A Study on Innovation and Entrepreneurship Pathways in China's Textile and Apparel Industry from the Perspective of Industrial Linkages

Based on China's 2018 and 2020 input-output tables, this study analyzes the structural characteristics and evolution of the textile and apparel industry by calculating its influence coefficient and sensitivity coefficient. The findings reveal a pattern of “high influence but low sensitivity”. The decline in the influence coefficient indicates a reduction in the effectiveness of the traditional pull model, spurring “backward integration”entrepreneurship focused on upstream technological links and supply chain innovation. Meanwhile, the slight increase in the sensitivity coefficient signifies the breaking of industrial boundaries, driving “forward integration” innovation characterized by functionalization, servitization, and platformization. The study elucidates the transmission mechanism of industrial linkage structures to innovation and entrepreneurship activities, providing a new analytical perspective for understanding the transformation and upgrading of China's textile and apparel industry.