Research on the Practical Path of Resource-Based Enterprises to Improve Environmental Efficiency in Digital Transformation

Tianshun Ruan, Ying Gu (), Xinhao Li and Rong Qu
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Tianshun Ruan: School of Economics & Management, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
Ying Gu: School of Economics & Management, Northwest University, Xi’an 710127, China
Xinhao Li: School of Economics & Management, Xi’an Shiyou University, Xi’an 710065, China
Rong Qu: School of Economics & Management, Weinan Normal University, Weinan 714099, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 21, 1-17

Abstract: Increasingly serious environmental problems force resource-based enterprises to find effective means to break through the original resource dilemma. With the acceleration of the digital transformation process, digital technology can guarantee the green transformation process and realize the sustainable development of economic growth and environmental protection. Based on the perspective of efficiency, this paper selects 46 resource-based enterprises as research object, adopts a strategic triangle research framework of “operational capability–policy environment–value objective” and, through the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis method, analyzes the formation mechanism and practice pathways of sustainable development in the resource-based enterprises’ digital transformation. Research suggests that: (1) The realization path of high-level enterprise environmental efficiency includes four configurations: technology guarantee type, strategy driven type, pressure lead type and policy pulled type. (2) The characteristics and strategies of resource-based enterprises using digital technology to deal with changes in the business environment and achieve sustainable development can be divided into two models: the “capability-oriented” model and “environment-oriented” model. (3) The heterogeneity study shows that the green development of the power supply industry and the material processing industry is more suitable for the “capability-oriented” model, and the green development of the iron and steel manufacturing industry and energy extraction industry is more suitable for the “environment-oriented” model. The research results can provide a new theoretical perspective and strategy for resource-based enterprises to use digital technology for green development and provide a new optimization pathway for China’s industrial practice.

Keywords: digital technology; sustainable development; strategic triangle model; environmental efficiency; qualitative comparative analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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