Green Innovation Efficiency Evaluation of China’s High-Tech Industry Based on the Innovation Value Chain: A Dynamic Network DEA Approach

The improvement of green innovation efficiency is crucial to accelerating the green development of the high-tech industry. This study constructs a dynamic network data envelopment analysis model including shared inputs, undesirable outputs and lagged effects according to the innovation value chain and calculates the green innovation efficiency of the R&D and commercialization stages in the green innovation process of the high-tech industry. Then, the regional differences of green innovation efficiency among Chinese provinces are analyzed. The results are as follows: (1) the green innovation efficiency in most regions is weaker in the commercialization stage than in the R&D stage; (2) the average green innovation efficiency shows a slight decrease in the R&D stage and commercialization stage, but increases in 2020 in the commercialization stage; (3) the green innovation efficiency of most eastern regions is relatively higher than that in the central, western and northeastern regions; and (4) Pearson correlation indicates that the two sub-stages are highly correlated with overall green innovation efficiency but that there is no correlation between the two sub-stages. This study not only guides the enhancement of green innovation efficiency in the high-tech industry but also supports China’s carbon neutrality goals and green innovation strategies.