Digital economy and regional innovation: The efficiency paradox under dual growth of input and output

Kou Mingting; Chen Ningning

doi:10.19571/j.cnki.1000-2995.2026.10.009

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Science Research Management ›› 2026, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (10) : 85-95. DOI: 10.19571/j.cnki.1000-2995.2026.10.009 CSTR: 32148.14.kygl.2026.10.009

Digital economy and regional innovation: The efficiency paradox under dual growth of input and output

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Abstract

Empowering regional innovation through the deep integration of digital and real economy is a crucial pathway for accelerating the construction of a new development pattern and driving high-quality economic development. This holds essential significance for the implementation of China's innovation-driven development strategy. Based on the innovation data spanning from 2013 to 2022 across 30 provincial-level regions in China, this paper uses the panel entropy and SBM-DEA methods to compute indices for digital economy development level and regional innovation efficiency, and analyzes the influence of the digital economy on regional innovation performance from three aspects:regional innovation inputs, outputs, and efficiency utilizing the panel Tobit model. The findings suggest that (1) the digital economy exhibits a positive correlation with both regional innovation inputs and outputs. However, it significantly impedes regional R&D efficiency and demonstrates no obvious impact on regional transformation efficiency, indicating an efficiency paradox under the dual growth in both inputs and outputs. (2) The heterogeneity analysis uncovers that three factors, i.e. economic development level, intellectual property protection, and data elements scale, not only positively moderate the stimulatory impact of the digital economy on regional innovation inputs and outputs but also correct the adverse influence of the digital economy on R&D efficiency, thereby mitigating the problem of low innovation efficiency to a certain extent. (3) On this basis, in view of resource misallocation, the underlying causes of the paradox are further investigated. It is revealed that the efficiency paradox in R&D progress stems from the redundancy of R&D personnel and the inadequate output of effective invention patents, whereas transformation efficiency paradox is solely associated with input redundancy. The conclusions reveal the dual characteristics of "creativity" and "destructiveness" of the digital economy, and provide a theoretical support and practical reference on China's digital economy development and regional innovation performance improvement.

Key words

digital economy / innovation inputs / innovation outputs / efficiency paradox

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Kou Mingting , Chen Ningning. Digital economy and regional innovation: The efficiency paradox under dual growth of input and output[J]. Science Research Management. 2026, 47(10): 85-95 https://doi.org/10.19571/j.cnki.1000-2995.2026.10.009

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Abstract

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