IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v72y2025ics1544612324015964.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The influence of digital transformation on Chinese firms' outward foreign direct investment

Author

Listed:
  • Zhu, Lijun

Abstract

This research employs a comprehensive dataset of China's A-share publicly listed companies, spanning the period from 2012 to 2022, to empirically scrutinize the implications of digital transformation on enterprises' endeavors in outward foreign direct investment (OFDI). The results obtained demonstrate a positive and significant stimulus effect of digital transformation on OFDI activities. A deeper analysis of heterogeneity further reveals that, within the context of state-owned enterprises (SOEs), digital transformation acts as an even more potent accelerator of OFDI. Moreover, across all enterprises, digital transformation effectively alleviates financing constraints, thereby creating a more conducive environment for the pursuit of OFDI.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhu, Lijun, 2025. "The influence of digital transformation on Chinese firms' outward foreign direct investment," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:72:y:2025:i:c:s1544612324015964
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2024.106567
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612324015964
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2024.106567?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. Pengpeng Yue & Aslihan Gizem Korkmaz & Zhichao Yin & Haigang Zhou, 2022. "The rise of digital finance: Financial inclusion or debt trap," Papers 2201.09221, arXiv.org.
    2. Zhang, Dongyang & Kong, Qunxi, 2021. "How does energy policy affect firms' outward foreign direct investment: An explanation based on investment motivation and firms' performance," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    3. Wang, Juntian & Chen, Jingwei & Li, Rongrong, 2023. "Outward foreign direct investment and urban green productivity: Promote or inhibit?," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 516-530.
    4. Li, Fengchun & Liang, Ting & Zhou, Xiang, 2021. "How does intellectual property protection in the host country affect outward foreign direct investment?," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C).
    5. Wang, Nan & Wan, Jiahao & Ma, Zhenzhong & Zhou, Yan & Chen, Jin, 2023. "How digital platform capabilities improve sustainable innovation performance of firms: The mediating role of open innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    6. Pan, Xiongfeng & Li, Mengna & Wang, Mengyang & Chu, Junhui & Bo, Hongguang, 2020. "The effects of outward foreign direct investment and reverse technology spillover on China's carbon productivity," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C).
    7. Khurram, Muhammad Usman & Abbassi, Wajih & Chen, Yifan & Chen, Lifeng, 2024. "Outward foreign investment performance, digital transformation, and ESG performance: Evidence from China," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    8. Ye, Xiang & Yue, Pengpeng, 2024. "What matters to reshaping consumption patterns in China? Digital inclusion and supply chain," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    9. Yue, Pengpeng & Korkmaz, Aslihan Gizem & Yin, Zhichao & Zhou, Haigang, 2022. "The rise of digital finance: Financial inclusion or debt trap?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 47(PA).
    10. Xu, Dandan & Guo, Dongli & Yue, Pengpeng & Li, Mengshi, 2024. "Household green consumption: Does digital inclusion matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    11. Chen, Jiyong & Liu, Yishuang & Liu, Wei, 2020. "Investment facilitation and China's outward foreign direct investment along the belt and road," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    12. Zhou, Linjiang & Shi, Xiaochuan & Bao, Yaxiong & Gao, Lihua & Ma, Chao, 2023. "Explainable artificial intelligence for digital finance and consumption upgrading," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 58(PC).
    13. Xu, Guiyang & Li, Guanggui & Sun, Peibo & Peng, Dan, 2023. "Inefficient investment and digital transformation: What is the role of financing constraints?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    14. Wang, Mengjiao & Liu, Jianxu & Rahman, Sanzidur & Sun, Xiaoqi & Sriboonchitta, Songsak, 2023. "The effect of China’s outward foreign direct investment on carbon intensity of Belt and Road Initiative countries: A double-edged sword," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 792-808.
    15. Zhang, Dongyang & Bai, Dingchuan & Wang, Cao & He, Yurun, 2024. "Distribution dynamics and quantile dynamic convergence of the digital economy: Prefecture-level evidence in China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PA).
    16. Dong, Yan & Tian, Jinhuan & Ye, Jingjing, 2021. "Environmental regulation and foreign direct investment: Evidence from China's outward FDI," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 39(C).
    17. Wei, Yingqi & Zheng, Nan & Liu, Xiaohui & Lu, Jiangyong, 2014. "Expanding to outward foreign direct investment or not? A multi-dimensional analysis of entry mode transformation of Chinese private exporting firms," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 356-370.
    18. Tian, Guangning & Li, Bo & Cheng, Yue, 2022. "Does digital transformation matter for corporate risk-taking?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    19. Hao, Jing & Peng, Mengzu & He, Wenjia, 2023. "Digital finance development and bank liquidity creation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    20. Zheng, Xiaxuan & Chen, Yueyan, 2024. "Does supply-chain-finance help to improve the efficiency of outward foreign direct investment?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 59(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. Tang, Chaoli & Dong, Shuyun & Zhou, Rui, 2025. "The impact of digitalization on corporate resilience," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    2. Wei, Feiqiong & Xie, Baiwei & Chen, Mingyan, 2025. "Digital financial inclusion, e-commerce development and entrepreneurial activity," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    3. Li, Pengcheng & Guo, Xiaochuan & Wang, Fengzheng & Zhang, Qifeng, 2025. "Digital transformation and corporate innovation boundaries: Role of supply chain concentration and transparency," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    4. Xia, Weifeng & Ruan, Zhiyu & Ma, Shenglin & Zhao, Jin & Yan, Jiale, 2025. "Can the digital economy enhance carbon emission efficiency? Evidence from 269 cities in China," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    5. Liao, Hongji & Zhang, Jiarui & Gong, Runze & Zhang, Wen, 2025. "The mitigating effect of digital inclusive finance development on urban environmental pollution: Insights from innovation capacity and financing constraints," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    6. Han, Lihong & Lv, Qi & Zhang, Qi, 2025. "Digital financial inclusion, credit access and non-farm employment," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    7. Xu, Zhiyi & Yang, Jindi, 2025. "Impact of digital finance on rural industry revitalization," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    8. Chishti, Muhammad Zubair & Xia, Xiqiang & Du, Anna Min & Özkan, Oktay, 2025. "Digital financial inclusion, the belt and road initiative, and the Paris agreement: Impacts on energy transition grid costs," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    9. Xu, Guiyang, 2025. "KIBS Clustering, digital financial inclusion, and economic growth quality," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    10. Zhan, Yunqiu & Gao, Dongfei & Feng, Muzi & Yan, Shen, 2025. "Digital finance, non-agricultural employment, and the income-increasing effect on rural households," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    11. Zhang, Dongyang & Bai, Dingchuan & Wang, Cao & He, Yurun, 2024. "Distribution dynamics and quantile dynamic convergence of the digital economy: Prefecture-level evidence in China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 95(PA).
    12. Guo, Xin & Pang, Weiyan, 2025. "The impact of digital transformation on corporate ESG performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    13. Liu, Meihan & Zhao, Jingjie & Liu, Hongtao, 2025. "Digital transformation, employee and executive compensation, and sustained green innovation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    14. Zhang, Xinyu & Liu, Yixuan & Yu, Shaoze & Lin, Ouwen & Meng, Lu, 2025. "Impact of environmental protection tax on enterprise digital transformation: Evidence from Chinese listed firms," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    15. Wang, Bing & Liu, Yanyan & Yang, Xiangyu, 2024. "Digital economy and urban entrepreneurial activity," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    16. Dai, Siwei & Tang, Daoyun & Li, Yunfeng & Lu, Huaixin, 2025. "Digital trade, trade openness, FDI, and green total factor productivity," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    17. Lee, Chien-Chiang & Wang, Chih-Wei & Purnama, Muhammad Yusuf Indra & Sharma, Susan Sunila, 2024. "Digitalization and firms' debt maturity: Do financial constraints and uncertainty matter?," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    18. Zhang, Jian & Wang, Dongqiang & Ji, Ming & Yu, Kuo & Qi, Mosha & Wang, Hui, 2024. "Digital literacy, relative poverty, and common prosperity for rural households," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    19. Xu, Zhan & Wang, Solomon & Ye, Junchen, 2024. "The effect of digitization on corporate fraud detection evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 96(PB).
    20. Zhang, Dongyang, 2024. "The pathway to curb greenwashing in sustainable growth: The role of artificial intelligence," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 133(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:finlet:v:72:y:2025:i:c:s1544612324015964. 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/frl .

    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.