The government-business relationship and eco-innovation: evidence from chinese automobile industry

This study used 2017-2019 Chinese A-share-listed automobile manufacturing companies as research samples to analyse the impact of the government-business relationship on eco-innovation. We found that a healthy government-business relationship had a positive impact on enterprise eco-innovation. The mediating effects test verified that a healthy government-business relationship affected enterprise eco-innovation through financing constraints. In addition, managerial ownership significantly increased the positive impact of a healthy government-business relationship on enterprise eco-innovation. We also found that a healthy government-business relationship had a more substantial impact on enterprise eco-innovation in non-state-owned enterprises when considering corporate property rights. The study results provide empirical evidence for the influence of the government-business relationship on enterprise eco-innovation and deepen our understanding of eco-innovation in China’s automobile manufacturing industry.