IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/glofin/v60y2024ics1044028324000292.html

Unlocking the impact of digital technology progress and entry dynamics on firm's total factor productivity in Chinese industries

Author

Listed:
  • Pan, Junyu
  • Cifuentes-Faura, Javier
  • Zhao, Xin
  • Liu, Xiaoqian

Abstract

In today's digital era, technology serves as a fundamental pillar of the digital economy, greatly transforming business models and re-evaluating the enterprises' worth. This theoretical study incorporates digital technology factors into a task-based model to discuss the impact of digital technology advancement and entry price on corporate total factor productivity (TFP) using 2008–2021 data from Chinese-listed companies. The findings show that advances in digital technology considerably help in improving corporate TFP. According to digital technology's pricing strategy, a decrease in the entry price is essential to advancing digital technology and improving TFP. An improvement in corporate management and operational capabilities contributes to incorporating digital technologies at a lower price, thus enhancing corporate TFP. In addition, digital technology advancement generates a heterogeneous TFP effect, which is highlighted in regions with well-protected intellectual property rights, enterprises with high-tech certifications, and nonstate enterprises. These findings demonstrate the empowering effect of emerging technologies on high-quality corporate development and provide strategic insights for companies to achieve digital transformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Pan, Junyu & Cifuentes-Faura, Javier & Zhao, Xin & Liu, Xiaoqian, 2024. "Unlocking the impact of digital technology progress and entry dynamics on firm's total factor productivity in Chinese industries," Global Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 60(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:glofin:v:60:y:2024:i:c:s1044028324000292
    DOI: 10.1016/j.gfj.2024.100957
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1044028324000292
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.gfj.2024.100957?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. Erik Brynjolfsson & Daniel Rock & Chad Syverson, 2021. "The Productivity J-Curve: How Intangibles Complement General Purpose Technologies," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 13(1), pages 333-372, January.
    2. Shuming Ren & Lianqing Li & Yueqi Han & Yu Hao & Haitao Wu, 2022. "The emerging driving force of inclusive green growth: Does digital economy agglomeration work?," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(4), pages 1656-1678, May.
    3. Daron Acemoglu & Pascual Restrepo, 2018. "The Race between Man and Machine: Implications of Technology for Growth, Factor Shares, and Employment," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 108(6), pages 1488-1542, June.
    4. Emeline Bezin, 2019. "The economics of Green consumption, cultural transmission and sustainable technological change," PSE-Ecole d'économie de Paris (Postprint) halshs-02087970, HAL.
    5. Philippe Aghion & Nick Bloom & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt, 2005. "Competition and Innovation: an Inverted-U Relationship," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 120(2), pages 701-728.
    6. Manderson, Edward J. & Kneller, Richard, 2020. "Energy endowments and the location of manufacturing firms," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    7. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson, 2001. "The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1369-1401, December.
    8. Philippe Aghion & Richard Blundell & Rachel Griffith & Peter Howitt & Susanne Prantl, 2009. "The Effects of Entry on Incumbent Innovation and Productivity," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 91(1), pages 20-32, February.
    9. Elstner, Steffen & Grimme, Christian & Kecht, Valentin & Lehmann, Robert, 2022. "The diffusion of technological progress in ICT," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    10. Ribeiro-Navarrete, Samuel & Saura, Jose Ramon & Palacios-Marqués, Daniel, 2021. "Towards a new era of mass data collection: Assessing pandemic surveillance technologies to preserve user privacy," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    11. Yang, Chih-Hai, 2022. "How Artificial Intelligence Technology Affects Productivity and Employment: Firm-level Evidence from Taiwan," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 51(6).
    12. Chong-En Bai & Jiangyong Lu & Zhigang Tao, 2006. "The Multitask Theory of State Enterprise Reform: Empirical Evidence from China," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 96(2), pages 353-357, May.
    13. Imen Derouiche & Riadh Manita & Anke Muessig, 2021. "Risk disclosure and firm operational efficiency," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 297(1), pages 115-145, February.
    14. Erik Brynjolfsson & Lorin M. Hitt, 2000. "Beyond Computation: Information Technology, Organizational Transformation and Business Performance," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 14(4), pages 23-48, Fall.
    15. Angrist, Joshua D, 1990. "Lifetime Earnings and the Vietnam Era Draft Lottery: Evidence from Social Security Administrative Records," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 80(3), pages 313-336, June.
    16. 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).
    17. Daron Acemoglu & Pascual Restrepo, 2019. "Automation and New Tasks: How Technology Displaces and Reinstates Labor," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 33(2), pages 3-30, Spring.
    18. Youngjin Yoo & Richard J. Boland & Kalle Lyytinen & Ann Majchrzak, 2012. "Organizing for Innovation in the Digitized World," Organization Science, INFORMS, vol. 23(5), pages 1398-1408, October.
    19. Harville, David A. & Yashchin, Emmanuel, 2007. "Cost (or Price) Forecasting in the Face of Technological Advance," Journal of the American Statistical Association, American Statistical Association, vol. 102, pages 28-43, March.
    20. Jun Du & Yama Temouri, 2015. "High-growth firms and productivity: evidence from the United Kingdom," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 123-143, January.
    21. Stallkamp, Maximilian & Hunt, Richard A. & Schotter, Andreas P.J., 2022. "Scaling, fast and slow: The internationalization of digital ventures," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 95-106.
    22. Hugo A. Hopenhayn & Francesco Squintani, 2016. "Patent Rights and Innovation Disclosure," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 83(1), pages 199-230.
    23. Philippe Aghion & Jing Cai & Mathias Dewatripont & Luosha Du & Ann Harrison & Patrick Legros, 2022. "Industrial Policy and Competition," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Globalization, Firms, and Workers, chapter 15, pages 349-380, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    24. Corvello, Vincenzo & Belas, Jaroslav & Giglio, Carlo & Iazzolino, Gianpaolo & Troise, Ciro, 2023. "The impact of business owners’ individual characteristics on patenting in the context of digital innovation," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    25. McCann, Joseph E., 1991. "Patterns of growth, competitive technology, and financial strategies in young ventures," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 6(3), pages 189-208, May.
    26. de Reuver, Mark & Sørensen, Carsten & Basole, Rahul C., 2018. "The digital platform: a research agenda," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 80669, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    27. Dixit, Avinash K & Stiglitz, Joseph E, 1977. "Monopolistic Competition and Optimum Product Diversity," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 67(3), pages 297-308, June.
    28. Jan Mendling & Brian T. Pentland & Jan Recker, 2020. "Building a complementary agenda for business process management and digital innovation," European Journal of Information Systems, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(3), pages 208-219, May.
    29. Giovanni Calice & Levent Kutlu & Ming Zeng, 2021. "Understanding US firm efficiency and its asset pricing implications," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 60(2), pages 803-827, February.
    30. David Hémous & Morten Olsen, 2022. "The Rise of the Machines: Automation, Horizontal Innovation, and Income Inequality," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 14(1), pages 179-223, January.
    31. Bezin, Emeline, 2019. "The economics of green consumption, cultural transmission and sustainable technological change," Journal of Economic Theory, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 497-546.
    32. Teece, David J., 2018. "Profiting from innovation in the digital economy: Enabling technologies, standards, and licensing models in the wireless world," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 47(8), pages 1367-1387.
    33. Doukas, John A. & Zhang, Rongyao, 2020. "Corporate managerial ability, earnings smoothing, and acquisitions," Journal of Corporate Finance, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    34. Martínez-Caro, Eva & Cegarra-Navarro, Juan Gabriel & Alfonso-Ruiz, Francisco Javier, 2020. "Digital technologies and firm performance: The role of digital organisational culture," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 154(C).
    35. David Aboody & Shai Levi & Dan Weiss, 2018. "Managerial incentives, options, and cost-structure choices," Review of Accounting Studies, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 422-451, June.
    36. James Levinsohn & Amil Petrin, 2003. "Estimating Production Functions Using Inputs to Control for Unobservables," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 70(2), pages 317-341.
    37. Wang, Chang’an & Liu, Xiaoqian & Li, Han & Yang, Cunyi, 2023. "Analyzing the impact of low-carbon city pilot policy on enterprises' labor demand: Evidence from China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C).
    38. Chung, Tuck Siong & Low, Angie, 2022. "CEO regulatory focus and myopic marketing management," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 39(1), pages 247-267.
    39. Cheng, Yiran & Zhou, Xiaorui & Li, Yongjian, 2023. "The effect of digital transformation on real economy enterprises’ total factor productivity," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 85(C), pages 488-501.
    40. Kostas Mavromaras & Jason Qu & Ric Simes & John O'Mahony, 2017. "How Do Digital Technologies Drive Economic Growth?," The Economic Record, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 93, pages 57-69, June.
    41. Joao Guerreiro & Sergio Rebelo & Pedro Teles, 2022. "Should Robots Be Taxed?," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 89(1), pages 279-311.
    42. Berg, Andrew & Buffie, Edward F. & Zanna, Luis-Felipe, 2018. "Should we fear the robot revolution? (The correct answer is yes)," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 117-148.
    43. Costa Climent, Ricardo & Haftor, Darek M., 2021. "Business model theory-based prediction of digital technology use: An empirical assessment," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    44. Jude I. Iziga & Shingo Takagi, 2023. "An empirical examination of the effect of infrastructure on economic development: a large and heterogeneous panel data analysis," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(28), pages 3255-3270, June.
    45. Balci, Gökcay, 2021. "Digitalization in container shipping: Do perception and satisfaction regarding digital products in a non-technology industry affect overall customer loyalty?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    46. Ilmakunnas, Pekka & Miyakoshi, Tatsuyoshi, 2013. "What are the drivers of TFP in the Aging Economy? Aging labor and ICT capital," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 41(1), pages 201-211.
    47. Daron Acemoglu & Pascual Restrepo, 2020. "Robots and Jobs: Evidence from US Labor Markets," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 128(6), pages 2188-2244.
    48. Howitt, Peter & Aghion, Philippe, 1998. "Capital Accumulation and Innovation as Complementary Factors in Long-Run Growth," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 3(2), pages 111-130, June.
    49. Sean Shun Cao & Kai Du & Baozhong Yang & Alan L. Zhang, 2021. "Copycat Skills and Disclosure Costs: Evidence from Peer Companies’ Digital Footprints," Journal of Accounting Research, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 59(4), pages 1261-1302, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Simionescu, Mihaela & Cifuentes-Faura, Javier, 2024. "The digital economy and energy poverty in Central and Eastern Europe," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    2. Gao, Lei & Cai, Jianfeng & Chen, Nan & Zhong, Jianyi, 2025. "The effect of academic scientists on corporate exploratory innovation performance: Knowledge focus versus long-term focus," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(PA).
    3. Sun, Zhiyao & Che, Shuai & Wang, Jie, 2024. "Deconstruct artificial intelligence's productivity impact: A new technological insight," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    4. Yang, Yu-Xin & Liu, Jing-Yue, 2025. "Empowering green growth: The role of corporate digital transformation in boosting renewable energy investment in China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C), pages 590-605.
    5. Liu, Xiaoqian & Cifuentes-Faura, Javier & Yang, Xiaodong & Pan, Junyu, 2025. "The green innovation effect of industrial robot applications: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing companies," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    6. Zohaib Zahid & Jijian Zhang & Chongyan Gao & Judit Oláh, 2025. "ICT-Driven Strategies for Enhancing Energy Efficiency in G20 Economies: Moderating the Role of Governance in Achieving Environmental Sustainability," Energies, MDPI, vol. 18(3), pages 1-22, February.
    7. Stanley Akpevwe Onobrakpeya & Priscillia Isioma Uwagwu, 2025. "Harnessing Eco-innovation Strategies for Sustainable Development in Nigeria¡¯s Agri-food Industry," International Journal of Business Administration, International Journal of Business Administration, Sciedu Press, vol. 16(2), pages 49-73, June.
    8. Eliana Andréa Severo & Eric Charles Henri Dorion, 2025. "The Impact of Innovation, Circular Economy and Sustainable Development Strategies Aimed at Low-carbon Economy on Brazilian Business Performance," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 777-796, April.
    9. Li, Yi-ming & Khurshid, Adnan & Khan, Khalid & Cifuentes-Faura, Javier, 2024. "Green energy transition: Evaluating carbon-to-liquid technologies for 2050 climate goals and energy security," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 1859-1871.

    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. Liu, Yunxin & Cao, Yuqiang & Lu, Meiting & Shan, Yaowen & Xu, Jiangang, 2024. "Automating efficiency: The impact of industrial robots on labor investment in China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    2. Nauro F. Campos & Paul De Grauwe & Yuemei Ji, 2025. "Structural Reforms and Economic Performance: The Experience of Advanced Economies," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 63(1), pages 111-163, March.
    3. Gao, Jie & Li, Zhizhuo & Nguyen, Thithuha & Zhang, Wentao, 2025. "Digital transformation and enterprise employment," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    4. 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.
    5. Aisa, Rosa & Cabeza, Josefina & Martin, Jorge, 2023. "Automation and aging: The impact on older workers in the workforce," The Journal of the Economics of Ageing, Elsevier, vol. 26(C).
    6. Liu, Sihan, 2025. "Digital transformation–productivity nexus: Platform integration and enterprise performance," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 81(C).
    7. Dong, Feng & Zhao, Xu & Mangla, Sachin Kumar & Song, Malin, 2025. "Enhanced supply chain resilience under geopolitical risks: The role of artificial intelligence," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 202(C).
    8. Luca Grilli & Sergio Mariotti & Riccardo Marzano, 2024. "Artificial intelligence and shapeshifting capitalism," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 34(2), pages 303-318, April.
    9. Yingjie Xu & Bingchao Zheng & Baojie Guo, 2025. "How Do Industrial Robots Affect the Total Factor Productivity in Manufacturing Enterprises?," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 16(4), pages 14057-14093, October.
    10. Wang, Linhui & Cao, Zhanglu & Dong, Zhiqing, 2023. "Are artificial intelligence dividends evenly distributed between profits and wages? Evidence from the private enterprise survey data in China," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 342-356.
    11. Schneider, Florian, 2024. "Do robots boost productivity? A quantitative meta-study," MPRA Paper 123392, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    12. Pi, Jiancai & Fan, Yanwei, 2021. "The impact of robots on equilibrium unemployment of unionized workers," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 663-675.
    13. Tianru Qin & Lin Liang & Peng Liang & Wenqun Liang, 2025. "Can industrial robot utilization drive the total factor productivity of enterprises?," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 46(1), pages 129-148, January.
    14. Zhang, Yi & Wang, Ting & Liu, Chun, 2024. "Beyond the modern productivity paradox: The effect of robotics technology on firm-level total factor productivity in China," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(C).
    15. Fang, Xubing & Liu, Maotao, 2024. "How does the digital transformation drive digital technology innovation of enterprises? Evidence from enterprise's digital patents," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 204(C).
    16. Campos, Nauro F. & De Grauwe, Paul & Ji, Yuemei, 2025. "Structural reforms and economic performance: the experience of advanced economies," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 120870, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    17. Hideki Nakamura & Joseph Zeira, 2024. "Automation and unemployment: help is on the way," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 29(2), pages 215-250, June.
    18. Kudoh, Noritaka & Miyamoto, Hiroaki, 2025. "Robots, AI, and unemployment," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    19. Burkhard Heer & Andreas Irmen & Bernd Süssmuth, 2023. "Explaining the decline in the US labor share: taxation and automation," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 30(6), pages 1481-1528, December.
    20. Lionel Fontagné & Ariell Reshef & Gianluca Santoni & Giulio Vannelli, 2024. "Automation, global value chains and functional specialization," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(2), pages 662-691, May.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • L22 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Organization and Market Structure
    • O33 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Technological Change: Choices and Consequences; Diffusion Processes
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

    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:glofin:v:60:y:2024:i:c:s1044028324000292. 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/620162 .

    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.