The Impacts of Regional Learning Ability on Innovation Performance:Evidence from the Panel Data of China's Provinces

摘要

Regional learning ability (RLA) is the key factor of the regional economic development. It has important impacts on regional innovation performance (RIP). Using the panel data from 30 regions (provinces) in China mainland (all except Tibet and Taiwan) during the period of 2001-2008, this paper empirically tests the relationship between RLA and RIP from the aspects of knowledge acquisition, knowledge diffusion and knowledge absorption. The result shows that: (1) in the measures of knowledge acquisition, exports have positive and significant effects on RIP, while technology imports and foreign direct investment have no direct effect; (2) in the measures of knowledge diffusion and knowledge absorption, almost all of them significantly and positively influence RIP. The result has important theoretical and practical values to guiding China's regional economic development.