IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/reveco/v93y2024ipap1114-1124.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

How does business environment affect firm digital transformation: A fsQCA study based on Chinese manufacturing firms

Author

Listed:
  • Chen, Xuanyu
  • Yang, Na

Abstract

Digital transformation can improve firms' competitive advantages and contribute to regional economic development. The question of how to enhance the business environment to facilitate and encourage firm digital transformation emerges as a crucial area of inquiry. To explore the relationship between city-level business environment and firm digital transformation, we conducted configuration analysis based on a sample of 3088 manufacturing firms across 240 Chinese cities in year 2022. Based on results, we identified three distinct business environments, consisting of both detrimental and favorable factors, that can promote firm digital transformation. Thereinto, limited public resources, a shortage of human resources, and an underdeveloped market environment work that prompt firms' motivation of digital transformation, since the negative consequences stemming from those limitations can be mitigated by digital transformation. Meanwhile, a conducive innovation environment, significant financial development, a favorable legal environment, and a supportive political environment serve as advantageous factors that amplify firms' willingness to embrace digital transformation, since they mitigate costs and risks associated with digital transformation. Our study expands the theoretical boundaries of digital transformation, and provides valuable insights for government to optimize business environments to support firms’ digital transformation.

Suggested Citation

  • Chen, Xuanyu & Yang, Na, 2024. "How does business environment affect firm digital transformation: A fsQCA study based on Chinese manufacturing firms," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 93(PA), pages 1114-1124.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:reveco:v:93:y:2024:i:pa:p:1114-1124
    DOI: 10.1016/j.iref.2024.03.071
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1059056024002363
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.iref.2024.03.071?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. Singh, Shiwangi & Sharma, Meenakshi & Dhir, Sanjay, 2021. "Modeling the effects of digital transformation in Indian manufacturing industry," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 67(C).
    2. Du, Yunzhou & Kim, Phillip H., 2021. "One size does not fit all: Strategy configurations, complex environments, and new venture performance in emerging economies," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 272-285.
    3. Tian, Yuan & Wang, Yupei & Xie, Xuemei & Jiao, Jie & Jiao, Hao, 2019. "The impact of business-government relations on firms' innovation: Evidence from Chinese manufacturing industry," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 143(C), pages 1-8.
    4. Maroufkhani, Parisa & Desouza, Kevin C. & Perrons, Robert K. & Iranmanesh, Mohammad, 2022. "Digital transformation in the resource and energy sectors: A systematic review," Resources Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    5. 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).
    6. Gebauer, Heiko & Fleisch, Elgar & Lamprecht, Claudio & Wortmann, Felix, 2020. "Growth paths for overcoming the digitalization paradox," Business Horizons, Elsevier, vol. 63(3), pages 313-323.
    7. 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.
    8. Chen, Hansong & Tian, Zhen, 2022. "Environmental uncertainty, resource orchestration and digital transformation: A fuzzy-set QCA approach," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 184-193.
    9. Liu, Zixu & Zhou, Jianghua & Li, Jizhen, 2023. "How do family firms respond strategically to the digital transformation trend: Disclosing symbolic cues or making substantive changes?," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    10. David Urbano & David Audretsch & Sebastian Aparicio & Maria Noguera, 2020. "Does entrepreneurial activity matter for economic growth in developing countries? The role of the institutional environment," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 16(3), pages 1065-1099, September.
    11. André Hanelt & René Bohnsack & David Marz & Cláudia Antunes Marante, 2021. "A Systematic Review of the Literature on Digital Transformation: Insights and Implications for Strategy and Organizational Change," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(5), pages 1159-1197, July.
    12. Zhao, Chunkai & Wu, Yaqian & Guo, Jianhao, 2022. "Mobile payment and Chinese rural household consumption," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(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. Zhong, Xi & Ren, Ge, 2023. "Independent and joint effects of CSR and CSI on the effectiveness of digital transformation for transition economy firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    2. 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.
    3. Wang, Kui & He, Junjia & Zhang, Xiaodan & Xiang, Diandian & Zhang, Ping, 2025. "Unraveling the performance puzzle of digital transformation: The moderating role of TMT heterogeneity and faultline strength," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    4. Zhu, Xiumei & Li, Yue, 2023. "The use of data-driven insight in ambidextrous digital transformation: How do resource orchestration, organizational strategic decision-making, and organizational agility matter?," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 196(C).
    5. Du, Juntao & Shen, Zhiyang & Song, Malin & Zhang, Linda, 2023. "Nexus between digital transformation and energy technology innovation: An empirical test of A-share listed enterprises," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 120(C).
    6. Titov Sergei & Trachuk Arkady & Linder Natalya & RD Pathak & Danny Samson & Zafar Husain & S Sushil, 2023. "Digital transformation enablers in high-tech and low-tech companies: A comparative analysis," Australian Journal of Management, Australian School of Business, vol. 48(4), pages 801-843, November.
    7. Wang, Jiaxin & Huang, Hongyan & Huang, Xiang & Sun, Di & Song, Zilong, 2024. "Returning from overseas: STEMs migration and corporate digitalization," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    8. 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).
    9. Li, Weiping & Li, Tingyu & Jiang, Dequan & Zhang, Xuezhi, 2024. "Bridging the information gap: How digitalization shapes stock price informativeness," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 71(C).
    10. Li, Cong & Liu, Jiaxuan & Liu, Yuwei & Wang, Xiaoyu, 2023. "Can digitalization empowerment improve the efficiency of corporate capital allocation? —Evidence from China," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1794-1810.
    11. Zhang, Jie & Wei, Huiru & Yuan, Kuiran & Yang, Xiaodong, 2024. "New industrial policy and corporate digital transformation: Empowering or impairing? Emerging evidence from green credit policy," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    12. 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).
    13. Plekhanov, Dmitry & Franke, Henrik & Netland, Torbjørn H., 2023. "Digital transformation: A review and research agenda," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 41(6), pages 821-844.
    14. Guo, Bin & Zhang, Jiale & Tan, Ziyan, 2024. "Firm digitalization as strategic response: An integrated model based on the awareness-motivation-capability (AMC) framework," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    15. Feifei Yu & Qing Zhang & Dong Jiang, 2023. "The impact of regional environmental regulations on digital transformation of energy companies: The moderating role of the top management team," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 44(6), pages 3152-3165, September.
    16. Bhandari, Krishna Raj & Zámborský, Peter & Ranta, Mikko & Salo, Jari, 2023. "Digitalization, internationalization, and firm performance: A resource-orchestration perspective on new OLI advantages," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 32(4).
    17. Changwei Pang & Qiong Wang, 2024. "How Digital Transformation Promotes Disruptive Innovation? Evidence from Chinese Entrepreneurial Firms," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 15(2), pages 7788-7818, June.
    18. Cheng, Linyin, 2024. "Does digital transformation matter for trade credit provision? Evidence from China," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    19. Wang, Sai & Wen, Wen & Niu, Yuhao & Li, Xin, 2024. "Digital transformation and corporate labor investment efficiency," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    20. Pi-Hui Chung & Cheng-Yu Lee, 2024. "The Attitude of Family Firms Toward Digital Transformation: From the Organizational Learning Perspective," Advances in Management and Applied Economics, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 14(4), pages 1-2.

    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:reveco:v:93:y:2024:i:pa:p:1114-1124. 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/620165 .

    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.