Does “Made in China (2025)” improve innovation quality in robotics? Evidence from PageRank-based patent network
Yihan Han,
Silu Pang,
Fuxin Jiang and
Tao Wang
Economic Modelling, 2025, vol. 152, issue C
Abstract:
As industrial policy shifts toward innovation orientation, understanding its role in shaping high-quality innovation is both timely and essential. This paper evaluates the impact of China's “Made in China (2025)” (MIC2025) pilot policy on the innovation quality of robotics firms using a difference-in-differences approach. To overcome limitations of traditional patent indicators, we introduce an enhanced PageRank algorithm to measure high-value innovation through patent citation networks. Results show that the MIC2025 policy significantly improves innovation quality, particularly in midstream and downstream segments of the robotics value chain. Mechanism analysis reveals that targeted innovation subsidies, stronger intellectual property protection, enhanced technology diffusion, and talent agglomeration jointly contribute to this improvement. These findings highlight how targeted industrial policy can foster high-quality innovation and suggest that future policy design should align support with firm capabilities and value chain characteristics.
Keywords: Industrial policy; Innovation quality; PageRank algorithm; Made in China (2025); Robotic industry (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C81 L52 L63 O31 O38 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:ecmode:v:152:y:2025:i:c:s0264999325002949
DOI: 10.1016/j.econmod.2025.107299
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