Can Industrial Robot Adoption Improve the Green Total Factor Productivity in Chinese Cities?

Industrial robot adoption significantly affects economic growth and environmental protection, serving as a critical driver of green development. This paper empirically investigates the effects of industrial robot adoption on green total factor productivity from the perspectives of knowledge flow and...

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Main Authors: Siying Chen, Siying Mu, Yedong Feng, Zhixiong Tan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Systems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/4/215
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author Siying Chen
Siying Mu
Yedong Feng
Zhixiong Tan
author_facet Siying Chen
Siying Mu
Yedong Feng
Zhixiong Tan
author_sort Siying Chen
collection DOAJ
description Industrial robot adoption significantly affects economic growth and environmental protection, serving as a critical driver of green development. This paper empirically investigates the effects of industrial robot adoption on green total factor productivity from the perspectives of knowledge flow and spatial spillover using the Chinese cities panel dataset. The findings demonstrate that industrial robot adoption improves local green total factor productivity while generating positive spillover effects on neighboring regions, mediated by strengthened knowledge agglomeration and diffusion capacities. Central cities within urban clusters exhibit significantly stronger impacts on knowledge aggregation and diffusion capabilities than peripheral cities. Furthermore, cities with higher human capital, better transportation infrastructure, and stronger support for the AI industry show a more significant positive effect of industrial robot adoption on knowledge agglomeration and diffusion capabilities. This, in turn, facilitates the flow of knowledge between cities and improves green total factor productivity, thereby contributing to green development. This study provides city-level empirical evidence highlighting how industrial robot adoption drives green development through spatial spillovers and knowledge flow mechanisms.
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spelling doaj-art-4d87e969e45e44e4b55bab6bf59b78eb2025-08-20T02:18:20ZengMDPI AGSystems2079-89542025-03-0113421510.3390/systems13040215Can Industrial Robot Adoption Improve the Green Total Factor Productivity in Chinese Cities?Siying Chen0Siying Mu1Yedong Feng2Zhixiong Tan3School of Finance and Economics, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, ChinaSchool of Public Policy and Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaSchool of Public Policy and Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaSchool of Public Policy and Administration, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, ChinaIndustrial robot adoption significantly affects economic growth and environmental protection, serving as a critical driver of green development. This paper empirically investigates the effects of industrial robot adoption on green total factor productivity from the perspectives of knowledge flow and spatial spillover using the Chinese cities panel dataset. The findings demonstrate that industrial robot adoption improves local green total factor productivity while generating positive spillover effects on neighboring regions, mediated by strengthened knowledge agglomeration and diffusion capacities. Central cities within urban clusters exhibit significantly stronger impacts on knowledge aggregation and diffusion capabilities than peripheral cities. Furthermore, cities with higher human capital, better transportation infrastructure, and stronger support for the AI industry show a more significant positive effect of industrial robot adoption on knowledge agglomeration and diffusion capabilities. This, in turn, facilitates the flow of knowledge between cities and improves green total factor productivity, thereby contributing to green development. This study provides city-level empirical evidence highlighting how industrial robot adoption drives green development through spatial spillovers and knowledge flow mechanisms.https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/4/215industrial robotics adoptiongreen total factor productivityknowledge flowsspatial spilloversChinese cities
spellingShingle Siying Chen
Siying Mu
Yedong Feng
Zhixiong Tan
Can Industrial Robot Adoption Improve the Green Total Factor Productivity in Chinese Cities?
Systems
industrial robotics adoption
green total factor productivity
knowledge flows
spatial spillovers
Chinese cities
title Can Industrial Robot Adoption Improve the Green Total Factor Productivity in Chinese Cities?
title_full Can Industrial Robot Adoption Improve the Green Total Factor Productivity in Chinese Cities?
title_fullStr Can Industrial Robot Adoption Improve the Green Total Factor Productivity in Chinese Cities?
title_full_unstemmed Can Industrial Robot Adoption Improve the Green Total Factor Productivity in Chinese Cities?
title_short Can Industrial Robot Adoption Improve the Green Total Factor Productivity in Chinese Cities?
title_sort can industrial robot adoption improve the green total factor productivity in chinese cities
topic industrial robotics adoption
green total factor productivity
knowledge flows
spatial spillovers
Chinese cities
url https://www.mdpi.com/2079-8954/13/4/215
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