The mediating role of agglomeration economies in high-speed rail's heterogeneous impact on firm location decisions

IF 6.3 2区工程技术 Q1 ECONOMICS

Transport Policy Pub Date : 2026-06-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-31 DOI:10.1016/j.tranpol.2026.104056

Jingjuan Jiao , Wangyuqing Ma , Ran An , Chao Wang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

High-speed rail (HSR) has the potential to generate significant network externalities by improving accessibility and connectivity, which can foster agglomeration economies and influence firm location decisions. However, these effects are not universal and may vary across regions and sectors. This study examines the varied benefits of HSR on accessibility and connectivity improvements across different sectors, focusing on the mediating roles of localization and urbanization economies in firm location decisions. Findings indicate that the enhanced transport accessibility and connectivity induced by HSR attract businesses to cluster in cities along railway corridors, demonstrating significant geographical spillover effects. While HSR dummy and connectivity provide network-wide “borrowed size” profits, while accessibility has increased inter-regional competitiveness. These enhancements predominantly benefit Scientific research, Technological services, Real estate, and the Leasing/Business services. In all sectors, accessibility has a more significant impact on firm entry than connectivity. Agglomeration economies considerably influence the effect of HSR on firm location decisions, exhibiting substantial variation in mediation strength across different sectors. These findings present novel avenues for utilizing HSR infrastructure to guide spatial economic reconfiguration and industrial enhancement towards sustainable regional development.

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集聚经济对高铁企业区位决策异质性影响的中介作用

高速铁路（HSR）通过改善可达性和连通性，有可能产生显著的网络外部性，从而促进集聚经济并影响企业选址决策。然而，这些影响并非普遍存在，可能因地区和部门而异。本研究考察了高铁对不同部门可达性和连通性改善的不同好处，重点关注本地化和城市化经济在企业选址决策中的中介作用。研究发现，高铁带来的交通可达性和连通性增强，吸引企业向沿线城市集聚，呈现出显著的地理溢出效应。虽然高铁的虚拟和连通性提供了整个网络的“借来的规模”利润，但可达性提高了区域间的竞争力。这些改进主要有利于科学研究、技术服务、房地产和租赁/商业服务。在所有行业，可及性对企业进入的影响都大于连通性。集聚经济显著影响高铁对企业区位决策的影响，不同行业的中介强度存在显著差异。这些发现为利用高铁基础设施引导空间经济重构和产业增强以实现可持续区域发展提供了新的途径。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Transport Policy Multiple-

CiteScore

12.10

自引率

10.30%

发文量

282

期刊介绍： Transport Policy is an international journal aimed at bridging the gap between theory and practice in transport. Its subject areas reflect the concerns of policymakers in government, industry, voluntary organisations and the public at large, providing independent, original and rigorous analysis to understand how policy decisions have been taken, monitor their effects, and suggest how they may be improved. The journal treats the transport sector comprehensively, and in the context of other sectors including energy, housing, industry and planning. All modes are covered: land, sea and air; road and rail; public and private; motorised and non-motorised; passenger and freight.