A Study on the Impact of Data Elements on Green Total Factor Productivity in China’s Logistics Industry

Panqian Dai (), Chenglin Lu, Jing Xu and Jingjia Zhang
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Panqian Dai: School of Business, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Chenglin Lu: School of Business, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Jing Xu: School of Business, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
Jingjia Zhang: School of Business, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 19, 1-25

Abstract: This study aims to explore whether and how data elements affect the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of China’s logistics industry, and conducts empirical tests using the super-efficiency SBM model, Malmquist exponential model, and spatial Dubin model. Based on the relevant data of 30 provinces in China from 2013 to 2021, we employ the Super-efficiency SBM model and the Malmquist dynamic index model to calculate the green total factor productivity of the logistics sector. We then establish a three-tier evaluation framework for data elements, employ the entropy method to determine the weighting of each indicator, and utilize linear weighting to calculate the comprehensive evaluation value of data elements. By incorporating appropriate control variables and employing the spatial Durbin model, this study examines the impact of data elements on the GTFP of the logistics industry. It is found that data elements have a contributing effect on improving GTFP of the logistics industry in the local region as well as a positive spillover effect on the neighboring regions, and this is achieved by improving the level of technical progress. In addition, the coefficients are decomposed into direct, indirect, and total effects by partial differentiation, again verifying the above conclusions. This study investigates the impact of data elements on GTFP in the logistics industry from theoretical mechanisms and empirical tests, and analyzes the dual impact of data elements and other factors on the local region and neighboring regions. The findings of this study can provide references for better empowering the development of the logistics industry with data elements.

Keywords: data elements; digital economy; green total factor productivity; high-quality development of the logistics industry; spatial Durbin model (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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