Research on Green Innovation Performance of Manufacturing Industry and Its Improvement Path in China

Abstract

Green innovation, which combines “innovation-driven” and “green development,” is one of the most powerful ways to overcome resource and environmental constraints and enhance manufacturing industry sustainability. Based on the innovation value chain perspective, the green innovation process of manufacturing industry is decomposed into two stages: green scientific and technological R&D and achievement transformation. Then, using the three-stage DEA and Malmquist index model to measure the green innovation performance of China’s manufacturing industry, and compare its regional heterogeneity from the dual perspectives of static efficiency and dynamic productivity. In addition, this paper further discusses the improvement path of green innovation performance of China’s manufacturing industry. The findings are as follows: (1) The green innovation efficiency of manufacturing industry in China is at a comparatively low degree and has great potential for improvement. Moreover, it shows apparent regional heterogeneity: The green innovation efficiency in the eastern region is higher than that in the western region, and both are higher than that in the center region, confirming the phenomenon of “central collapse”. (2) The green innovation productivity of China’s manufacturing industry shows a “W-type” dynamic evolution tendency, with green technological progress as the key driving factor, while the green technical efficiency does not clearly exhibit a “catch-up effect”. Additionally, it shows significant regional heterogeneity: green innovation productivity in the western region is higher than that in the central and eastern regions, indicating a potential “backwardness advantage”. (3) The eastern region of China is located in combination IV, which indicates that it has a high rate of green innovation efficiency but a low rate of green innovation productivity; the central region is located in combination III, which indicates that it has a low rate of both green innovation efficiency and productivity; and the western region is located in combination II, which indicates that it has a low rate of green innovation efficiency but a high rate of green innovation productivity. Last but not least, this paper puts forward three kinds of paths for the improvement of the green innovation performance of China’s manufacturing industry: unilateral breakthrough, step-by-step and stimulating jumping type.