IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecmode/v158y2026ics0264999326000532.html

Can industrial technology convergence facilitate firms' international expansion? Firm-level empirical evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Lan, Mudan
  • Huang, Yuhong

Abstract

Amid rising global economic uncertainty, firms' international expansion faces mounting challenges, while the convergence of digital and real industries offers fresh strategic opportunities for high-level openness. Using data from Chinese listed firms, this study examines how such convergence shapes outward foreign direct investment (OFDI). Empirical results show that convergence significantly boosts both the probability and scale of OFDI, with this effect being greater in regions with strict intellectual property protection, high-technology industries, and export-oriented enterprises. Mechanism tests indicate that improvements in total factor productivity and easing of financing constraints are key drivers. Further evidence suggests convergence stimulates cross-border mergers and acquisitions and enhances overseas revenues. This research enriches understanding of the nexus between technology convergence and internationalization, offering policy insights for emerging economies to leverage the digital economy to strengthen global competitiveness. More broadly, the integration of digital and real industries will remain a vital catalyst for firms’ international growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Lan, Mudan & Huang, Yuhong, 2026. "Can industrial technology convergence facilitate firms' international expansion? Firm-level empirical evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecmode:v:158:y:2026:i:c:s0264999326000532
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econmod.2026.107524
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264999326000532
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.econmod.2026.107524?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

    for a different version of it.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • L86 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Information and Internet Services; Computer Software

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    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:ecmode:v:158:y:2026:i:c:s0264999326000532. 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.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using 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/inca/30411 .

    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.