The impact of international technology spillovers on digital inequality in China

IF 10.1 1区社会学 Q1 SOCIAL ISSUES

Technology in Society Pub Date : 2025-03-08 DOI:10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102864

Wei Feng, Hang Yuan

{"title":"The impact of international technology spillovers on digital inequality in China","authors":"Wei Feng, Hang Yuan","doi":"10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.102864","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>China's digital economy faces development bottlenecks caused by digital inequality. Does a region's ability to absorb international technology spillovers affect its digital divide? Using development data from 271 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2014 to 2020, we employ a fixed-effects model to empirically examine the characteristics and mechanisms of international technology spillovers that affect digital inequality. We find that international technology spillovers through the import channel and outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) can widen digital inequality. Specifically, international technology spillovers through the import channel amplify digital inequality by expanding the inequality in economic growth and infrastructure, while those through the OFDI channel exacerbate it by expanding inequality in fiscal revenue and financial development. Cities across different economic regions, administrative levels, and resource endowments experience varied impacts of international technology spillovers on digital inequality. We also conduct robustness checks using the instrumental variable method and further explore spatial correlation using Spatial Durbin Model (SDM), Spatial Autoregressive Model (SAR), and Spatial Error Model (SEM). These findings enrich the study of digital inequality through the lens of international technology spillovers and encourage China to address the digital divide by fostering regional economic coordination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":47979,"journal":{"name":"Technology in Society","volume":"81 ","pages":"Article 102864"},"PeriodicalIF":10.1000,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Technology in Society","FirstCategoryId":"90","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X25000545","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"社会学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"SOCIAL ISSUES","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

China's digital economy faces development bottlenecks caused by digital inequality. Does a region's ability to absorb international technology spillovers affect its digital divide? Using development data from 271 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2014 to 2020, we employ a fixed-effects model to empirically examine the characteristics and mechanisms of international technology spillovers that affect digital inequality. We find that international technology spillovers through the import channel and outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) can widen digital inequality. Specifically, international technology spillovers through the import channel amplify digital inequality by expanding the inequality in economic growth and infrastructure, while those through the OFDI channel exacerbate it by expanding inequality in fiscal revenue and financial development. Cities across different economic regions, administrative levels, and resource endowments experience varied impacts of international technology spillovers on digital inequality. We also conduct robustness checks using the instrumental variable method and further explore spatial correlation using Spatial Durbin Model (SDM), Spatial Autoregressive Model (SAR), and Spatial Error Model (SEM). These findings enrich the study of digital inequality through the lens of international technology spillovers and encourage China to address the digital divide by fostering regional economic coordination.

查看原文本刊更多论文

中国的数字经济面临着数字不平等造成的发展瓶颈。一个地区吸收国际技术外溢的能力是否会影响其数字鸿沟？利用中国 271 个地级及以上城市 2014 年至 2020 年的发展数据，我们采用固定效应模型实证检验了国际技术外溢影响数字不平等的特征和机制。我们发现，通过进口渠道和对外直接投资（OFDI）产生的国际技术外溢会扩大数字不平等。具体来说，通过进口渠道产生的国际技术溢出效应会扩大经济增长和基础设施方面的不平等，从而放大数字不平等；而通过对外直接投资渠道产生的国际技术溢出效应则会扩大财政收入和金融发展方面的不平等，从而加剧数字不平等。不同经济区域、行政级别和资源禀赋的城市在国际技术溢出效应对数字不平等的影响上各不相同。我们还利用工具变量法进行了稳健性检验，并利用空间杜宾模型（SDM）、空间自回归模型（SAR）和空间误差模型（SEM）进一步探讨了空间相关性。这些发现丰富了从国际技术溢出角度研究数字不平等的内容，并鼓励中国通过促进区域经济协调来解决数字鸿沟问题。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Technology in Society Multiple-

CiteScore

17.90

自引率

14.10%

发文量

316

审稿时长

60 days

期刊介绍： Technology in Society is a global journal dedicated to fostering discourse at the crossroads of technological change and the social, economic, business, and philosophical transformation of our world. The journal aims to provide scholarly contributions that empower decision-makers to thoughtfully and intentionally navigate the decisions shaping this dynamic landscape. A common thread across these fields is the role of technology in society, influencing economic, political, and cultural dynamics. Scholarly work in Technology in Society delves into the social forces shaping technological decisions and the societal choices regarding technology use. This encompasses scholarly and theoretical approaches (history and philosophy of science and technology, technology forecasting, economic growth, and policy, ethics), applied approaches (business innovation, technology management, legal and engineering), and developmental perspectives (technology transfer, technology assessment, and economic development). Detailed information about the journal's aims and scope on specific topics can be found in Technology in Society Briefings, accessible via our Special Issues and Article Collections.