우리나라 환경산업의 상대적 지역경쟁력 제고 요인 분석

Abstract

This study explores the factors that influence the growth of environmental industries at the municipal level in South Korea. We employed shift-share analysis to identify the effect of local competitive advantage on the growth of environmental industries between 2007 and 2014. This study used both the Census on Establishments and publicly available secondary data at the municipal level (city, county, or district) across the nation. This study measures standardized local competitiveness in environmental industries as a whole as well as four sub-sectors: manufacturing, construction, wholesale and trade, and service. Using descriptive analysis and regression models, this study considers municipal governments’ expenditures, investment, industrial complex, and regulatory effort as primary explanatory variables for promoting environmental industries. This study also includes local characteristics such as economic conditions and urbanization variables in the model. Analysis results indicate that the local relative competitiveness of environmental industries varies among municipalities as well as across four industrial subsectors. This study also shows some limitations of government-initiated policies to promote local environmental industries. Environmental industries can be a driving force for job creation in small and medium municipalities. In order to attract environmental industries, it is necessary to provide appropriate policy support upon industrial and regional characteristics.