The spatial impacts of construction of digital village on the development of county-level care industry for older people

Purpose The construction of digital villages provides significant opportunities for the development of the care industry for older people. This study attempts to improve the synergy between the county-level digital village construction and the layout of the care industry for older people. Design/methodology/approach Using data from 778 counties across six provinces in China as the research sample, and combining survey data from enterprises involved in the care industry for older people in 2018 and 2020, this paper conducts an empirical analysis through comprehensive evaluation index models, cross-sectional spatial econometric models and other methods. Findings The construction of a digital village imposed significantly positive spatial impact on the care industry for older people in 2020. At the early stage of digital village construction, it generated spatial effects on the care industry for older people mainly through the digitalization of rural life. While at the later stage of promotion, the spatial effects of digital village construction on the county-level care industry for older people were effective dominantly through the digitalization of rural economy and digitalization of rural life. Furthermore, the spatial impact of digital village on the care industry of older people was transformed through the effects of entrepreneurship activity, consumption and income effects, as well as the effects of non-farm payrolls. Research limitations/implications The implication of this study lies in the identification of the spatial changes and impacts affecting the county-level care industry for older people resulting from digital village construction. Originality/value This paper confirms the hierarchical layout of care industries across various county-level areas and the spatial synergy between the county-level care industries and the digital village construction.