Digital transformation speed and firms’ ambidextrous green innovation: Do employee stock ownership and education levels matter?

IF 12.5 1区社会学 Q1 SOCIAL ISSUES

Technology in Society Pub Date : 2025-07-24 DOI:10.1016/j.techsoc.2025.103024

Xi Zhong , Yanfeng Zhang

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

This study investigates the conditions under which digital transformation speed influences firms' ambidextrous green innovation, which is a dual capability encompassing both exploitative and exploratory dimensions of sustainable practices. Anchored in dynamic capabilities theory, we propose that accelerating digital transformation speed may erode firms’ dynamic capabilities—namely, their ability to sense, seize, and reconfigure resources—thereby exerting a negative effect on ambidextrous green innovation. We further argue that employee stock ownership fosters greater alignment between individual and organizational goals, thus mitigating the disruptive impact of digital transformation speed, whereas higher levels of employee education enhance cognitive and problem-solving capacities, enabling firms to better navigate the complexities arising from faster digital transformation speed. Drawing on panel data from publicly listed Chinese manufacturing firms over the period of 2015–2021, our findings substantiate the majority of our hypotheses. By delineating, for the first time, the intricate logical nexus between digital transformation speed and ambidextrous green innovation, this study makes a substantive contribution to the burgeoning literature on sustainable industrial transformation.

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数字化转型速度与企业双向绿色创新：员工持股和受教育程度是否重要？

本研究探讨了数字化转型速度影响企业双灵巧绿色创新的条件，双灵巧绿色创新是一种双重能力，包括可持续实践的开发和探索维度。基于动态能力理论，我们提出加速数字化转型可能会削弱企业的动态能力，即感知、把握和重新配置资源的能力，从而对双灵巧绿色创新产生负面影响。我们进一步认为，员工持股促进了个人和组织目标之间的更大一致性，从而减轻了数字化转型速度的破坏性影响，而更高水平的员工教育增强了认知和解决问题的能力，使公司能够更好地应对更快的数字化转型速度带来的复杂性。利用2015-2021年期间中国上市制造企业的面板数据，我们的发现证实了我们的大多数假设。通过首次描述数字化转型速度与双向绿色创新之间复杂的逻辑联系，本研究对新兴的可持续产业转型文献做出了实质性贡献。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Technology in Society Multiple-

CiteScore

17.90

自引率

14.10%

发文量

316

审稿时长

60 days

期刊介绍： Technology in Society is a global journal dedicated to fostering discourse at the crossroads of technological change and the social, economic, business, and philosophical transformation of our world. The journal aims to provide scholarly contributions that empower decision-makers to thoughtfully and intentionally navigate the decisions shaping this dynamic landscape. A common thread across these fields is the role of technology in society, influencing economic, political, and cultural dynamics. Scholarly work in Technology in Society delves into the social forces shaping technological decisions and the societal choices regarding technology use. This encompasses scholarly and theoretical approaches (history and philosophy of science and technology, technology forecasting, economic growth, and policy, ethics), applied approaches (business innovation, technology management, legal and engineering), and developmental perspectives (technology transfer, technology assessment, and economic development). Detailed information about the journal's aims and scope on specific topics can be found in Technology in Society Briefings, accessible via our Special Issues and Article Collections.