IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/teinso/v87y2026ics0160791x26001867.html

Digital government and firms’ breakthrough innovation: Empirical evidence from China

Author

Listed:
  • Li, Hongliang
  • Liang, Enshuo
  • Shi, Xinxu

Abstract

In the digital age, increasing scholarly attention has focused on the link between digital government and firms' breakthrough innovation. This is especially important in a society where technological progress is slowing down. However, no empirical evidence has been found for this link. Therefore, this study examines the mechanisms underlying digital government and firms’ breakthrough innovation and explores the moderating role of firm characteristics in this relationship. Based on digital era governance theory and institutional economics, and using data from Chinese A-share listed firms from 2007 to 2024, this study finds that digital government is positively associated with breakthrough innovation. This evidence is consistent with the roles of enhanced integration and collaboration capabilities, as well as reduced rent-seeking and R&D manipulation. Additionally, we find that this relationship is stronger for firms with greater dynamic capabilities and higher levels of commercial credit. Overall, this study links digital government to breakthrough innovation and extends research on how institutions can support key technological progress for sustainable social development.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Hongliang & Liang, Enshuo & Shi, Xinxu, 2026. "Digital government and firms’ breakthrough innovation: Empirical evidence from China," Technology in Society, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:teinso:v:87:y:2026:i:c:s0160791x26001867
    DOI: 10.1016/j.techsoc.2026.103397
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160791X26001867
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.techsoc.2026.103397?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.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    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:teinso:v:87:y:2026:i:c:s0160791x26001867. 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.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using 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: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/technology-in-society .

    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.