Investigating the Productivity of Industrial Parks in Beijing Using Malmquist Productivity Indexes

Industrial parks play important roles in boosting local economies. However, their productivity remains unclear. This study employs the Malmquist productivity indexes (MPIs) to assess the performance of 14 economic development zones (EDZs) and seven high-tech development zones (HTDZs) in Beijing for the 2006–2014 period. The overall MPI increased for both the EDZs and the HTDZs. The Malmquist decomposition highlights the technological changes as the main source of productivity improvement. Further, many EDZs and HTDZs have shown progress in catching up. Decision-makers should consider the scale effects when evaluating inputs like investment and land, and the results will enable better management of industrial parks.