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Does digital innovation cause better ESG performance? an empirical test of a-listed firms in China

Qiongyu Huang, Jiali Fang, Xiaolong Xue and Hongming Gao

Research in International Business and Finance, 2023, vol. 66, issue C

Abstract: Digital technologies have changed the traditional innovation paradigm. We study the impact of digital innovation on corporate ESG performance using data from China’s A-share listed companies from 2011 to 2021. The results show that (1) digital innovation has a significant and positive impact on ESG performance; (2) digital innovation can improve firm performance and attract the attention of analysts, thereby improving ESG performance; (3) the positive impact of digital innovation on ESG performance is mitigated by corporate financial stability and augmented by institutional investors; and (4) the impact of digital innovation on ESG performance is more pronounced in industries which are nonmanufacturing, industrial digitization, and low-competitive, as well as in firms which are nonstate-owned or enforce executive equity incentives. This study provides a timely assessment of the sustainable value of digital innovation and enriches the research on the impacts of corporate ESG performance.

Keywords: Digital innovation; ESG; Sustainable development; Analyst focus; Firm performance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D21 D82 M14 O32 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (15)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:66:y:2023:i:c:s0275531923001757

DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2023.102049

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