From Protectionist to Regulator: Policy-Driven Transformation of Digital Urban Networks in China’s Online Gaming Industry

In the digital era, data-driven production organizes digital urban networks. This study explores the critical role of government policies in shaping these networks, focusing on China’s evolving policy contexts. While existing research has mainly emphasized qualitative analyses, this paper quantitati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sustainability 2024-10, Vol.16 (19), p.8634
Main Authors: Zhang, Xu, Huang, Yingmin, Zou, Xiaohua
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Area planning & development
Collaboration
Communication
Developing countries
Digital economy
Digitization
Economic activity
Economic aspects
Economic growth
Industrial policy
Influence
Infrastructure
Laws, regulations and rules
LDCs
Online games
Sustainable urban development
Technology application
Urban areas
Urban policy
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Summary:In the digital era, data-driven production organizes digital urban networks. This study explores the critical role of government policies in shaping these networks, focusing on China’s evolving policy contexts. While existing research has mainly emphasized qualitative analyses, this paper quantitatively assesses the impact of policy changes on digital urban networks, specifically through the lens of China’s online gaming industry. The study aimed to elucidate the relationship between the policy environment and digital urban networks. By examining China’s transition from protectionist to regulatory policies, this research employed a social network analysis and valued exponential random graph models (ERGMs) across two key phases: the competitive protection phase (2014–2017) and the systematic regulatory phase (2018–2022). The findings revealed a significant transformation in urban network structure, shifting from a centralized model dominated by a few core cities to a decentralized, multi-centered network. The key factors influencing this evolution include the institutional proximity and cross-regional collaborations. This study offers valuable insights into how policy shifts affect urban networks in the digital economy, contributing both theoretically and practically to future policy design.
ISSN:2071-1050
2071-1050
DOI:10.3390/su16198634