Marketization, digital economy, and industrial structure transformation: Mechanisms and regional variations

Abstract

This paper investigates the relationship between the level of marketization, the digital economy, and the transformation of industrial structure. It is found that an elevated level of marketization significantly promotes the transformation of industrial structure, with the digital economy playing a positive moderating role in this process, particularly in developed regions. Industry-finance integration, technological innovation, and consumption upgrading emerge as key mediating variables. Furthermore, the impact of marketization on industrial structure transformation varies across regions, with a more pronounced effect observed in the eastern region.