Analysis On Embodied Resource Flows Between Chinese Industries Based On Complex Network

Embodied resource is the resource that consumed in the production, transportation and utilization of products or services. Embodied resource is contained in any products or service. The concept of embodied resource makes it possible to analyze the natural resources behind economic activities. In order to show the embodied resource flows among economic system, this paper analyzed the embodied resource flows between industries in China and Chinese provinces. Ecological input-output frame, resource accounting method based on exergy, and complex network theory are used.Six classes of natural resources are considered in this paper: energy, mineral, agricultural products, aquatic products, livestock and forestry products. Totally there are 32 kinds of resources. In order to measure these resources in one unit, a resource accounting method in thermodynamics are borrowed. After calculating the exergy value of resources, we got the embodied resource flows between industries of China and 30 Chinese provinces by using ecological input-output table. After that, embodied resource flow networks of China in 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007 as well as network of 30 Chinese provinces in 2007 are constructed. Main embodied flow paths are found based on the analysis of weight. The result shows that all of the 35 networks obey the power law distribution. In other words, a big fraction of embodied resource flow happened in very few relationships between industries. The main resource flow paths of China change little in history while do change a lot among different provinces. Analysis of main flow paths is helpful in detecting resource flows and decrease resource loses.In order to find key industries of embodied resource flows, a comprehensive indicator are build based on four complex network indicators: degree, weighted degree, betweenness centrality and closeness centrality. Grey relational analysis is used to calculate the comprehensive indictor. The result shows that following industries are important in all networks of 1987-2007: Coal Mining and Washing, Production and Supply of Electricity and Hot water, Processing of Petroleum, and Construction. However, their roles have changed. The industry of production of power and hot water become more and more important while the importance of domestic and international trade decreased.Based on the clustering methods, the concept of resource industrial cluster is put forward based on embodied resource flow network. The result shows that there are 5-6 resource industrial clusters during 1987-2007. Industries in same cluster are close related to specific natural resources. Coal industrial cluster are the embodied resource exporter during 1987-2007. Key resources as well as the role of some clusters changed. The cluster of manufacture and cluster of Textile business are import clusters in 1987 while construction cluster is important after 1997. The changes in resource industrial cluster show the different core of economic growth and difference reliance on natural resources.Main contribution of this paper is the construction of 35 embodied resource flow networks as well as the analysis of those networks. Future research might be done in following topic: evaluation the features of embodied resource flow networks, deeper studies focus on specific industrial chains and individual networks, and new concepts of embodied resource network flows that related to economic and management studies.