Local varieties of state-directed green and digital innovation processes in China: Evidence from Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Longyan

• We study state-directed green and digital innovation processes in China. • We conduct and analyze 23 expert interviews in three case study regions. • We find three types of regional approaches to policy coordination processes. • There are both state-directed top-down and agency-driven bottom-up processes. • The organization of innovation processes occurs in place-based applications. This paper analyzes the state-directed organization of green and digital innovation processes in China. Building on a qualitative approach, we selected the three case study regions Shanghai, Hangzhou (Zhejiang) and Longyan (Fujian), and conducted 23 expert interviews with various private and government actors. Following an analytical framework based on state rescaling processes, the data were analyzed using a content analysis and categories structured according to government levels, governance processes and technology domains. The findings reveal that state-directed innovation processes are shaped between local actor constellations and national, regional and local government levels, impacting local policy application. While Shanghai pursues a top-down approach in guiding multinational and domestic enterprises, Longyan traces agency-driven bottom-up processes centered around a local flagship company, and Hangzhou combines a top-down approach with selective bottom-up policy. Based on the findings, we develop a typology for local coordination processes during policy implementation. Our findings help to better understand the diversity of the organization of green and digital innovation processes in Chinese cities.