IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/ecofin/v76y2025ics1062940825000038.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Does corporate digital transformation improve capital market transparency? Evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Gao, Bin
  • Qin, Mimi
  • Xie, Jun

Abstract

Digital transformation empowers enterprises with new kinetic energy for high-quality development. Can digital transformation enhance the transparency of thecapital market? This study constructs a digital transformation index and examines its impact on the information transparency of Chinese listed companies from the perspective of information senders. We find that digital transformation significantly enhances enterprise information transparency, and the relationship is more pronounced in non-technological enterprises, enterprises with high ownership concentration, and enterprises with high levels of intellectual property protection. Channel tests show that reducing management myopia and increasing news media supervision are possible mechanisms. Overall, our findings provide critical insights for improving the transparency construction of China’s capital market.

Suggested Citation

  • Gao, Bin & Qin, Mimi & Xie, Jun, 2025. "Does corporate digital transformation improve capital market transparency? Evidence from China," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecofin:v:76:y:2025:i:c:s1062940825000038
    DOI: 10.1016/j.najef.2025.102363
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1062940825000038
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.najef.2025.102363?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.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mikalef, Patrick & Pateli, Adamantia, 2017. "Information technology-enabled dynamic capabilities and their indirect effect on competitive performance: Findings from PLS-SEM and fsQCA," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 1-16.
    2. Li, Huanli & Wu, Yun & Cao, Dongmei & Wang, Yichuan, 2021. "Organizational mindfulness towards digital transformation as a prerequisite of information processing capability to achieve market agility," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 700-712.
    3. Chen, Yongmin, 2020. "Improving market performance in the digital economy," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    4. Qiang Cheng & Fei Du & Xin Wang & Yutao Wang, 2016. "Seeing is believing: analysts’ corporate site visits," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 21(4), pages 1245-1286, December.
    5. Chahine, Salim & Mansi, Sattar & Mazboudi, Mohamad, 2015. "Media news and earnings management prior to equity offerings," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 177-195.
    6. JOSEPH A. McCAHERY & ZACHARIAS SAUTNER & LAURA T. STARKS, 2016. "Behind the Scenes: The Corporate Governance Preferences of Institutional Investors," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 71(6), pages 2905-2932, December.
    7. Beyer, Anne & Cohen, Daniel A. & Lys, Thomas Z. & Walther, Beverly R., 2010. "The financial reporting environment: Review of the recent literature," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(2-3), pages 296-343, December.
    8. 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.
    9. Karthik Balakrishnan & Mary Brooke Billings & Bryan Kelly & Alexander Ljungqvist, 2014. "Shaping Liquidity: On the Causal Effects of Voluntary Disclosure," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 69(5), pages 2237-2278, October.
    10. Gul, Ferdinand A. & Kim, Jeong-Bon & Qiu, Annie A., 2010. "Ownership concentration, foreign shareholding, audit quality, and stock price synchronicity: Evidence from China," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(3), pages 425-442, March.
    11. Yangyang Chen & C. S. Agnes Cheng & Shuo Li & Jingran Zhao, 2021. "The monitoring role of the media: Evidence from earnings management," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 48(3-4), pages 533-563, March.
    12. Brian J. Bushee & John E. Core & Wayne Guay & Sophia J.W. Hamm, 2010. "The Role of the Business Press as an Information Intermediary," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 48(1), pages 1-19, March.
    13. Zhai, Huayun & Yang, Min & Chan, Kam C., 2022. "Does digital transformation enhance a firm's performance? Evidence from China," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    14. James, Hui Liang & Ngo, Thanh & Wang, Hongxia, 2021. "Independent director tenure and corporate transparency," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 57(C).
    15. Jiang, Weijie & Li, Jiaye, 2024. "Digital transformation and its effect on resource allocation efficiency and productivity in Chinese corporations," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    16. 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).
    17. Yang, Jie & Ying, Limeng & Xu, Xiaofang, 2024. "Digital transformation and accounting information comparability," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    18. Dasgupta, Sudipto & Gan, Jie & Gao, Ning, 2010. "Transparency, Price Informativeness, and Stock Return Synchronicity: Theory and Evidence," Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Cambridge University Press, vol. 45(5), pages 1189-1220, October.
    19. Theodora Bermpei & Antonios Nikolaos Kalyvas & Lorenzo Neri & Antonella Russo, 2022. "Does economic policy uncertainty matter for financial reporting quality? Evidence from the United States," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 58(2), pages 795-845, February.
    20. Tim Loughran & Bill Mcdonald, 2016. "Textual Analysis in Accounting and Finance: A Survey," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 54(4), pages 1187-1230, September.
    21. Huang, Ying, 2022. "Government subsidies and corporate disclosure," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 74(1).
    22. Xu, Nianhang & Chan, Kam C. & Jiang, Xuanyu & Yi, Zhihong, 2013. "Do star analysts know more firm-specific information? Evidence from China," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 89-102.
    23. Wu, Keping & Fu, Yumei & Kong, Dongmin, 2022. "Does the digital transformation of enterprises affect stock price crash risk?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 48(C).
    24. Di Giuli, Alberta & Laux, Paul A., 2022. "The effect of media-linked directors on financing and external governance," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 145(2), pages 103-131.
    25. Zhong, Rong (Irene), 2018. "Transparency and firm innovation," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(1), pages 67-93.
    26. Gong, Cheng & Ribiere, Vincent, 2021. "Developing a unified definition of digital transformation," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    27. Terry A. Baker & Thomas J. Lopez & Austin L. Reitenga & George W. Ruch, 2019. "The influence of CEO and CFO power on accruals and real earnings management," Review of Quantitative Finance and Accounting, Springer, vol. 52(1), pages 325-345, January.
    28. 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).
    29. Wen Chen & Ying Wu, 2022. "Does intellectual property protection stimulate digital economy development?," Journal of Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 25(1), pages 723-730, December.
    30. Tian, Guangning & Li, Bo & Cheng, Yue, 2022. "Does digital transformation matter for corporate risk-taking?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    31. Zhu, Xiuli & Li, Xiaohui & Zhou, Kexin & Yu, Yuying, 2023. "The impact of annual reports transparency and comment letters on the cost of debt: Evidence for China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    32. Bradley, Daniel & Gokkaya, Sinan & Liu, Xi & Xie, Fei, 2017. "Are all analysts created equal? Industry expertise and monitoring effectiveness of financial analysts," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(2), pages 179-206.
    33. Christian Leuz & Peter D. Wysocki, 2016. "The Economics of Disclosure and Financial Reporting Regulation: Evidence and Suggestions for Future Research," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 54(2), pages 525-622, May.
    34. 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.
    35. Guifeng Shi & Jianfei Sun & Li Zhang, 2018. "Product market competition and earnings management: A firm†level analysis," Journal of Business Finance & Accounting, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(5-6), pages 604-624, May.
    36. He, Yan & Chiu, Yung-ho & Zhang, Bin, 2015. "The impact of corporate governance on state-owned and non-state-owned firms efficiency in China," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 252-277.
    37. Yue, Sishi & Yang, Mo & Dong, Dayong, 2024. "Do enterprises adopting digital finance exhibit higher values? Based on textual analysis," The North American Journal of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 73(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. Blankespoor, Elizabeth & deHaan, Ed & Marinovic, Iván, 2020. "Disclosure processing costs, investors’ information choice, and equity market outcomes: A review," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 70(2).
    2. Xue, Yi & Zhang, Xinzhi, 2024. "Digital transformation and corporate capital structure: Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    3. 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).
    4. Devrimi Kaya & Christian Maier & Tobias Böhmer, 2020. "Empirische Kapitalmarktforschung zu Conference Calls: Eine Literaturanalyse [Empirical Capital Market Research on Conference Calls: A Literature Review]," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 72(2), pages 183-212, June.
    5. Li, Na & Shi, Guifeng & Guo, Ping & Wu, Yanqin & Zhuo, Weijia, 2025. "Does mandatory operating information disclosure affect corporate earnings management? Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 768-790.
    6. Zou, Jingxian & Pan, Yinghao & Shu, Fangyu & Jin, Miao, 2025. "Public attention, political ties and digital transformation of private enterprises: Evidence from the Hurun Rich List in China," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 234(C).
    7. 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).
    8. Jiang, Weijie & Li, Jiaye, 2024. "Digital transformation and its effect on resource allocation efficiency and productivity in Chinese corporations," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    9. Chaohong Na & Xue Chen & Xiaojun Li & Yuting Li & Xiaolan Wang, 2022. "Digital Transformation of Value Chains and CSR Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-24, August.
    10. Schoenfeld, Jordan, 2017. "The effect of voluntary disclosure on stock liquidity: New evidence from index funds," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 63(1), pages 51-74.
    11. Shi, Xuanyi & Lin, Yongjia & Wang, Yizhi, 2024. "Institutional investor heterogeneity and green innovation in China: Does digital transformation matter?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PB), pages 994-1014.
    12. Hui Liu & Jia Zhu & Huijie Cheng, 2024. "Enterprise digital transformation’s impact on stock liquidity: A corporate governance perspective," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(3), pages 1-28, March.
    13. Yang (Eric) Zhou & Jingjun (David) Xu & Zhiying Liu, 2024. "The impact of digital transformation on corporate innovation: Roles of analyst coverage and internal control," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 45(1), pages 373-393, January.
    14. Wang, Qun & Zhao, Xiangfang & Zeng, Yongliang & Weng, Jiamin, 2024. "Executive equity incentives and corporate digital transformation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 241(C).
    15. Aytekin Ertan & Yun Lee & Regina Wittenberg-Moerman, 2025. "Unexpected defaults: the role of information opacity," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 899-949, March.
    16. Roberto Vincenzi, 2025. "Voluntary disclosures and monetary policy: evidence from quantitative easing," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 30(1), pages 650-701, March.
    17. Wang, Sai & Wen, Wen & Niu, Yuhao & Li, Xin, 2024. "Digital transformation and corporate labor investment efficiency," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    18. Zhou, Bole & Ma, Lili & Yang, Shenghao, 2024. "Catering behaviors in corporate digitization disclosures: Identification and analyst forecast accuracy loss," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    19. Ayaz, Muhammad & Anwer, Zaheer & Hassan, M. Kabir & Xiaoyang, Xu, 2025. "Inhabiting influence of digital finance on stock price synchronicity," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    20. Kaijuan Gao & Manya Wang & Renyun Zhang, 2023. "Institutional investors' corporate site visits and firm management earnings forecasts," Accounting and Finance, Accounting and Finance Association of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 63(4), pages 4479-4504, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • D21 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Firm Behavior: Theory
    • G14 - Financial Economics - - General Financial Markets - - - Information and Market Efficiency; Event Studies; Insider Trading
    • G30 - Financial Economics - - Corporate Finance and Governance - - - General

    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:ecofin:v:76:y:2025:i:c:s1062940825000038. 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/inca/620163 .

    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.