiency of the Chinese manufacturing industry with obvious distinctions among different sectors and the industries with high green innovation efficiency, mostly high-end technology ones. The narrowing overall difference of green innovation efficiency in the manufacturing industry is accompanied by the lowest contribution rate of super-variable density, with the disparities between groups being the main source. It also shows the fluctuation of the intermittent σ convergence characteristics of the national manufacturing industry as a whole and low-end and high-end technology industry groups. However, the entire manufacturing industry and the three groups witness the absolute β convergence trend, with an ununiform convergence rate. The research will provide a reference for further upgrading the efficiency of green innovation in the industry and help to achieve the goals of carbon emission reduction and neutrality with the policy implications for promoting high-quality development of the manufacturing industry.