Research on distribution dynamics, regional differences, and convergence of development for digital innovation ecosystem

In the process of implementing innovation-driven strategy, it is of great strategic significance to build a digital innovation ecosystem (DIES) with different characteristics and coordinated development. To scientifically measure the development level of China's DIES, the paper conducts an in-depth study on the distribution dynamics, regional differences, and convergence of the development of DIES in China and the four regions. This paper takes the relevant data of 31 provinces and cities in China from 2010 to 2019 as samples, uses the standard deviation ellipse method and Markov chain to characterize their distribution dynamics, uses the Dagum Gini coefficient to analyze their differences, and finally uses the coefficient of variation and spatial panel model to analyze σ convergence and β convergence. This research shows that the development level of China's DIES is generally on the rise, but there is a significant difference between regions, showing a decreasing spatial feature from the core provinces to the peripheral areas that are too far away from the epicenters to compete with the primary economic domain. The differences in the development of the DIES generally show a downward trend, and the differences are mainly regional. However, the DIES development in China and its four regions show both viable and promising convergence characteristics although the convergence speed and trends are different. The innovative contributions of this paper are as follows: quantitatively measure the development level of China’s DIES, scientifically reveal the regional characteristics of the development level of DIES, and identify the sources of regional differences, dynamic evolution trends, and convergence characteristics. It not only makes up for the deficiency of quantitative research on DIES, but also helps to grasp the development status of China's DIES accurately, and provides theoretical support and scientific reference for its policy formulation and development direction.