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Regional Science & Technology and Innovation

Can Public Data Openness Enhance Regional Innovation Capability?

Lai Shuang1, 2 , Ma Yuman1

(1.School of Public Policy and Administration, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710000, China; 2.School of Continuing Education, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710000, China)

Abstract: The world is currently undergoing great changes unseen in a century. The pace of  global technological advancement and iteration is continuously increasing, leading to profound  changes in the global economic structure. In the context of the digital age, accelerating the im⁃ provement of regional innovation capabilities is an inherent requirement for promoting highquality development. Exploring the influencing factors of these capabilities is of great significance for promoting regional economic development. Existing research has examined how vari⁃ ous elements affect regional innovation capabilities, including basic innovation conditions, the  scale of personnel support, factors influencing innovation efficiency, and the conditions of the  technological market. Public data is a new type of production factor and its openness can gener⁃ ate economic growth benefits. Additionally, public data serves as a novel element of innovation. Public data openness can realize the cross-boundary flow of data. Therefore, it will give full play  to the resource advantages of data elements and promote the free circulation of regional innova⁃ tion elements. This results in a positive innovation effect stemming from public data. However, in  the practice process, is public data openness conducive to enhancing the regional innovation ca⁃ pability? Through what influence mechanisms does it act on the regional innovation capability? Does the regional location lead to differences in this influence? These issues require further em⁃ pirical testing. Therefore, we want to explore the effects of public data openness on innovation, provide a  scientific basis for improving public data opening policies, enhance regional innovation capabili⁃ ties, and promote the coordinated development of regional innovation. This study utilized panel  data from 30 provinces covering the period from 2010 to 2022. Firstly, this study selected 8 indi⁃ cators from three dimensions that are innovation input, innovation output, and innovation envi⁃ ronment. Next, this study used the entropy method to measure regional innovation capabilities. Then, regarding the launch of public data open platforms in various provinces as a quasi-natural  experiment, this study used the difference-in-differences model to examine the role and influ⁃ ence mechanism of public data openness on regional innovation capabilities. The study presents  several research findings. First, public data openness can significantly enhance regional innova⁃ tion capabilities, a conclusion that is supported by a series of robustness tests. Second, the effi⁃ ciency of public data openness positively moderates the extent to which it promotes regional in⁃ novation capabilities. In particular, the higher the efficiency of data openness, the more obvious  its effect on regional innovation capacity. Third, the positive effect of public data openness on re⁃ gional innovation capabilities varies across different regions, being particularly pronounced in  the Yangtze River Economic Belt region. Based on the above conclusions, several policy implica⁃ tions have been identified. On the basis of continuously promoting the opening of public data  and fostering regional innovation and development, it is necessary to deepen data management  reforms to enhance the specialization level and efficiency of public data openness. Additionally, all regions should look to the Yangtze River Economic Belt as a model to jointly promote the co⁃ ordinated development of regional innovation. 

Key words: public data openness; data elements; regional innovation capacity; difference-indifferences model