Abstract

In the context of the rapid development of the digital economy, regional innovation efficiency (RIE) has become an important indicator for measuring regional economic competitiveness. This study establishes an evaluation system for RIE driven by the digital economy, employing a two-stage inverse data envelopment analysis (DEA) model to measure RIE in China. It also conducts an empirical analysis of the allocation of technological resources in Jiangsu Province, providing valuable insights for RIE research within the framework of the digital economy. The research results indicate that from2014 to 2019, the overall RIE in China gradually improved, with significant increases in innovation efficiency in the eastern and western regions, while the northeastern region experienced a slight decline. Focusing on resource allocation in Jiangsu, we find that as the input proportion gradually increases, it is necessary to reduce output in the technology development stage and enhance output in the achievement transformation stage to maintain the current efficiency level. However, to improve the RIE score, it is essential to simultaneously increase the output levels of both stages.