QIAO Yibo, ZHANG Zining, LUO Zhendong

Keywords： Digital Economy; Industrial Space; Evolutionary Characteristic; Planning Implication; Cao County

Abstract：

Employing a mixed-methods approach integrating both quantitative and qualitative research and using Cao County in Shandong Province as an empirical case, this study utilizes both National Registered Enterprises Database and field research data to investigate the evolutionary characteristics of countylevel industrial space driven by digital economy and its corresponding planning implications. Our findings indicate that: (1) a digital economy industrial cluster centered around Daji Town and Ancailou Town has developed in the southern part of Cao County, with an emerging industrial development corridor between the new center and the county seat. This reflects significant trends towards new economies, new centers, and new corridors; (2) under the influence of digital economy, the spatial dependency of all industries initially decreases and then increases, revealing an overall trend of spatial dispersion followed by concentration. The manufacturing sector exhibits a decentralized, multi-centered development pattern, while the service sector shows a relative concentration towards the county seat; (3) regarding industrial division of labor, the county-level industrial division displays a diversification of industrial chain segments, cross-regional networking in productive services, and local specialization in manufacturing. Based on the empirical findings, this study suggests that county-level spatial planning should simultaneously implement smart growth and smart shrinkage strategies. This approach aims to guide and optimize the spatial distribution of industrial land and public service facilities, thereby providing necessary support for the urban and rural spatial development driven by digital economy.

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