Sustainability Assessment of Steel Industry in the Belt and Road Area Based on DPSIR Model
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
In my humble opinion, it could be better to separate intro to literature review.
Images are not clear, improve quality. Also, it could be better to explain contents.
Personally I do not like conclusions in dot point, in any case it is clear.
Author Response
Thank you for your comments sincerely, which are very important for this study, and I will respond to your suggestions below.
Point : In my humble opinion, it could be better to separate intro to literature review.
Images are not clear, improve quality. Also, it could be better to explain contents.
Personally I do not like conclusions in dot point, in any case it is clear.
Response :
Yes, based on your suggestions, we have made modifications to the structure and figures of the article.
Firstly, we have added three subheadings in the first section to differentiate the research background, literature review, and innovation points. Secondly, regarding the improvement of image clarity, all the images in this study can be regenerated, and we will provide clearer figures to the editor in the later stages. Additionally, in the conclusion section of this paper, we have included four bullet points to express conclusions on different aspects, allowing readers to clearly understand the main findings. We have also added section 5.3 on research limitations and prospects.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
The introduction provides a clear rationale for the study, but it would be helpful to provide a more specific research objective or hypothesis to guide the study. What specific aspects or dimensions of the sustainable development capacity of the Belt and Road regional steel industry are being evaluated?
The construction of an evaluation index system based on the DPSIR model is a sound approach for assessing the sustainable development of the steel industry. However, please provide more details about the specific indicators included in the index system and how they were selected. Justify the inclusion/exclusion of specific indicators based on their relevance and significance.
Consider providing more information on the data sources and methodology used for the analysis. How were the spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics of the steel industry's sustainable development analyzed? What statistical or analytical techniques were employed to identify spatial clustering and correlations among the sub-indicators?
In the results section, elaborate on the interpretation and implications of the improvement in the sustainable development index of the Belt and Road regional steel industry from 2000 to 2021. Discuss the factors or initiatives that have contributed to this improvement and their potential implications for the future development of the steel industry in the region.
When discussing the spatial dispersion and clustering of the sustainable development index, provide insights into the possible reasons behind these patterns. Discuss the potential factors or drivers that may be contributing to the observed spatial variations in sustainable development performance among the countries along the Belt and Road.
The analysis of factors influencing the spatial differentiation of the Belt and Road Steel Industry Carrying Capacity (BCSI) is an important aspect of the study. However, the pathways of influence mentioned (industrial infrastructure → innovation environment → global governance capacity → per capita GDP) require further elaboration. Discuss the underlying mechanisms or dynamics that drive these pathways of influence.
Provide a more detailed discussion on the specific factors identified as having a strong composite influence on the regional differences in BCSI within the Belt and Road. Explain the mechanisms or relationships through which these factors affect the steel industry's sustainable development. Consider providing examples or case studies to illustrate the relationships.
In the conclusion section, provide more specific recommendations for policy-makers, industry stakeholders, and countries involved in the Belt and Road initiative. Discuss practical steps or strategies that can be implemented to enhance the sustainable development level of the steel industry. Address the identified factors of influence and highlight potential areas for improvement or intervention.
Consider discussing the limitations of the study, including any potential data limitations or uncertainties that may have influenced the analysis. Provide suggestions for future research to address these limitations and further deepen the understanding of the sustainable development capacity of the Belt and Road regional steel industry.
The language and organization of the paper could be improved for clarity and flow. Proofread the manuscript carefully to correct any grammatical errors and ensure a coherent presentation of information. Consider restructuring paragraphs to improve the logical flow of ideas and improve readability.
Author Response
Thank you for your comments sincerely, which are very important for this study, and I will respond to your suggestions one-on-one below.
Point 1: The introduction provides a clear rationale for the study, but it would be helpful to provide a more specific research objective or hypothesis to guide the study. What specific aspects or dimensions of the sustainable development capacity of the Belt and Road regional steel industry are being evaluated?
Response 1:Yes, based on your suggestions, we have made adjustments to the structure of the first section. Firstly, we have added three subheadings to differentiate the research background, literature review, and innovation points. Secondly, in the research background, we have included a statement on the main research objectives.. (Lines 48-66)
Point 2: The construction of an evaluation index system based on the DPSIR model is a sound approach for assessing the sustainable development of the steel industry. However, please provide more details about the specific indicators included in the index system and how they were selected. Justify the inclusion/exclusion of specific indicators based on their relevance and significance.
Response 2: Thank you for your suggestions. We have supplemented this section accordingly.(Lines 223-271)
Point 3: Consider providing more information on the data sources and methodology used for the analysis. How were the spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics of the steel industry's sustainable development analyzed? What statistical or analytical techniques were employed to identify spatial clustering and correlations among the sub-indicators?
Response 3: Thank you for your suggestions. In fact, this aspect is already covered in the methodology section of the paper.
Point 4: In the results section, elaborate on the interpretation and implications of the improvement in the sustainable development index of the Belt and Road regional steel industry from 2000 to 2021. Discuss the factors or initiatives that have contributed to this improvement and their potential implications for the future development of the steel industry in the region.
Response 4: Thank you for your suggestions. Indeed, this part is the core of the article. We have improved this aspect in the conclusion section. (Lines 623-630)
Point 5: When discussing the spatial dispersion and clustering of the sustainable development index, provide insights into the possible reasons behind these patterns. Discuss the potential factors or drivers that may be contributing to the observed spatial variations in sustainable development performance among the countries along the Belt and Road.
Response 5: Thank you for your suggestions. In fact, the fourth section of the paper is an analysis of the influencing factors on the sustainable development of the Belt and Road steel industry.
Point 6: The analysis of factors influencing the spatial differentiation of the Belt and Road Steel Industry Carrying Capacity (BCSI) is an important aspect of the study. However, the pathways of influence mentioned (industrial infrastructure → innovation environment → global governance capacity → per capita GDP) require further elaboration. Discuss the underlying mechanisms or dynamics that drive these pathways of influence.
Response 6: Thank you very much for this suggestion. This is indeed one of the main research findings of the article. We have added this content in section 4.1 to supplement this aspect. (Lines 573-588)
Point 7: Provide a more detailed discussion on the specific factors identified as having a strong composite influence on the regional differences in BCSI within the Belt and Road. Explain the mechanisms or relationships through which these factors affect the steel industry's sustainable development. Consider providing examples or case studies to illustrate the relationships.
Response 7: Thank you very much for your suggestions. In fact, these are exactly the focus of our research team's next steps. Due to the limitations of the article's length, we did not provide a detailed explanation in this paper.
Point 8: In the conclusion section, provide more specific recommendations for policy-makers, industry stakeholders, and countries involved in the Belt and Road initiative. Discuss practical steps or strategies that can be implemented to enhance the sustainable development level of the steel industry. Address the identified factors of influence and highlight potential areas for improvement or intervention.
Response 8: Thank you for your suggestions. The perspective of this research paper is more focused on the macro level, and due to space limitations, it is not possible to provide a detailed analysis. The development paths of the steel industry in various countries, which you mentioned, will be the focus of our team's future research. Thank you for your valuable input.
Point 9: Consider discussing the limitations of the study, including any potential data limitations or uncertainties that may have influenced the analysis. Provide suggestions for future research to address these limitations and further deepen the understanding of the sustainable development capacity of the Belt and Road regional steel industry.
Response 9: Thank you for your suggestions. This article is based on a macroscopic perspective, and there are indeed many details that are worthy of further research. We have added section 5.3 to discuss the limitations of the study and provide future prospects. (Lines 588-523)
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
The paper presents an important and attractive subject. Based on the DPSIR model, The manuscript „Sustainability Assessment of steel industry in the Belt and Road area Based on DPSIR Model” constructs an evaluation index system for the Belt and Road Initiative's SCSI and analyzes the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics and driving factors of SCSI in 65 countries along the Belt and Road from 2000 to 2021.
Comments:
The paper is well-written and presented in a well-structured manner. I believe the article is organized logically and understandably.
The conclusions highlight the main results obtained by the authors and indicate at the same time a series of recommendations.
The cited references are, for the most part, recent and they are relevant to the treated topic.
Recommendations:
An underlining of the results obtained from the perspective of the working hypotheses. Future research directions may also be highlighted, if possible.
Check that the cited sources have all the information according to the MDPI style and without duplicate references (for example, reference 20 and reference 28).
The manuscript should be read once more, to check for small typos.
Author Response
Thank you for your comments sincerely, which are very important for this study, and I will respond to your suggestions one-on-one below.
Point 1: An underlining of the results obtained from the perspective of the working hypotheses. Future research directions may also be highlighted, if possible.
Response 1:Yes, thank you for your suggestions. We have made adjustments to the structure of the first section. Firstly, we have added three subheadings to differentiate the research background, literature review, and innovation points. Secondly, we have included a statement on the main research objectives in the research background. Lastly, we have added a new subsection, 5.3, at the end to discuss the limitations of this study and provide future prospects. (Lines 49-66) (Lines 687-723)
Point 2: Check that the cited sources have all the information according to the MDPI style and without duplicate references (for example, reference 20 and reference 28).
Response 2: Thank you for your kind words. We have made adjustments to the references as per your suggestion. (Lines 792-793)
Point 3: The manuscript should be read once more, to check for small typos.
Response 3: Thank you for your suggestion. We have thoroughly checked the entire document.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 4 Report
In general, I congratulate the authors because the manuscript is really interesting and of great added value to academic research.
Comments for author File: Comments.pdf
Author Response
Thank you for your comments sincerely, which are very important for this study, and I will respond to your suggestions one-on-one below.
Point 1: The authors should clearly indicate if tables, diagrams and figures are “source own elaboration” or not. Please review all figures and ables and follow the guideline information for authors.
Response 1:Thank you for your review. The data section of this article covers 20 indicators, and each indicator has a specific data source. All the data presented in the article is derived from the indicator system and represents the results of the research.
As a scholar, ensuring the authenticity of the data is fundamental to academic integrity. We can provide you with all the sources of data and the calculation processes used in this paper.
Point 2: All the references included in the last part are not following the rules defined in the Style Guide for MDPI Journals, please follow the main rule: “Title of the article. Journal Abbreviation Year, Volume”.
Response 2: Thank you for your kind words. We have made adjustments to the references as per your suggestion. (Lines 92-93)
Point 3: Acknowledgments section is missing. Please, include it.
Response 3: Thank you for your suggestion. The paper extensively cites the research results of others, and the contribution of reviewers is crucial for improving the paper. Journal editors also invest significant efforts in typesetting and proofreading. We acknowledge their contributions and would like to express our gratitude to them.
Point 4: Why is there text in red and black? Does this mean something?
Response 4: I have carefully reviewed the entire document, and I did not find any red-colored text. Before submitting the manuscript, we went through one round of revisions based on the editor's suggestions. It is possible that the version you saw displayed some red and black text due to the track changes mode.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
