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How Does Digital Transformation Affect Total Factor Productivity: Firm-Level Evidence from China

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  • Shiguang Li

    (School of Management and Economics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China)

  • Yixiang Tian

    (School of Management and Economics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 610054, China)

Abstract

After the 2008 financial crisis, companies in China begun paying more attention to sustainable development. This article attempts to examine whether and how digital transformation affects total factor productivity (TFP) at the firm-level. Using 2913 listed companies in China from 2012 to 2018, this study finds that digital transformation is positively associated with corporate TFP in China. Our explanatory variable of firm-level digitalization index is constructed via text analysis methods. After a series of robustness checks and different attempts that mitigate endogeneity concerns, our findings remain valid. However, traditional information and communication technologies (ICT) cannot improve corporate TFP. Further analyses of three plausible channels indicate that digital technologies improve TFP primarily through cost reduction and human substitution rather than supervision advantage. The results indicate that firms achieve actual benefits from the digital transformation, and how digital transformation improve the sustainable development. This study could serve as a policy inspiration for other developing countries.

Suggested Citation

  • Shiguang Li & Yixiang Tian, 2023. "How Does Digital Transformation Affect Total Factor Productivity: Firm-Level Evidence from China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-17, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:12:p:9575-:d:1171039
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    2. Zheng Duan & Yifan Zhang, 2025. "Can Enterprise Digital Transformation Improve Resource Allocation Efficiency? Evidence From China," Managerial and Decision Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 46(4), pages 2688-2704, June.
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    4. Penglong Li & Xuan Ye, 2024. "Research on the promotion effect and mechanisms of digital empowerment of food enterprises," Agricultural Economics, Czech Academy of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 70(2), pages 60-72.
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    6. Jingwen Zhang & Yi Liu, 2025. "How Does Digital Innovation Empower the Development of New Quality Productive Forces? An Empirical Study Based on Double Machine Learning," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(6), pages 1-29, March.

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