Does the Collaboration of Digitalization Foster Regional Green Development?

Tianyi Zhu, Xue Li, Haoqiang Wu () and Ziyu Chu
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Tianyi Zhu: Business School, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Xue Li: Business School, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China
Haoqiang Wu: School of Economics, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan 430040, China
Ziyu Chu: Business School, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou 215009, China

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 20, 1-18

Abstract: The collaboration of digitalization refers to a comprehensive digital governance system that achieves cross-regional digital industrialization and deep integration of industrial digitization through the construction of digital infrastructure, which paves the way toward regional sustainability. However, little is known about whether and to what extent regional digital collaboration contributes to green development. Furthermore, the specific role of digital collaboration in greening the regional economy and society remains unexplored. Thus, this paper tests the relationship between digital collaboration, business environment, and regional green development by using data from 285 prefecture-level cities in China from 2008 to 2022. The findings suggest that: (1) the hysteresis phenomenon of the “green dividend effect” response to regional digital collaboration is present; (2) digital collaboration in eastern cities positively impacted (but lagged) the greening of the economy and society, but cities in central and western regions negatively impact this process; (3) the business environment mediates the relationship between the lagged digital collaboration and regional green development, and it positively moderates the relationship between both the current and lagged digital collaboration and regional green development. By elucidating the relationship between digital collaboration, business environment, and regional green development, contributions have been made to previous digital innovation literature, and management insights have been provided for how regions can promote green development in the digital age.

Keywords: business environment; digital collaboration; mediating and moderating effect; regional green development (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 (1)

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