Government digital transformation for sustainable development: How e-government initiatives enhance total factor energy efficiency

IF 6.9 2区经济学 Q1 BUSINESS, FINANCE

Research in International Business and Finance Pub Date : 2025-08-01 DOI:10.1016/j.ribaf.2025.103084

Xin Huang , Yao Hu , Fushun Zhang , Tianren Li

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Abstract

This study investigates whether digital transformation in government serves as a key catalyst for enhancing energy coordination efficiency in the contemporary era. Leveraging China's Intelligent E-Government Pilot Program as a quasi-natural experiment, we employed a difference-in-differences (DID) approach to analyze data from 282 prefecture-level cities between 2006 and 2021. Our investigation revealed three key findings. First, digital transformation in government significantly enhanced regional total factor energy efficiency (TFEE), with results remaining robust across multiple specification tests. The improvement operated through three primary mechanisms: enhanced industrial agglomeration, optimized market resource allocation, and refined policy environment. Second, the effectiveness of digital transformation varied significantly with local conditions. The policy showed greater impact in cities with larger populations and higher economic development levels, while its effectiveness was contingent upon governmental environmental commitment and institutional integrity. Third, we identify notable synergies between the pilot program and other digital economy initiatives, particularly in traditional energy distribution policies. These findings inform both theory and policy in digital governance and energy efficiency. It offers valuable insights for policymakers seeking to leverage digital transformation for improved energy coordination and environmental sustainability.

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政府数码转型促进可持续发展：电子政府措施如何提高全要素能源效率

本研究旨在探讨政府的数位化转型是否成为当代提升能源协调效率的关键催化剂。利用中国智能电子政务试点项目作为准自然实验，我们采用差异中的差异（DID）方法分析了2006年至2021年间282个地级市的数据。我们的调查揭示了三个关键发现。首先，政府的数字化转型显著提高了区域全要素能源效率（TFEE），其结果在多个规格测试中保持稳健。产业集聚增强、市场资源配置优化、政策环境优化是促进经济增长的主要机制。第二，数字化转型的效果因地而异。该政策对人口较多和经济发展水平较高的城市的影响更大，而其有效性取决于政府对环境的承诺和体制的完整性。第三，我们发现试点项目与其他数字经济倡议之间存在显著协同效应，特别是在传统能源分配政策方面。这些发现为数字治理和能源效率的理论和政策提供了信息。它为寻求利用数字化转型改善能源协调和环境可持续性的政策制定者提供了宝贵的见解。

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来源期刊

Research in International Business and Finance BUSINESS, FINANCE-

CiteScore

11.20

自引率

9.20%

发文量

240

期刊介绍： Research in International Business and Finance (RIBAF) seeks to consolidate its position as a premier scholarly vehicle of academic finance. The Journal publishes high quality, insightful, well-written papers that explore current and new issues in international finance. Papers that foster dialogue, innovation, and intellectual risk-taking in financial studies; as well as shed light on the interaction between finance and broader societal concerns are particularly appreciated. The Journal welcomes submissions that seek to expand the boundaries of academic finance and otherwise challenge the discipline. Papers studying finance using a variety of methodologies; as well as interdisciplinary studies will be considered for publication. Papers that examine topical issues using extensive international data sets are welcome. Single-country studies can also be considered for publication provided that they develop novel methodological and theoretical approaches or fall within the Journal''s priority themes. It is especially important that single-country studies communicate to the reader why the particular chosen country is especially relevant to the issue being investigated. [...] The scope of topics that are most interesting to RIBAF readers include the following: -Financial markets and institutions -Financial practices and sustainability -The impact of national culture on finance -The impact of formal and informal institutions on finance -Privatizations, public financing, and nonprofit issues in finance -Interdisciplinary financial studies -Finance and international development -International financial crises and regulation -Financialization studies -International financial integration and architecture -Behavioral aspects in finance -Consumer finance -Methodologies and conceptualization issues related to finance