Declining levels of social welfare caused by climate warming and air pollution place increasing constraints on high-quality, sustainable global development. To achieve global climate-governance goals, it is essential to accelerate the process of peaking carbon emissions and meeting air-quality standards. Despite growing awareness of the impact of low-carbon city policies on the environment, few studies have focused on their impact on urban air quality. Based on panel data drawn from 275 cities between 2011 and 2017, the present study evaluates the effects of a low-carbon city policy on urban sulfur-dioxide emissions, using the low-carbon city policy as a quasi-natural experiment. The findings reveal that urban sulfur-dioxide emissions have obvious spatial-autocorrelation characteristics, showing obvious spatial clustering. The low-carbon city policy not only significantly reduced urban sulfur-dioxide emissions in pilot cities, but also suppressed sulfur-dioxide emissions in surrounding cities through an indirect rebound effect. This paper provides a theoretical reference for collaborative governance, which can help to achieve peak carbon emissions and air-quality standards. To reach those goals, nations must abandon territorial prevention-and-control methods based on administrative divisions and to fully activate cross-city regional joint prevention-and-control measures. This study proposes key policies, including promoting inter-city regional coordination mechanisms, strengthening the collaborative governance in relation to carbon-dioxide and sulfur-dioxide emissions, and promoting the construction of inner-city green facilities.

The rapid development of high-speed rail has markedly shortened the travel time from one city to another. However, the impact of space–time compression brought about by high-speed rail on city innovation has not received sufficient attention. This paper examines the space–time compression phenomenon produced by high-speed railway networks and its impact on city innovation from 2000 to 2019 using a sample of 279 Chinese prefecture-level cities. The empirical results show that there was a strong space–time compression during this period. The development of high-speed rail can promote city innovation. However, the construction of high-speed rail also produces a siphon effect, which accelerates the convergence of innovative elements in cities with stronger innovation capabilities. Nevertheless, it has a negative spillover effect on cities with weaker innovation capabilities. Finally, policy recommendations for promoting the balanced development of city innovation and recommendations for future research are presented.

Previous studies on the determinants of household tourism expenditure have assumed that households independently determine their tourism expenditure. However, the possible influence of neighbours on tourism expenditure has been overlooked. This study is the first to apply spatial lag analysis to investigate the neighbour effect in the determination of rural household tourism expenditure. The results indicate that there is a significant neighbour effect on the tourism expenditure of rural households. This neighbour effect varies by region and by household head attributes. This paper suggests that the neighbour effect does help to explain household tourism consumption in rural areas.

Governmental investment in commercializing academic patents has spurred economic growth. This study explores the mechanism underlying the impact of academic patent commercialization on regional economic development based on holistic view of the integration of local and neighbourhood hierarchies. The empirical analysis of a sample of 31 Chinese provinces from 2010 to 2019 shows that fiscal expenditures on science and technology mediate the relationship between academic patent commercialization and economic development. Moreover, there is a positive spatial spill over effect between developing economies of neighbouring provinces. In the knowledge economy era, academic patent commercialization, supported by fiscal expenditure, plays an increasingly important role in regional economic growth.

Utilizing survey data from the 2010, 2014, and 2016 China family panel studies, this study examined the relationship between the social discrimination experienced at high school and college enrollment. It was found that administrative discrimination, such as unfair treatment from government cadres or arbitrary fee collection, negatively affected college enrollment, while gender discrimination encouraged high school students to pursue higher education, and college enrollment reduced the likelihood of social discrimination. Therefore, social-psychological factors should not be ignored in higher education demand studies. In particular, as high school student responses to social discrimination can affect their motivation to pursue higher education, stress and coping theory could have important theoretical value when studying the decision-making behaviors and patterns of high school student higher education aspirations.

Purpose The study aims to investigate the relationship between chief executive officers' (CEOs') prenatal testosterone exposure, absorptive capacity and e-commerce adoption by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Design/methodology/approach Based on a study of 1,519 SMEs led by a male CEO in China, the impact of entrepreneur's digital ratio on e-commerce adoption is empirically analyzed through a multivariate logistic model. Findings The results show that the second-to-fourth digit ratio (2D:4D), a reverse measurement of prenatal testosterone exposure, is negatively correlated with the adoption of e-commerce by SMEs. This evidence suggests that CEOs with high prenatal testosterone exposure have a higher probability of adopting e-commerce. In addition, this research indicates a positive correlation between absorptive capacity, which is defined by market innovation, process innovation and marketing innovation, and the adoption of e-commerce by SMEs. Originality/value This research can contribute to the discussion by providing new insights into the antecedents of the adoption of e-commerce in SMEs.

While household conversion to clean cooking fuels is well documented, the peer influence of neighbors on rural households using clean cooking fuels has not been investigated. This study examines the influence of neighbors on rural households switching to cleaner cooking fuels. Based on data from the 2018 China Family Panel Studies, this paper uses a spatial econometric model to analyze the neighborhood effects in the process of adopting clean cooking fuels among rural households in China. The findings show that neighborhood effects influence the adoption of clean cooking fuels by rural households in the same village through social norms and social multiplier effects. Neighborhood effects also indirectly promote the adoption of clean cooking fuels by rural households through the Internet. There is heterogeneity in the neighborhood effects on the adoption of clean cooking fuels by rural households. Therefore, this study recommends related policies to facilitate the transition to clean cooking fuel in rural regions.

Studies on academic patent commercialisation are well documented. However, spatial effects are seldom considered, which could lead to potentially misleading analytical results. This study addresses this concern by applying the spatial analysis method to investigate how university-level factors and commercialising academic patents are related. Using a comprehensive dataset of university patents from 1815 Chinese universities in 2016, we find that public research funding of universities, industrial research funding, the number of scientific research personnel, the number of monographs published, and the number of awarded achievements are positively related to the commercialisation of academic patents. However, the number of teaching and research personnel and the number of academic papers published are negatively related. There are positive spatial spillover effects in commercialising academic patents among neighbouring universities, but there will be negative spatial spillover effects in funding competition.

The development of the sharing economy offers opportunities to reduce urban carbon emissions. Unfortunately, few studies have examined the impact of the sharing economy on urban carbon emissions from a holistic view based on the integration of local and neighborhood hierarchies. This paper examines the impact of the sharing economy on urban carbon emissions from 2011 to 2017 using a sample of 275 prefecture-level cities in China. The results show that the development of personal credit information services and digital finance both contribute to curbing urban carbon emissions. Technological innovation is not only beneficial to urban carbon emission reduction, but also has a negative moderating effect on the relationship between economic development and carbon emissions. Spatial spillover effects of the sharing economy help curb carbon emissions in neighboring cities. Finally, policy recommendations are presented to promote the collaborative economy and reduce urban carbon emissions.

Purpose This study aims to verify the influence of chief executive officer (CEO) cognitive trust and governmental support on marketing innovation. Additionally, it evaluated the influence of CEO cognitive trust on the marketing innovation of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs). Design/methodology/approach The authors empirically assessed the impact of CEO cognitive trust on SMME marketing innovation. Furthermore, the authors examined the mediating effect of governmental support on this relationship. The authors then studied a sample of 1,770 SMMEs in China by applying partial least squares structural equation modeling. Findings The authors found that CEO cognitive trust was negatively associated with marketing innovation. Moreover, governmental support has a competitive mediating effect on this relationship. Thus, while governmental support is urgently needed to enhance the marketing innovation of SMMEs, CEO cognitive trust negatively impacts this relationship. Research limitations/implications This study empirically establishes the importance of CEO cognitive trust and governmental support as antecedents in SMME marketing innovation. This contributes to the knowledge base of the management field, adding to important streams in the wider business literature, such as marketing studies, leadership management, strategic management and innovation. While the model is parsimonious, the relationships it highlights are robust and can be generalized to other contexts. Practical implications Managers must not only have high levels of trust and authority but must also embody these characteristics rationally. Simultaneously, managers must actively establish a trusting relationship with the government, thereby improving their company’s ability to integrate government policy information while also actively seeking governmental support. These measures are helpful in enhancing the marketing innovation capabilities of SMMEs. Social implications SMMEs occupy an important position in all countries’ economies and their vitality directly determines the strength of the economy. Formulating reasonable marketing strategies will help enhance market competitiveness and promote the rapid development of SMMEs. Originality/value The literature on marketing innovation has paid little attention to CEO cognitive trust, while CEOs’ cognitive characteristics are an increasingly relevant antecedent in SMME marketing innovation. This study analyzed CEO cognitive trust as a possible antecedent of marketing innovation activities in SMMEs, with this influence path being evaluated. This study extends the current knowledge in this field by considering the effects of CEO cognitive trust on marketing innovation.

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between chief executive officer (CEO) characteristics, absorptive capacity, and e-commerce adoption in SMMEs. To achieve this objective, the study analyzed primary data gathered from 2675 small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in China. A logistic regression model was employed to estimate how the CEO characteristics and absorptive capacity of SMMEs influenced their e-commerce adoption. The study revealed a significant positive relationship between CEO information ability, confidence, and e-commerce adoption. Additionally, this study confirmed a positive relationship between absorptive capacity and the adoption of e-commerce.

This article reviews Chinese academic papers from the past 20 years to investigate the digital literacy of normal students of pedagogical faculties. The main body of the article concerns “student literacy, to teacher literacy, then to normal student literacy”; regarding the theme, the context is “from digital literacy, to information literacy, then to digital information teaching ability.” Under the guidance of the Chinese education administration, the digital literacy of Chinese normal students has gradually taken on the Chinese characteristics of being practice-oriented and ability-oriented. The findings of this article are as follows: (1) In terms of research trends, the digital literacy of normal students has increased overall. This has depended on the gradual in-depth understanding of its value to the academic world, which promotes in-depth academic research while also focusing on clear and continuous policy planning. (2) In terms of research themes, the digital literacy of normal students is biased toward practice and training, and there is less research on the development of digital teaching ability in specific subjects. (3) In terms of research methods, qualitative research is still the mainstream method, but increasingly, quantitative research, including surveys, is used. (4) In terms of research results, based on the current survey report data, the digital practice ability of Chinese normal students still needs improvement. The current research has indicated the direction for the future academic community and also proposed requirements for policy researchers and makers.

Drinking alcohol is cited as a way for men to cope with stress, with most of the research emanating from western countries. However, in the East, limited scientific research has been conducted on the relationship between stress and alcohol consumption. Thus, this study aimed to explore the influence of life stress on alcohol use among Chinese men.Our data were drawn from the 2012 China Family Panel Studies that comprised representative samples of the Chinese population. In total, 15,373 Chinese men participated in this study, and their weekly alcohol intake and life stress were evaluated using computer assisted personal interviews. It was found that the greater the overall life pressure experienced by the Chinese men, the less likely they were to engage in both general (OR = 0.977) and heavy drinking (OR = 0.975). Although severe life stress that interfered with daily life did not affect general drinking, it had a negative effect on heavy drinking. As for less severe life stresses, feeling down and sad had an inhibitory effect on male general and heavy drinking, and experiencing loneliness had a similar effect on general drinking but no effect on heavy drinking. Further, perceiving unfriendliness from others had no influence on male drinking behavior. Although feeling disliked by others had no effect on male drinking behavior, it had a significant, positive effect on male heavy drinking. This study found that in China, stress did not increase male alcohol consumption, but rather, inhibited it. Alcohol consumption is not a preferred strategy for Chinese men dealing with stress.

Students need to maintain certain living conditions in order to pursue online learning at home. However, there is a lack of a scientific explanation for the extent to which students’ performance in online at-home education is influenced by living conditions. Students from 2002 low-income households in China were surveyed, and a multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted in order to explore the impact of living conditions on online education. The results showed that, rather than computers and smartphones, broadband Internet at home can affect students’ performance in online learning. The larger the residence area, the better the children’s performance in at-home e-learning. Moreover, children living in dilapidated houses are unable to satisfactorily perform in an e-learning environment. Contrarily, children who live in families with separate rooms and tap water show better performances. Additionally, the performance will be worse in the case of unattended students. Furthermore, children from low-income and -status families in the community are often at a disadvantage in an at-home e-learning environment. Cognition regarding the connection between living conditions and online education can be crucial for the improvement of the living conditions of low-income families in order to achieve online education equity.

Despite growing attention to job satisfaction as a social determinant of alcohol-related behaviors, few studies focus on its diverse impacts on alcohol consumption. Using data from the China Family Panel Study in 2018, this study uses logistic regression analysis to examine how job satisfaction affects alcohol consumption in China, finding that people who were satisfied with their jobs were more likely to be regularly drinking. Employed people who were satisfied with their working environment and working hours were more likely to regularly drink, but those who were satisfied with their wages and working security were less likely to be regularly drinking. Findings suggest that the link between job satisfaction and alcohol consumption is dynamic. Employment policies, working wellbeing improvement programs, and alcohol policy improvement should, therefore, be designed on the basis of a comprehensive account of entire job-related attitudes.

Depression in adolescents is a major public health disorder. The relationship between physical activity and risk of depression in adolescents was examined using three waves of data from the China Family Panel Studies in 2020. The risk of depression was significantly higher among adolescents who reported lower frequency and shorter duration of physical exercise than those who reported physical exercise more frequently and for a longer duration. The risk of depression was significantly higher among adolescents who reported intense physical exercise than those who reported little or no intense physical exercise. The amount of time spent on housework by adolescents is inversely associated with depression. These results provide somewhat stronger evidence for an activity–depression link than previous studies and suggest a differential role for different types of physical activity, such as exercise and housework. The overall model predicting depression in adolescents (LR chi-squared = 95.974, p < 0.001, Nagelkerke R-square = 0.183) was statistically significant. To effectively control depression in adolescents, the government, schools and parents need to act together to guide adolescents towards participation in appropriate physical activities. The appropriate level of physical activity is for adolescents to experience breathing, rapid heartbeat, and slight perspiration.

Purpose Although the use of online technology has generated excitement over its potential to increase access to education, most existing research has focused on comparing online and in-person student performance. This study provides empirical evidence that semiprivate space at the family level affects students' access to online education. Design/methodology/approach Students from 1,565 low-income households in China were surveyed, and a multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted on the hypothesized factors that affect access to online education at home. Findings The results show that the absence of computers, smartphones and broadband networks at home severely hinders children's access to online education, and even leads to their exclusion from it. Children with their fathers or paternal grandfathers as guardians have a lower probability of receiving online education at home. It was also found that the higher the education level of the head of the household, the more likely it is that children will receive online education at home. Originality/value This study is one of the first to examine online accessibility at the family level. It also demonstrates that the semiprivate space at the family level may limit opportunities for students who would otherwise pursue online education at home.

This quantitative study was based on data from 910 Chinese listed companies, spanning from 2002 to 2017. It finds that the geographic distribution for patent competition is spatially dispersed from China’s Southeast Coast to the Northwest. This demonstrates that companies in Western and Northern China are increasingly innovative. In terms of time, the number of patents that enterprises produce has trended upward since 2010, and patent competition among enterprises is intensifying. Moreover, there is a strategic interaction between neighbouring companies in patent competition. Invention patents have a positive spillover effect, while non-invention patents have a negative spillover effect. This study also shows that the larger the scale of the enterprise and the higher its operating income, the more patents it has. The influence of enterprise age on total patents and invention patents is inversely related. Additionally, the more concentrated the company’s equity, the fewer the patents, and the higher the industry concentration, the greater the number of patents. Further, regional economic growth has a positive effect on total patents, while the regional unemployment rate has a negative effect on invention patents.

The purpose of this study was to examine the daily social pressure and socioeconomic factors related to women’s alcohol consumption in China. Cross-sectional data were obtained from the 2012 China Family Panel Studies. A multivariate logistic regression analysis of a sample of 16 339 female adults with the mean age of 45.3 years was used to examine the relationships between dependent and independent variables. According to the results, first, the greater the daily social pressure, the more likely women were to engage in general alcohol consumption (odds ratio = 1.061) and risk drinking (odds ratio = 1.057). Second, while there is a positive relationship between the general level of social pressure and women’s alcohol consumption, the relationship between the severe level of social pressure and women’s alcohol consumption was not significant. Finally, women in the Central region were less likely to engage in risk drinking than women in the Western region; women with secondary school education were more likely to engage in risk drinking than women with primary school education or below; and age was significantly positively associated with both general and risk drinking. In conclusion, increasing alcohol consumption among women may be due to increased social pressure.

The spatiotemporal context a ects corporate behavior because any corporate activity is carried out in a speci c time and space. Based on an examination on the research and development (R&D) expenditures of 284 listed biopharmaceutical companies in China, this study nds that the innovation space of the biopharmaceutical industry presents a spa- tial “North–South” pattern. The spatial gravity center of the biopharmaceutical industry’s R&D investment has been shifting to the eastern coastal region. This spatiotemporal con- text will impact the R&D investment of biopharmaceutical companies. Research shows that the distance between biopharmaceutical companies and the gravity center has a direct impact on the R&D expenditures of biopharmaceutical companies. This study supports the context-sensitive thesis and shows how the spatiotemporal context a ects the R&D invest- ment of biopharmaceutical companies while controlling rm-level factors.