ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Regional Green Innovation Path Selection
in China’s Complex Environment:
An fsQCA Exploration
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School of Business Administration, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
Submission date: 2023-08-18
Final revision date: 2023-12-03
Acceptance date: 2023-12-28
Online publication date: 2024-06-12
Publication date: 2024-06-27
Corresponding author
Yuying Jin
School of Business Administration, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
Pol. J. Environ. Stud. 2024;33(5):5140-5153
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ABSTRACT
Green innovation plays a critical role in attaining carbon neutrality and supporting high-quality
economic development in China; however, its promotion remains challenging. Hence, this study uses
asymmetric innovation theory and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to explore
the drivers of green innovation in China’s complex regional environments. Using data from 30 Chinese
provinces, it investigates the combined effects of factors at the market, institution, and technology levels
on regional green innovation. The findings indicate the following. (1) R&D investment is necessary for
high-level green innovation, whereas its absence is a necessary condition for low-level green innovation.
(2) Three configurations produce high-level green innovation, and these configurations coalesce into
demand–regulation–subsidy–technology-driven and competition–technology-driven paths. (3) Four
configurations result in low-level green innovation, and the antecedent configurations of high-level
and low-level green innovation have an asymmetric relationship. This study adds to the understanding
of the causal configurations that promote green innovation and provides valuable insights for
policymakers in China and other developing regions.