The Impact Mechanism of Digitalization on Green Innovation of Chinese Manufacturing Enterprises: An Empirical Study

Xufang Li (), Dijun Fan (), Zhuoxuan Li and Mingzhu Pan
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Xufang Li: School of Management, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai 201620, China
Dijun Fan: School of Management, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai 201620, China
Zhuoxuan Li: School of Management, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai 201620, China
Mingzhu Pan: School of Management, Shanghai University of Engineering Science, Shanghai 201620, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 12, 1-22

Abstract: With the rapid development of the digital economy, promoting green innovation through digitalization has become an important means for manufacturing enterprises to improve their core competitiveness. However, the existing studies focus more on enterprise green technology innovation than green innovation, and the empirical tests mostly use regional-level data rather than enterprise-level data. This paper empirically examines the impact effect and mechanism of digitalization on green innovation in manufacturing enterprises using a sample of Chinese A-share listed manufacturing enterprises from 2013–2019. It is found that: digitalization significantly promotes the improvement of green innovation level in manufacturing enterprises; digitalization promotes green innovation more prominently in labor-intensive industries and manufacturing enterprises in central China than in capital- or technology-intensive industries and enterprises in eastern China; and digitalization can influence green innovation in manufacturing enterprises through three intermediary channels: promoting enterprise value chain upgrading, empowering industrial structure optimization, and enhancing technological innovation.

Keywords: digitization; manufacturing; green innovation; value chain upgrade; industrial structure optimization; technology innovation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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