Abstract:

Objective: From the perspective of configuration, this study analyzes the multiple conditions and improvement paths that affect the non-timber forest-based economics development efficiency, clarifies the internal mechanism of the multi-factor synergy, in order to provide decision-making references for scientifically formulating strategies for the development of non-timber forest-based economics. Method: Based on the technology-organization-environment (TOE) theoretical framework, with the panel data of 31 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) across China from 2013 to 2022 used as the research sample, the super-efficiency SBM model and the dynamic qualitative comparative analysis (QCA) method were employed to systematically analyze the multiple configuration paths for the improvement of the non-timber forest-based economics development efficiency, and reveal its spatio-temporal evolution patterns and characteristics. Result: 1) None of the individual factors, including the level of technological innovation, the degree of technology promotion, the scale and capacity of enterprises, the intensity of government support, the market consumption capacity, and the single element of forest ecological environment, can constitute the necessary conditions for high non-timber forest-based economics development efficiency. Nevertheless, among them, the level of technological innovation has a universal supporting role in the process of efficiency improvement. 2) Based on the asymmetry of causal relationships of configuration analysis, four paths to achieve high non-timber forest-based economics development efficiency and two paths that lead to low non-timber forest-based economics development efficiency were obtained. 3) From the temporal dimension, the explanatory power of the resource endowment - market-driven path for high non-timber forest-based economics development efficiency showed a gradually increasing trend, while the explanatory power of the other configuration paths had good robustness. 4) From the spatial dimension, all the configuration paths of high non-timber forest-based economics development efficiency had the characteristic of spatial regional aggregation. Specifically: the technology empowerment - enterprise-driven path was mainly applicable to the central region and the northeastern region, the government guidance - factor linkage path was mainly applicable to the western region, the resource endowment - market-driven path was mainly applicable to the eastern coastal region, and the organizational collaboration - technological breakthrough path was mainly applicable to the western region and some eastern regions. Conclusion: The improvement of non-timber forest-based economics development efficiency does not rely on the independent effect of a single factor. Instead, it is the result of the joint action of multiple dimensions of factors such as technology, organization, and environment. Each region should adopt a regional holistic approach, focus on precise coordination and matching among different elements, and formulate differentiated development strategies to systematically enhance the non-timber forest-based economics development efficiency.

Key words: non-timber forest-based economics, configuration perspective, technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework, super-efficiency SBM model, dynamic qualitative comparative analysis