Polycentric urban structure and innovation: evidence from a panel of Chinese cities

This study investigates how a city’s innovation capacity could be influenced by its polycentric urban structure. Drawing upon panel data set containing 267 Chinese cities at the prefecture level and above from 2006 to 2016, using an instrumental variables approach, we reveal significant negative causal relationship between polycentricity capacity. We further discuss mechanisms of agglomeration economies, socioeconomic diversity firm location choice that drive impact polycentricity. The paper highlights need rethink re-evaluate current movement ‘planned polycentrism’ in context.