Study Of Contribution Of Technological Progress To Regional Economic Growth

There are many factors that have determining effect on economic growth, such as labor, capital, natural resources and even the national system of property rights, etc., of which the economic impact of technological progress is increasingly important, and becoming more and more prominent.This paper takes the developed province in eastern- Zhejiang and central province -Jiangxi for comparison, and reached out from the perspective of studying technological progress, to analyze the differences of regional economic growth. Firstly, this paper analyzes the elements of technological progress on economic growth mechanism; Secondly, comprehends the relevant theories reviewed and literatures on contribution rate of measuring technological progress at home and abroad, and on the basis makes GDP as the dependent variable, fixed asset investment the amount and number of employed as explanatory variables, thus through time series data of Zhejiang and Jiangxi during 1983-2009, and empirically analyzes the two provinces of technological progress contribution rate to economic growth. Comparing the results of the analysis:(1)in nearly 30 years, in the two provinces the contribution rate of technological progress is increasing year by year, reflecting the importance of technological advances to economic growth in the two provinces; (2) divided by time into three stages, the contribution rate of Jiangxi equals to what Zhejiang is at the end of the second stage and the beginning of the third state, which reflects there is a gap of the contribution of technological progress between Jiangxi and Zhejiang; Besides, it analizes technological progress of these two provinces through the R & D capital investment, R & D personnel investment and the industrial structure. The main conclusions of the analysis are:(1) Jiangxi's R & D capital investment amount and intensity are relatively lower than in Zhejiang; (2) Jiangxi's R & D personnel investment volume and intensity are relatively lower than in Zhejiang; (3) Jiangxi Province's industrial structure optimization level is significantly lower in Zhejiang Province; The finally conclusion is:the technological advances contribute to economic growth in Zhejiang is higher than what in Jiangxi, and the technological advances level of Zhejiang is also higher than the level of Jiangxi.In the past three decades, the economic growth pattern in Jiangxi Province is in the extensive economic growth mode, and Zhejiang Province, is in the transformation period of extensive growth mode changing to the stage of intensive growth. Through analysis on the regional input and industrial structure optimization in the two provinces, this paper proves that the technology investment and optimization of the industrial structure has an important role on changing the regional economic growth model. To obtain rapid economic growth in Jiangxi Province and achieve the rise in the middle region of China, according to research findings presented in Jiangxi Province, we should vigorously promote science, technology, education and financial system reform and innovation in Jiangxi, and to improve incentives for technological innovation, thus making enterprises the main force in technological progress; To create a favorable environment for independent innovation, and realize industrial structure optimization and coordinated economic growth; to strengthen the combination of research and industry, and carry out the four suggested policy of promote technological innovation into practical productivity.