Data from: The spatiotemporal evolution and formation mechanism of the digital economic gap: Based on the case of China

We analyzed the formation mechanism of digital economic gap (DEG),
measured the DEGs at four levels (the gaps in information and
communication technology accessibility,
application skill, digital economic
outcome, and efficiency), and explored
its spatiotemporal evolution in China by
using DEA–Malmquist index method, Gini Coefficent method, Kernel
density, and Geodetector. Data from 263 cities in China between
2011 and 2019 were collected. The results demonstrated
that (1) The four levels of DEGs showed different trends. The
first-, second- and third- level DEGs showed ceiling
effects, and the fourth-level DEG oscillated upward. (2) The distribution
location of the four levels of DEGs varied. The first- and
second-level DEGs shifted at a stable low
degree. The third-level DEG increased steadily
and polarized. The fourth-level DEG increased steadily
and formed a multi-polarization trend, with one strong polar. (3)
The long-term transfer trend of the DEGs at four levels changed little,
and showed a phenomenon of “club convergence”. (4) As for the formation of
DEGs, the first-level DEG was influenced by most factors and was
education- and policy-driven; the second-level DEG was profit-driven; the
third-level DEG was profit- and education-driven; the fourth-level DEG was
human resource-driven.