A spatial econometric analysis of county economic growth: A case study of 108 counties in Shandong province

Abstract

County is the basic unit of studying regional economy, and the realization of a coordinating and harmonious development of county economy would be much easier if we can clarify and thoroughly understand the characteristics and key factors of county economic growth. This thesis first combs the achievements of spatial economic theories and methods that gained in recent years in the research of regional economic growth, describes the characteristics of economic spatial distribution in the 108 counties in Shandong province and makes an elaborate analysis of the spatial relativity of county economy by utilizing methods like global spatial autocorrelation and local spatial autocorrelation; and then, based on the fact that county economy has obvious space correlation, the thesis makes an spatial econometric analysis of the eleven factors that affect the county economic growth by adopting spatial lag model; and at last comes to the conclusion that the key to the county economic growth includes industrialization, government investment leading factor and farmers' own economic level.