IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/asieco/v97y2025ics1049007825000168.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Enterprise digital transformation and investment efficiency: Empirical evidence from listed enterprises in China

Author

Listed:
  • Guo, Panting
  • Bi, Jiefeng
  • Zhu, Mengnan

Abstract

In this paper, we examine the effect of digital transformation on investment efficiency using data from Chinese-listed enterprises from 2007 to 2021. We find that digital transformation significantly enhances investment efficiency by reducing information asymmetry between insiders and outsiders of enterprises and this effect is significant only for private enterprises. Through the application of unconditional quantile regression, we observe that the beneficial impact of digital transformation on investment efficiency tends to diminish as the efficiency improves, especially for private enterprises. Mechanism analysis suggests that digital transformation alleviates information asymmetry through two main channels: regulating earnings management to address underinvestment and mitigating excessive leverage to curb overinvestment. Ownership-based heterogeneity analysis confirms that these mechanisms at play vary across enterprise types, with significant effects observed exclusively in private enterprises. Our findings suggest that policy-makers and investors should leverage digital technology to reduce information asymmetry and improve efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Guo, Panting & Bi, Jiefeng & Zhu, Mengnan, 2025. "Enterprise digital transformation and investment efficiency: Empirical evidence from listed enterprises in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:asieco:v:97:y:2025:i:c:s1049007825000168
    DOI: 10.1016/j.asieco.2025.101892
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1049007825000168
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.asieco.2025.101892?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Arif Khan, Muhammad & Qin, Xuezhi & Jebran, Khalil, 2019. "Does uncertainty influence the leverage-investment association in Chinese firms?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 134-152.
    2. Christina Zhu, 2019. "Big Data as a Governance Mechanism," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 32(5), pages 2021-2061.
    3. Myers, Stewart C. & Majluf, Nicholas S., 1984. "Corporate financing and investment decisions when firms have information that investors do not have," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 187-221, June.
    4. Biddle, Gary C. & Hilary, Gilles & Verdi, Rodrigo S., 2009. "How does financial reporting quality relate to investment efficiency?," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(2-3), pages 112-131, December.
    5. Bhandari, Avishek & Javakhadze, David, 2017. "Corporate social responsibility and capital allocation efficiency," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 354-377.
    6. Brandt, Loren & Li, Hongbin, 2003. "Bank discrimination in transition economies: ideology, information, or incentives?," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 31(3), pages 387-413, September.
    7. Wenzhou Qu & Udomsak Wongchoti & Fei Wu & Yanming Chen, 2018. "Does information asymmetry lead to higher debt financing? Evidence from China during the NTS Reform period," Journal of Asian Business and Economic Studies, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 25(1), pages 109-121, May.
    8. Ru Gao & Xin Yu, 2020. "How to measure capital investment efficiency: a literature synthesis," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 60(1), pages 299-334, March.
    9. Wang, Yizhong & Chen, Lifang & Huang, Ying Sophie & Li, Yong, 2018. "How does credit market distortion affect corporate investment efficiency? The role of managerial forecast," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 25(C), pages 266-273.
    10. Nathan Nunn & Nancy Qian, 2014. "US Food Aid and Civil Conflict," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 104(6), pages 1630-1666, June.
    11. Cui, Lin & Wang, Yanshu, 2023. "Can corporate digital transformation alleviate financial distress?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 55(PB).
    12. Chang, Chun & Chen, Xin & Liao, Guanmin, 2014. "What are the reliably important determinants of capital structure in china?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 87-113.
    13. Meng Liu & Erik Brynjolfsson & Jason Dowlatabadi, 2021. "Do Digital Platforms Reduce Moral Hazard? The Case of Uber and Taxis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(8), pages 4665-4685, August.
    14. Kirsten A. Cook & Andrea M. Romi & Daniela Sánchez & Juan Manuel Sánchez, 2019. "The influence of corporate social responsibility on investment efficiency and innovation," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(3-4), pages 494-537, March.
    15. Zhang, Wenzhe & Liu, Guangqiang, 2023. "Digitalization and firm centralization: A quasi-natural experiment based on the “Broadband China” policy," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    16. Harford, Jarrad & Klasa, Sandy & Walcott, Nathan, 2009. "Do firms have leverage targets? Evidence from acquisitions," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(1), pages 1-14, July.
    17. Maryam Farboodi & Laura Veldkamp, 2020. "Long-Run Growth of Financial Data Technology," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 110(8), pages 2485-2523, August.
    18. Firth, Michael & Lin, Chen & Wong, Sonia M.L., 2008. "Leverage and investment under a state-owned bank lending environment: Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 14(5), pages 642-653, December.
    19. Tao Zhang & Zhan-Zhong Shi & Yi-Rong Shi & Neng-Jun Chen, 2022. "Enterprise digital transformation and production efficiency: mechanism analysis and empirical research," Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 35(1), pages 2781-2792, December.
    20. Yuming Zhang & Han Liu & Shuang Li & Chao Xing, 2023. "The Digital Transformation Effect in Trade Credit Uptake: The Buyer Perspective," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 59(7), pages 2056-2078, May.
    21. David J. Denis & Stephen B. McKeon, 2012. "Debt Financing and Financial Flexibility Evidence from Proactive Leverage Increases," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 25(6), pages 1897-1929.
    22. Qiu, Jiayu & Deng, Xinxia & Liang, Rui, 2024. "Can the enterprise intelligent transformation promote accounting information transparency? Pressure from media attention," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    23. Jiang, Fuxiu & Cai, Wenjing & Wang, Xue & Zhu, Bing, 2018. "Multiple large shareholders and corporate investment: Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 66-83.
    24. Chen, Ruiyuan & El Ghoul, Sadok & Guedhami, Omrane & Wang, He, 2017. "Do state and foreign ownership affect investment efficiency? Evidence from privatizations," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 408-421.
    25. Wanyi Chen & Liguang Zhang & Pinyan Jiang & Fanli Meng & Qianyi Sun, 2022. "Can digital transformation improve the information environment of the capital market? Evidence from the analysts' prediction behaviour," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 62(2), pages 2543-2578, June.
    26. Leuz, Christian & Nanda, Dhananjay & Wysocki, Peter D., 2003. "Earnings management and investor protection: an international comparison," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(3), pages 505-527, September.
    27. Vo, Xuan Vinh, 2019. "Leverage and corporate investment – Evidence from Vietnam," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 1-5.
    28. Phan, Quynh Trang, 2018. "Corporate debt and investment with financial constraints: Vietnamese listed firms," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 268-280.
    29. Aivazian, Varouj A. & Ge, Ying & Qiu, Jiaping, 2005. "The impact of leverage on firm investment: Canadian evidence," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 11(1-2), pages 277-291, March.
    30. Jiang, Kangqi & Du, Xinyi & Chen, Zhongfei, 2022. "Firms' digitalization and stock price crash risk," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 82(C).
    31. Liu, Guangqiang & Wang, Shenghua, 2023. "Digital transformation and trade credit provision: Evidence from China," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    32. Sergio Firpo & Nicole M. Fortin & Thomas Lemieux, 2009. "Unconditional Quantile Regressions," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 77(3), pages 953-973, May.
    33. Sreedhar T. Bharath & Paolo Pasquariello & Guojun Wu, 2009. "Does Asymmetric Information Drive Capital Structure Decisions?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 22(8), pages 3211-3243, August.
    34. Toni M. Whited & Jake Zhao, 2021. "The Misallocation of Finance," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 76(5), pages 2359-2407, October.
    35. Zhou, Zhongsheng & Li, Zhuo, 2023. "Corporate digital transformation and trade credit financing," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 160(C).
    36. Rui Li & Jing Rao & Liangyong Wan, 2022. "The digital economy, enterprise digital transformation, and enterprise innovation," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 43(7), pages 2875-2886, October.
    37. Qianhua Lei & Huili Chen, 2019. "Corporate Governance Boundary, Debt Constraint, and Investment Efficiency," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(5), pages 1091-1108, April.
    38. Charles J. Hadlock & Joshua R. Pierce, 2010. "New Evidence on Measuring Financial Constraints: Moving Beyond the KZ Index," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 23(5), pages 1909-1940.
    39. Thomas Geelen & Jakub Hajda & Erwan Morellec, 2022. "Can Corporate Debt Foster Innovation and Growth?," The Review of Financial Studies, Society for Financial Studies, vol. 35(9), pages 4152-4200.
    40. Huang, Shuo, 2022. "Does FinTech improve the investment efficiency of enterprises? Evidence from China’s small and medium-sized enterprises," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 571-586.
    41. Guo, Bingnan & Wang, Yu & Zhang, Hao & Liang, Chunyan & Feng, Yu & Hu, Feng, 2023. "Impact of the digital economy on high-quality urban economic development: Evidence from Chinese cities," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    42. García Lara, Juan Manuel & García Osma, Beatriz & Penalva, Fernando, 2016. "Accounting conservatism and firm investment efficiency," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 61(1), pages 221-238.
    43. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    44. Elaoud, Assawer & Jarboui, Anis, 2017. "Auditor specialization, accounting information quality and investment efficiency," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 616-629.
    45. Shuang Jin & Wei Wang & Zilong Zhang, 2023. "The Real Effects of Implicit Government Guarantee: Evidence from Chinese State-Owned Enterprise Defaults," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 69(6), pages 3650-3674, June.
    46. Gebauer, Stefan & Setzer, Ralph & Westphal, Andreas, 2018. "Corporate debt and investment: A firm-level analysis for stressed euro area countries," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 112-130.
    47. Chen, Shimin & Sun, Zheng & Tang, Song & Wu, Donghui, 2011. "Government intervention and investment efficiency: Evidence from China," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 17(2), pages 259-271, April.
    48. Niu, Yuhao & Wang, Sai & Wen, Wen & Li, Sifei, 2023. "Does digital transformation speed up dynamic capital structure adjustment? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    49. Yiwei Dou & M. H. Franco Wong & Baohua Xin, 2019. "The Effect of Financial Reporting Quality on Corporate Investment Efficiency: Evidence from the Adoption of SFAS No. 123R," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 67(5), pages 2249-2266, May.
    50. Shang, Yuping & Raza, Syed Ali & Huo, Zhe & Shahzad, Umer & Zhao, Xin, 2023. "Does enterprise digital transformation contribute to the carbon emission reduction? Micro-level evidence from China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 1-13.
    51. Chen, Zhongfei & Jiang, Kangqi, 2024. "Digitalization and corporate investment efficiency: Evidence from China," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ahmad, Muhammad Munir & Hunjra, Ahmed Imran & Taskin, Dilvin, 2023. "Do asymmetric information and leverage affect investment decisions?," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 337-345.
    2. Lin, Yu-En & Teng, Shi & Cheng, Teng-Yuan & Wang, Qianqian & Hu, Chunyang, 2024. "The influence of deleveraging the excessive debt firms on investment efficiency," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 2130-2149.
    3. Lai, Xiaobing & Quan, Lei & Guo, Chong & Gao, Xing, 2025. "Exploring the digital era: Has digital technology innovation reshaped investment efficiency in Chinese enterprises?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    4. Liu, Sun & Zhang, Jie, 2023. "Conditional conservatism and investment efficiency under a state ownership environment: Further evidence from China," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 53(C).
    5. Chen, Zhongfei & Jiang, Kangqi, 2024. "Digitalization and corporate investment efficiency: Evidence from China," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    6. BENKRAIEM, Ramzi & GAAYA, Safa & LAKHAL, Faten, 2024. "Tax avoidance, investor protection, and investment inefficiency: An international evidence," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    7. Poursoleyman, Ehsan & Mansourfar, Gholamreza & Rezaee, Zabihollah & Homayoun, Saeid, 2024. "Corporate social responsibility and investment efficiency: The roles of national stakeholder orientation and legal origins," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 889-911.
    8. Xueman Xiang & Carl R. Chen & Yue Liu & Azhar Mughal & Qizhi Tao, 2024. "Are directors with foreign experience better monitors? Evidence from investment efficiency," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 799-840, February.
    9. Arif Khan, Muhammad & Qin, Xuezhi & Jebran, Khalil, 2019. "Does uncertainty influence the leverage-investment association in Chinese firms?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 134-152.
    10. Zubair, Siraz & Huang, Xiaohong, 2025. "Debt's shadow: How leverage weighs down investment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    11. Cao, Ning & McGuinness, Paul B. & Xi, Chao, 2024. "Majority-of-the-minority shareholder votes and investment efficiency," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(C).
    12. Xiao, Zhongyi & Li, Yuanling & Xiang, Cheng, 2025. "Do suppliers value customer firms' digital transformation? Evidence from trade credit provision," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    13. Niu, Yuhao & Wang, Sai & Wen, Wen & Li, Sifei, 2023. "Does digital transformation speed up dynamic capital structure adjustment? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    14. Jiang, Kangqi & Chen, Zhongfei & Rughoo, Aarti & Zhou, Mengling, 2022. "Internet finance and corporate investment: Evidence from China," Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    15. Khémiri, Wafa & Noubbigh, Hédi, 2020. "Does sub-Saharan Africa overinvest? Evidence from a panel of non-financial firms," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 118-130.
    16. Chowdhury, Md Raihan Uddin & Xie, Feixue & Hasan, Md Mahmudul, 2023. "Powerful CEOs and investment efficiency," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    17. Mai, Ruidong, 2025. "Digital transformation and corporate donations from the perspective of legitimacy management," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PB).
    18. Fu, Yumei & Guo, Chun, 2025. "Booster or trapper? Corporate digital transformation and capital allocation efficiency," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(PB).
    19. Sami Adwan & M. Mostak Ahamed, 2025. "Employee ownership and corporate investment efficiency in Europe," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 64(1), pages 191-236, January.
    20. Anagnostopoulou, Seraina C., 2024. "Accruals quality and efficient investing: Cross-country evidence," Journal of International Accounting, Auditing and Taxation, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:asieco:v:97:y:2025:i:c:s1049007825000168. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/asieco .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.