IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/finlet/v74y2025ics1544612325000212.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

New-type infrastructure and corporate digital transformation: Evidence from a multimethod machine learning approach

Author

Listed:
  • Chen, Chen
  • Xue, Zhixin

Abstract

This study is an exploration of the impact of new-type infrastructure on corporate digital transformation. The results show that the construction of new-type infrastructure has played a major role in corporate digital transformation. The heterogeneity tests indicate that this positive effect is more significant with higher levels of urbanization and higher levels of human capital at the regional level, less efficient management of liquid assets and higher financing constraints at the firm level. The mechanism results suggest that the internal innovation incentives and the external governance environment are important mechanisms influencing the relationship between new-type infrastructure and corporate digital transformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Chen & Xue, Zhixin, 2025. "New-type infrastructure and corporate digital transformation: Evidence from a multimethod machine learning approach," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:finlet:v:74:y:2025:i:c:s1544612325000212
    DOI: 10.1016/j.frl.2025.106756
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1544612325000212
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.frl.2025.106756?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. Junjun Tang & Xing Zhao, 2023. "Does the new digital infrastructure improve total factor productivity?," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 75(4), pages 895-916, October.
    2. Philippe Aghion & Antoine Dechezleprêtre & David Hémous & Ralf Martin & John Van Reenen, 2016. "Carbon Taxes, Path Dependency, and Directed Technical Change: Evidence from the Auto Industry," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 124(1), pages 1-51.
    3. Stefan Wager & Susan Athey, 2018. "Estimation and Inference of Heterogeneous Treatment Effects using Random Forests," Journal of the American Statistical Association, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 113(523), pages 1228-1242, July.
    4. Christopher R. Knittel & Samuel Stolper, 2019. "Using Machine Learning to Target Treatment: The Case of Household Energy Use," NBER Working Papers 26531, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    5. Czarnitzki, Dirk & Fernández, Gastón P. & Rammer, Christian, 2023. "Artificial intelligence and firm-level productivity," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 211(C), pages 188-205.
    6. Haodong Yang & Li Liu & Gaofeng Wang, 2024. "Does large-scale research infrastructure affect regional knowledge innovation, and how? A case study of the National Supercomputing Center in China," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-20, December.
    7. Reischauer, Georg, 2018. "Industry 4.0 as policy-driven discourse to institutionalize innovation systems in manufacturing," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 26-33.
    8. Andrei, Daniel & Friedman, Henry & Ozel, N. Bugra, 2023. "Economic uncertainty and investor attention," Journal of Financial Economics, Elsevier, vol. 149(2), pages 179-217.
    9. Li, Xing & Yang, Gang & Shao, Tihang & Yang, Dan & Liu, Zimin, 2024. "Does digital infrastructure promote individual entrepreneurship? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment on the “Broadband China” strategy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    10. Verhoef, Peter C. & Broekhuizen, Thijs & Bart, Yakov & Bhattacharya, Abhi & Qi Dong, John & Fabian, Nicolai & Haenlein, Michael, 2021. "Digital transformation: A multidisciplinary reflection and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 889-901.
    11. Caputo, Andrea & Pizzi, Simone & Pellegrini, Massimiliano M. & Dabić, Marina, 2021. "Digitalization and business models: Where are we going? A science map of the field," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 489-501.
    12. Gong, Cheng & Ribiere, Vincent, 2021. "Developing a unified definition of digital transformation," Technovation, Elsevier, vol. 102(C).
    13. Richard Cowell & Ananya Mukherjee, 2023. "Is planning a barrier to the development of digital network infrastructure? Insights from rural Wales," Planning Practice & Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(2), pages 292-309, March.
    14. Nitin Joglekar & Edward G. Anderson & Kyungmin (Brad) Lee & Geoffrey Parker & Ettore Settanni & Jagjit Singh Srai, 2022. "Configuration of digital and physical infrastructure platforms: Private and public perspectives," Production and Operations Management, Production and Operations Management Society, vol. 31(12), pages 4515-4528, December.
    15. Dubey, Rameshwar & Bryde, David J. & Blome, Constantin & Dwivedi, Yogesh K. & Childe, Stephen J. & Foropon, Cyril, 2024. "Alliances and digital transformation are crucial for benefiting from dynamic supply chain capabilities during times of crisis: A multi-method study," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    16. Igna, Ioana & Venturini, Francesco, 2023. "The determinants of AI innovation across European firms," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).
    17. Reuschl, Andreas J. & Deist, Maximilian K. & Maalaoui, Adnane, 2022. "Digital transformation during a pandemic: Stretching the organizational elasticity," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 144(C), pages 1320-1332.
    18. Aiping Wang & Rui Han, 2024. "Can digital transformation prohibit corporate fraud? Empirical evidence from China," Applied Economics Letters, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(16), pages 1505-1512, September.
    19. Weihong Xie & Zhongshun Li & Zhong Wang & Diwen Zheng & Yongjian Wang, 2024. "How Does Digital Infrastructure Affect Manufacturing SMEs Business Model Innovation? An Empirical Study in Guangdong Province," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 60(10), pages 2300-2312, August.
    20. 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).
    21. Ma, Xuejiao & Ma, Xiaojun & Fei, Wei & Jiang, Qichuan & Qin, Wen, 2025. "Is more always better? Investor-firm interactions, market competition and innovation performance of firms," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    22. Lijing Tong & Ningyue Liu & Min Zhang & Liming Wang, 2018. "Employee Protection and Corporate Innovation: Empirical Evidence from China," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 153(2), pages 569-589, December.
    23. Meitong Lu & Qi Luo & Dawei Feng, 2023. "Ecological innovation effect of broadband network infrastructure: Evidence from China," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(4), pages 1978-1994, June.
    24. Tian, Guangning & Li, Bo & Cheng, Yue, 2022. "Does digital transformation matter for corporate risk-taking?," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 49(C).
    25. Hao, Jing & Peng, Mengzu & He, Wenjia, 2023. "Digital finance development and bank liquidity creation," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    26. Jeremy Dijk & Nathan Delacrétaz & Bruno Lanz, 2022. "Technology Adoption and Early Network Infrastructure Provision in the Market for Electric Vehicles," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 83(3), pages 631-679, November.
    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. 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).
    2. Tang, Chaoli & Dong, Shuyun & Zhou, Rui, 2025. "The impact of digitalization on corporate resilience," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    3. Gao, Jie & Jin, Xingye & Li, Tao & Nguyen, Thithuha, 2025. "The effect of digital technology adoption on managerial myopia: An empirical discovery based on machine Learning," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    4. 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).
    5. 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).
    6. 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).
    7. Zhou, Ling & Li, Yang, 2025. "Commercial credit supply in the digital economy era: Impact mechanisms and differences in property rights," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    8. Sun, Bing & Zhang, Yanfeng & Zhu, Kunyan & Mao, Hongying & Liang, Tian, 2024. "Is faster really better? The impact of digital transformation speed on firm financial distress: Based on the cost-benefit perspective," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    9. Song, Dandan & Tan, Zhidong & Wang, Wei & Zhai, Rui-Xiang, 2025. "Digital transformation and corporate social responsibility engagement: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    10. Xu, Zhiyi & Yang, Jindi, 2025. "Impact of digital finance on rural industry revitalization," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    11. Liang, Guibao & Xia, Qiao & Zhang, Lijie, 2025. "Nonlinear influence of digital finance on green economic efficiency," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    12. Zhu, Lijun, 2025. "The influence of digital transformation on Chinese firms' outward foreign direct investment," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 72(C).
    13. Tang, Xinhui & Du, Shujun & Deng, Wenwen, 2025. "Business innovation in digital startups: A case study of an AI startup," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 98(C).
    14. 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).
    15. Xing, Manjiang & Gong, Chi & Moon, Gyu-Hyen & Ge, Xiaohong, 2025. "Digital economy, dual innovation capability and enterprise labor productivity," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    16. Vuchkovski, Davor & Zalaznik, Maja & Mitręga, Maciej & Pfajfar, Gregor, 2023. "A look at the future of work: The digital transformation of teams from conventional to virtual," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 163(C).
    17. Han, Zhihui & Wang, Zhitao, 2025. "Digitalization and supply chain finance risk: Evidence from listed firms in the construction industry," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    18. Cui, Kai & Yang, Wen, 2025. "The digital economy and the resilience of enterprise exports: Supply chain stability as a mediator," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 73(C).
    19. Li, Xiaoqi & Zhu, Siyi, 2025. "How digital transformation can affect corporate technology innovation: The role of income gap," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    20. Li, Yuantian & Xu, Haoyu & Li, Huiru & Xu, Yingming, 2025. "Digital economy, environmental regulations, and green economic development," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 75(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:74:y:2025:i:c:s1544612325000212. 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.