Convergence analysis of regional sustainable innovation efficiency in China

China’s innovation development relies heavily on government and enterprises’ large investments in R&D activities, but regional sustainable innovation efficiency (RSIE) remains low in most areas of China. The economic and social development in China is facing continuously strengthened constraints of energy and environment. Sustainable innovation is an efficient way to achieve green development of economy, energy and environment. Previous studies on innovation efficiency did not pay attention to the undesirable outputs and did not study the convergence of innovation efficiency. This research empirically evaluates the sustainable innovation efficiency on regional level based on a slack-based measurement (SBM) model considering energy consumption and environmental pollutions. Furthermore, this research analyses the convergence of regional sustainable innovation efficiency. Results show that sustainable innovation efficiency in central, western regions and the entire country is slowly increasing. Provinces with high levels of technological innovation and environmental protection, pollutant emissions reduction and energy consumption have higher sustainable innovation efficiency. In addition, obvious δ and absolute β convergence trends exist in sustainable innovation efficiency, indicating that the regional differences among the three regions are shrinking. Regions with backward technological innovation are catching up with advanced regions. Controlled variables have a significant influence on the β convergence, whereas the convergence factors in the eastern, central and western regions are different.