Research on the Impact of Government-Led Technical Standardization on Regional Innovation Performance

Based on the technology trajectory theory and institutional theory, this study develops a moderated mediation model to systematically investigate the mechanism and boundary conditions through which government-led technical standardization influences regional innovation performance in China. Utilizing a comprehensive provincial-level panel dataset from 2013 to 2022 and employing a two-way fixed effects approach, we provide robust empirical evidence demonstrating that government-led standardization significantly enhances regional innovation performance. Specifically, this positive impact operates through dual mediating pathways: facilitating technology trajectory extension and enabling technology trajectory transformation. Furthermore, our analysis reveals that institutional development serves as a critical moderator, where regions with more robust institutional frameworks experience substantially stronger innovation effects from standardization policies. By elucidating the complete "policy-trajectory-performance" transmission mechanism, this research advances theoretical understanding of standardization-innovation dynamics and offers valuable insights for designing effective innovation policies in emerging economies.