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Can national civilized city selection optimize the local business environment?

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Title: Can national civilized city selection optimize the local business environment?
Authors: Zhang, Jijian1 (AUTHOR) jjzhang@ujs.edu.cn, Wang, Fang1 (AUTHOR) wangfang9599@163.com, Ding, Xuhui1 (AUTHOR) dingxh@ujs.edu.cn
Source: Environment, Development & Sustainability. Jun2026, Vol. 28 Issue 6, p15381-15401. 21p.
Subject Terms: *Economic development, *Countries, *Propensity score matching, *Regional disparities, *Policy analysis
Geographic Terms: China
Abstract: National civilized city selection, as a competition among local governments in China, significantly impacts the local business environment. However, whether this impact is positive or negative remains inconclusive. This study aims to determine whether the selection of national civilized cities promotes or inhibits local business environment. Therefore, this paper treats the selection of civilized cities as a quasi-natural experiment, using a sample of 246 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2011 to 2021. The entropy method and the PSM-DID (propensity score matching difference-in-differences) model are used to verify the impact of the selection on local business environment. According to the results, the selection of civilized cities significantly inhibits local business environment. After testing for robustness, this result remains valid. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the inhibitory effect on the business environment is more pronounced in cities with higher administrative levels and economic development. The negative impact of participating in the selection is strongest in cities in eastern region, followed by the central region, and weakest in the western region. Therefore, local characteristics should be emphasized during the selection process, with flexible adaptations and optimized evaluation standards. Appropriate selection plans should be designed according to the specific characteristics of each city to improve the business environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Database: Energy & Power Source
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DbLabel: Energy & Power Source
An: 194093188
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Environment%2C+Development+%26+Sustainability%22">Environment, Development & Sustainability</searchLink>. Jun2026, Vol. 28 Issue 6, p15381-15401. 21p.
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  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Economic+development%22">Economic development</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Countries%22">Countries</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Propensity+score+matching%22">Propensity score matching</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Regional+disparities%22">Regional disparities</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Policy+analysis%22">Policy analysis</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22China%22">China</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: National civilized city selection, as a competition among local governments in China, significantly impacts the local business environment. However, whether this impact is positive or negative remains inconclusive. This study aims to determine whether the selection of national civilized cities promotes or inhibits local business environment. Therefore, this paper treats the selection of civilized cities as a quasi-natural experiment, using a sample of 246 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2011 to 2021. The entropy method and the PSM-DID (propensity score matching difference-in-differences) model are used to verify the impact of the selection on local business environment. According to the results, the selection of civilized cities significantly inhibits local business environment. After testing for robustness, this result remains valid. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the inhibitory effect on the business environment is more pronounced in cities with higher administrative levels and economic development. The negative impact of participating in the selection is strongest in cities in eastern region, followed by the central region, and weakest in the western region. Therefore, local characteristics should be emphasized during the selection process, with flexible adaptations and optimized evaluation standards. Appropriate selection plans should be designed according to the specific characteristics of each city to improve the business environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10668-024-05535-z
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 21
        StartPage: 15381
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Economic development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Propensity score matching
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Regional disparities
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Policy analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: China
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Can national civilized city selection optimize the local business environment?
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            NameFull: Zhang, Jijian
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            – D: 01
              M: 06
              Text: Jun2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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            – TitleFull: Environment, Development & Sustainability
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