IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/eneeco/v143y2025ics0140988325000350.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Can the digitization of supply chains promote the low-carbon transformation of enterprises? A case study of listed companies in China

Author

Listed:
  • Yang, Ping
  • Lv, Yanqin
  • Chen, Jing
  • Shen, Hebin
  • Xu, Yang

Abstract

As digital technology intertwines more profoundly with supply chain operations, clarifying how supply chain digitization facilitates the shift of enterprises toward low-carbon practices is instrumental in promoting quality-driven and sustainable development. From the lens of dynamic capability theory, this study undertakes an empirical analysis of the influence of supply chain digitization on low-carbon transformation of enterprises and the underlying mechanisms driving this process drawing on data from China's A-share enterprises over the period spanning 2012 to 2022, with the help of quasi-natural experiments of “Pilot Supply Chain Innovation and Application” using a difference in-differences model. The findings of the research are summarized as follows: Firstly, supply chain digitization can effectively promote low-carbon transformation of enterprises. Secondly, further analysis of the mechanism shows that supply chain digitization facilitates low-carbon transformation of enterprises by enhancing their absorptive, innovative and adaptive capacities. Finally, the heterogeneity analysis shows that the facilitating effect of supply chain digitization on low-carbon transformation is particularly pronounced in firms with larger scales, as well as those with lower levels of institutional attention and data element utilization. The research evaluate the economic impact of the supply chain digitalization policy, and through empirical data, enlighten the enterprise management to increase the investment in supply chain digitalization, strengthen the advancement of enterprise dynamic capabilities, and expedite the process of low-carbon transformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Yang, Ping & Lv, Yanqin & Chen, Jing & Shen, Hebin & Xu, Yang, 2025. "Can the digitization of supply chains promote the low-carbon transformation of enterprises? A case study of listed companies in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eneeco:v:143:y:2025:i:c:s0140988325000350
    DOI: 10.1016/j.eneco.2025.108212
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0140988325000350
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.eneco.2025.108212?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. Kristina DUVNJAK & Maja GREGORIC & Mateja GORSE, 2020. "Sustainable Development €“ An Artificial Intelligence Approach," Management Research and Practice, Research Centre in Public Administration and Public Services, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 12(4), pages 18-28, December.
    2. Schniederjans, Dara G. & Curado, Carla & Khalajhedayati, Mehrnaz, 2020. "Supply chain digitisation trends: An integration of knowledge management," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    3. Lin, Boqiang & Jia, Huanyu, 2023. "Challenges in the energy transition: How does household registration identity affect public participation in environmental affairs in China?," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1337-1348.
    4. Mariani, Marcello M. & Fosso Wamba, Samuel, 2020. "Exploring how consumer goods companies innovate in the digital age: The role of big data analytics companies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 338-352.
    5. Marcus Brandenburg, 2015. "Low carbon supply chain configuration for a new product – a goal programming approach," International Journal of Production Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(21), pages 6588-6610, November.
    6. Dwivedi, Yogesh K. & Hughes, Laurie & Kar, Arpan Kumar & Baabdullah, Abdullah M. & Grover, Purva & Abbas, Roba & Andreini, Daniela & Abumoghli, Iyad & Barlette, Yves & Bunker, Deborah & Chandra Kruse,, 2022. "Climate change and COP26: Are digital technologies and information management part of the problem or the solution? An editorial reflection and call to action," International Journal of Information Management, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    7. Kamble, Sachin S & Gunasekaran, Angappa & Parekh, Harsh & Mani, Venkatesh & Belhadi, Amine & Sharma, Rohit, 2022. "Digital twin for sustainable manufacturing supply chains: Current trends, future perspectives, and an implementation framework," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    8. David J. Teece & Gary Pisano & Amy Shuen, 1997. "Dynamic capabilities and strategic management," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(7), pages 509-533, August.
    9. Yang, Miying & Fu, Mingtao & Zhang, Zihan, 2021. "The adoption of digital technologies in supply chains: Drivers, process and impact," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    10. Sundarakani, Balan & Ajaykumar, Aneesh & Gunasekaran, Angappa, 2021. "Big data driven supply chain design and applications for blockchain: An action research using case study approach," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    11. Céline Louche & Timo Busch & Patricia Crifo & Alfred Marcus, 2019. "Financial Markets and the Transition to a Low-Carbon Economy: Challenging the Dominant Logics," Post-Print hal-02016756, HAL.
    12. Xiaodong Yang & Yang Xu & Asif Razzaq & Desheng Wu & Jianhong Cao & Qiying Ran, 2024. "Roadmap to achieving sustainable development: Does digital economy matter in industrial green transformation?," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(3), pages 2583-2599, June.
    13. Luo, Shuangcheng & Xiong, Zhiqiao & Liu, Jianjiang, 2024. "How does supply chain digitization affect green innovation? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    14. Wong, Christina W.Y. & Wong, Chee Yew & Boon-itt, Sakun, 2020. "Environmental management systems, practices and outcomes: Differences in resource allocation between small and large firms," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 228(C).
    15. Amna Farrukh & Sanjay Mathrani & Aymen Sajjad, 2022. "A natural resource and institutional theory‐based view of green‐lean‐six sigma drivers for environmental management," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(3), pages 1074-1090, March.
    16. Daniela Rybarova & Katarina Remenova & Maria Kmety Bartekova & Helena Majduchova, 2023. "Analysis of the Attitudes of Central European Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises towards Adaptation to the Low-Carbon Economy and Its Implementation Barriers," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-13, November.
    17. Paul E. Brockway & Harry Saunders & Matthew K. Heun & Timothy J. Foxon & Julia K. Steinberger & John R. Barrett & Steve Sorrell, 2017. "Energy Rebound as a Potential Threat to a Low-Carbon Future: Findings from a New Exergy-Based National-Level Rebound Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-24, January.
    18. Zhao, Nanyang & Hong, Jiangtao & Lau, Kwok Hung, 2023. "Impact of supply chain digitalization on supply chain resilience and performance: A multi-mediation model," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    19. Broccardo, Laura & Zicari, Adrián & Jabeen, Fauzia & Bhatti, Zeeshan A., 2023. "How digitalization supports a sustainable business model: A literature review," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    20. Camel, Afaf & Belhadi, Amine & Kamble, Sachin & Tiwari, Sunil & Touriki, Fatima Ezahra, 2024. "Integrating smart Green Product Platforming for carbon footprint reduction: The role of blockchain technology and stakeholders influence within the agri-food supply chain," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 272(C).
    21. Krishna Kumar Dadsena & Pushpesh Pant & Sanjoy Kumar Paul & Saurabh Pratap, 2024. "Overcoming strategies for supply chain digitization barriers: Implications for sustainable development goals," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(5), pages 3887-3910, July.
    22. Wei Guan & Wenhong Ding & Bobo Zhang & Jerome Verny, 2023. "The role of supply chain alignment in coping with resource dependency in blockchain adoption: empirical evidence from China," Post-Print hal-03935256, HAL.
    23. K. Rauniyar & X. Wu & S. Gupta & S. Modgil & Ana Beatriz Lopes de Sousa Jabbour, 2023. "Risk Management of Supply Chains in the Digital Transformation Era: Contribution and Challenges of Blockchain Technology," Post-Print hal-04276028, HAL.
    24. Jin, Baoling & Han, Ying & Kou, Po, 2023. "Dynamically evaluating the comprehensive efficiency of technological innovation and low-carbon economy in China's industrial sectors," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    25. Gardner, T.A. & Benzie, M. & Börner, J. & Dawkins, E. & Fick, S. & Garrett, R. & Godar, J. & Grimard, A. & Lake, S. & Larsen, R.K. & Mardas, N. & McDermott, C.L. & Meyfroidt, P. & Osbeck, M. & Persson, 2019. "Transparency and sustainability in global commodity supply chains," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 163-177.
    26. Yang, Gangqiang & Nie, Yiming & Li, Honggui & Wang, Haisen, 2023. "Digital transformation and low-carbon technology innovation in manufacturing firms: The mediating role of dynamic capabilities," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 263(C).
    27. Baumers, Martin & Dickens, Phill & Tuck, Chris & Hague, Richard, 2016. "The cost of additive manufacturing: machine productivity, economies of scale and technology-push," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 193-201.
    28. Dabo Guan & Daoping Wang & Stephane Hallegatte & Steven J. Davis & Jingwen Huo & Shuping Li & Yangchun Bai & Tianyang Lei & Qianyu Xue & D’Maris Coffman & Danyang Cheng & Peipei Chen & Xi Liang & Bing, 2020. "Global supply-chain effects of COVID-19 control measures," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 4(6), pages 577-587, June.
    29. Sheng Xu & Wenran Pan & Demei Wen, 2023. "Do Carbon Emission Trading Schemes Promote the Green Transition of Enterprises? Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-28, April.
    30. Feng, Nan & Ge, Jiamin, 2024. "How does fiscal policy affect the green low-carbon transition from the perspective of the evolutionary game?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    31. Ma, Jinjin & Yang, Lin & Wang, Donghan & Li, Yiming & Xie, Zuomiao & Lv, Haodong & Woo, Donghyup, 2024. "Digitalization in response to carbon neutrality: Mechanisms, effects and prospects," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    32. Abeer Aljohani, 2023. "Predictive Analytics and Machine Learning for Real-Time Supply Chain Risk Mitigation and Agility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-26, October.
    33. Zhang, Wei & Han, Jie & Kuang, Shiyi & Işık, Cem & Su, Ya & Ju Lai Ti, Gu Li Ni Ga Er & Li, Su & Xia, Zebang & Muhammad, Anas, 2024. "Exploring the impact of sustainable finance on carbon emissions: Policy implications and interactions with low-carbon energy transition from China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    34. Tim Loughran & Bill Mcdonald, 2011. "When Is a Liability Not a Liability? Textual Analysis, Dictionaries, and 10‐Ks," Journal of Finance, American Finance Association, vol. 66(1), pages 35-65, February.
    35. Surucu-Balci, Ebru & Iris, Çağatay & Balci, Gökcay, 2024. "Digital information in maritime supply chains with blockchain and cloud platforms: Supply chain capabilities, barriers, and research opportunities," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 198(C).
    36. Emrah Koçak & Umit Bulut & Angeliki N. Menegaki, 2022. "The resilience of green firms in the twirl of COVID‐19: Evidence from S&P500 Carbon Efficiency Index with a Fourier approach," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(1), pages 32-45, January.
    37. Liao, Feimei & Hu, Yaoyao & Chen, Mengjie & Xu, Shulin, 2024. "Digital transformation and corporate green supply chain efficiency: Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 195-207.
    38. Arim Park & Huan Li, 2021. "The Effect of Blockchain Technology on Supply Chain Sustainability Performances," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-18, February.
    39. Asterios Stroumpoulis & Evangelia Kopanaki, 2022. "Theoretical Perspectives on Sustainable Supply Chain Management and Digital Transformation: A Literature Review and a Conceptual Framework," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-30, April.
    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. Gu, Jiafeng, 2025. "Did supply chain digitization contribute to corporate green energy innovation? The mediating role of asset receivable management and policy spillovers," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    2. Li, Zhiyi & Hu, Boqiang & Bao, Yifei & Wang, Yifei, 2025. "Supply chain digitalization, green technology innovation and corporate energy efficiency," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 142(C).
    3. Luo, Shuangcheng & Xiong, Zhiqiao & Liu, Jianjiang, 2024. "How does supply chain digitization affect green innovation? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 136(C).
    4. Qiao, Penghua & Chang, Ming & Zeng, Yuping, 2024. "The influence of digitalization on SMEs’ OFDI in emerging countries," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).
    5. Motamarri, Saradhi & Akter, Shahriar & Hossain, Md Afnan & Dwivedi, Yogesh K, 2022. "How does remote analytics empowerment capability payoff in the emerging industrial revolution?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1163-1174.
    6. Esam Salamah & Ahmad Alzubi & Azmiye Yinal, 2023. "Unveiling the Impact of Digitalization on Supply Chain Performance in the Post-COVID-19 Era: The Mediating Role of Supply Chain Integration and Efficiency," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(1), pages 1-28, December.
    7. Liu, Yaobin & Hu, Sheng & Wang, Chenchen, 2024. "The green innovation spillover effect of enterprise digital transformation: Based on supply chain perspective," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 1381-1393.
    8. Ghafoori, Arman & Gupta, Manjul & Merhi, Mohammad I. & Gupta, Samrat & Shore, Adam P., 2024. "Toward the role of organizational culture in data-driven digital transformation," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 271(C).
    9. Jinlong Chen & Weipeng Wu & Yiqun Zhuang, 2023. "Impact of Digital Supply Chain on Sustainable Trade Credit Provision: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-23, August.
    10. Guo, Hailan & Shen, Zhen & Chen, Yanting & Dong, Ming, 2025. "Analyzing the impact of government R&D subsidy and digital transformation on supply chain risk dynamics management and firm performance in the China's chip industry," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 281(C).
    11. Hongqin Tang & Jianping Zhu & Nan Li & Weipeng Wu, 2024. "Impact of Enterprise Supply Chain Digitalization on Cost of Debt: A Four-Flows Perspective Analysis Using Explainable Machine Learning Methodology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(19), pages 1-27, October.
    12. Hua Zhang & Qiwang Zhang, 2023. "How Does Digital Transformation Facilitate Enterprise Total Factor Productivity? The Multiple Mediators of Supplier Concentration and Customer Concentration," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-18, January.
    13. Anhang Chen & Huiqin Zhang & Yuxiang Zhang & Junwei Zhao, 2024. "Manufacturers’ digital transformation under carbon cap-and-trade policy: investment strategy and environmental impact," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-14, December.
    14. Oesterreich, Thuy Duong & Anton, Eduard & Teuteberg, Frank & Dwivedi, Yogesh K, 2022. "The role of the social and technical factors in creating business value from big data analytics: A meta-analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 128-149.
    15. Daliborka Witschel & Julian Marius Müller & Kai-Ingo Voigt, 2023. "What Takes the Wind out of Their Sails? A Micro-Foundational Perspective of Challenges for Building Dynamic Capabilities Towards Digital Business Model Innovation," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 75(3), pages 345-388, September.
    16. Qiao, Penghua & Xie, Yusha & Fung, Anna & Feng, Keyou & Fung, Hung-Gay, 2025. "Optimizing smart supply chain for enhanced corporate ESG performance," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    17. Abbas, Jawad, 2024. "Does the nexus of corporate social responsibility and green dynamic capabilities drive firms toward green technological innovation? The moderating role of green transformational leadership," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 208(C).
    18. Li, Longda, 2024. "The environmental spillovers of buyers' digital transformation: Evidence from China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 209(C).
    19. Venugopal Gopalakrishna‐Remani & Kyung‐Ah ( Kay) Byun & D. Harold Doty, 2022. "The impact of employees' perceptions about top management engagement on sustainability development efforts and firm performance," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(7), pages 2964-2977, November.
    20. Sun, Fei & Qu, Zhaojun & Wu, Ban & Bold, Sanchir, 2024. "Enhancing global supply chain distribution resilience through digitalization: Insights from natural resource sector of China," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 95(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:eneeco:v:143:y:2025:i:c:s0140988325000350. 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/eneco .

    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.