Research On Improvement Of Competitiveness Of Coal-Based Cities Based On Industrial Transformation

Resources are the basis of survival and development of human beings, cities are the foundation of progress of civilization. In the nineteenth century, China’s coal resource-based cities emerged during the Westernization Movement, after the embellishment of P.R.C, in order to match the implementation of heavy industries strategy, coal resource-based cities experienced a flourishing prosperity and made a great contribution to economic development and construction of industrial system, they also assured the safety of national strategic energy supplying system. Because of the limitation of resource reserves, after continually high-intensity mining for decades, coal resource-based cities subjected to extensive growth mode, witched from planned economy to market economy and lack of the concept of sustainable development, the utilization of resources was too low. During the 1990 s, lots of institutional and structural problems appeared in these cities, such as mining cost rise significantly, high unemployment rate, residents can not afford the cost of living, etc. Some of these cities even had to face the ‘doom of ruin’ situation, the competitiveness of city was cascading. Adjusting the structure and pattern gradually gained its popularity among all sectors of society, however, the transformation of resource-based cities is a puzzle that almost every countries are facing, the results and effects are tremendous different, even only in Shandong Province of China, the transformation problems of coal resource-based cities could not be treat as the same. Which factors are more decisive in promoting the effects of transformation, what kind of influence exist between transformation factors and city competitiveness upgrade, they are the core questions of the study. The practice aim of the study is finding the more influential factors to help stakeholders to make policies through scientific tools and analysis.This paper is composed by four sections:Question introduce and collection of relevant material(Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3): Chapter 1 mainly interprets the background and significance of the research, makes a brief analysis about common problem which coal resourced-based cities facing in the modern world. Chapter 2 discusses the relevant definition of concepts, characteristics and development patterns. This chapter expounds the definition and measurement of resource-based cities at first, analyses the development characteristics and patterns of coal resource-based cities, precisely cleared the objectives of coal resource-based cities competitiveness upgrade and the concept of transformation of industry. Chapter 3 classifies foreign and domestic literature into different categorization, reviews the academic achievements and research status of resource-based cities, industrial transformation of resource-based cities and competitiveness upgrade of resource-based cities. This chapter compares the differences between domestic research and foreign researches as well, finds the relative blank area to be the break through point for this paper.Comprehensive analysis of China’s the coal industry and establishment of evaluation system of transformation flexibility of coal resource-based cities in Shandong Province(Chapter 4): Firstly, the second section uses three angles, the world focus on China, China focus on Shandong, Shandong compares to other provinces to analyze the existing energy structure and tendency of coal industry, explains the importance of coal industry and urgency of transformation of coal resource-based cities in Shandong. Secondly, it establishes of evaluation system of transformation flexibility of coal resource-based cities in Shandong Province. The paper designs and calculates a standard city in ideal conditions as a reference. Thirdly, the paper runs a random sampling in Shandong coal resource-based cities, carries out the dynamic analysis of individual indicators between sample and standard city, then makes an overview based on principle component analysis, discusses the results of the PCA analysis, obtains the conclusions of transformation flexibility of Shandong coal resource-based cities.The study of influential paths between transformation flexibility and city competitiveness upgrade in Shandong coal resource-based cities(Chapter 5): This chapter introduces the authoritative city competitiveness model at first, compares and summarizes four main contradictions of coal resource-based cities competitiveness upgrade. Then the paper theoretically analyzes the factors of which may have impacts on competitiveness upgrade, and designs research hypothesis. It discusses the results of hypothesis by using Structure Equation Modeling.Absorbing and learning practice experiences in accordance to data conclusions(Chapter 6): Based on the data conclusion, this chapter analyzes the transformation experiences and lessens of foreign and domestic resource-based cities, then abstracts the useful part which could be beneficial to the upgrade of Shandong coal resource-based cities. It also concludes the transformation modes and policies of related countries and regions, finds the enlightening parts to Shandong coal resource-based cities.Shandong coal resource-based cities’ competitiveness systematic upgrade path and advice of ensuring smooth transformations(Chapter 7, Chapter 8): Chapter 7 is mainly connected to the contents of Chapter 5 and Chapter 6, discusses the upgrading effects of new dominant industry which refers to the rule of selection, misunderstanding of the new industry, pattern of selection, etc. The next part of this chapter mainly discusses the upgrading strategies from technological innovation, human capital accumulation, improvement of openness three perspectives and so on. Chapter 8 is the study of how to ensure smooth transformations in Shandong coal resource-based cities. Its purpose is to think and advice after the whole research. In this chapter, the paper discusses the role of policy support in finance and taxes, construction of financing system, land-use methods, capital operation, further implementation of State-owned economy and breaking the resource curse by participating in the international competition.