Does digital transformation increase corporate violations?

Abstract

This study examines whether digital transformation influences corporate violations in China. Using data from Chinese A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2020, this paper finds that digital transformation increases the incidence of corporate violations. The results remain robust through endogeneity checks, the use of alternative measurements for digital transformation and corporate violations, and subsample analyses. Cross-sectional analyses suggest that the impact of digital transformation on corporate violations is more salient in non-state-owned enterprises, firms with lower institutional investors shareholding ratios, and firms with higher agency costs. Mechanism analyses indicate that digital transformation leads to corporate violations by increasing operational complexity and affecting information quality. Additional tests reveal that effective corporate governance helps reduce the occurrence of corporate violations resulting from digital transformation. This research deepens our understanding of the economic implications of corporate digital transformation and provides valuable insights for businesses undergoing this process.