Can digital innovation be a new driver of corporate sustainability?

IF 4 Q2 BUSINESS, FINANCE

China Journal of Accounting Research Pub Date : 2026-06-01 Epub Date: 2026-01-12 DOI:10.1016/j.cjar.2025.100466

Qingmei Tan, Yiheng Cui

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Digital innovation enables firms to build competitive advantages and achieve sustainability. Based on data from Chinese A-share listed firms from 2014 to 2023, we explore the impact of digital innovation on corporate sustainability and the moderating effect of economic policy uncertainty. We find that digital innovation promotes corporate sustainability, with increasing economic policy uncertainty strengthening this effect. In mechanism tests, this effect occurs by improving management efficiency and mitigating managerial myopia. Heterogeneity analyses indicate that digital innovation has a greater positive effect on sustainability for firms with stronger green transformation capabilities and those facing greater marketization. Analysis of different digital innovation patents shows that utility model and invention patents contribute to corporate sustainability, unlike design patents. These findings highlight the effect of digital innovation on corporate sustainability and offer valuable insights for firms seeking to balance innovation, competitiveness and long-term sustainability.

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数字化创新能否成为企业可持续发展的新动力？

数字化创新使企业能够建立竞争优势，实现可持续发展。本文基于2014 - 2023年中国a股上市公司数据，探讨了数字创新对企业可持续发展的影响以及经济政策不确定性的调节作用。研究发现，数字创新促进了企业可持续发展，经济政策不确定性的增加强化了这一效应。在机制测试中，这种效应是通过提高管理效率和缓解管理短视来实现的。异质性分析表明，对于绿色转型能力强的企业和市场化程度高的企业，数字创新对可持续发展的正向影响更大。对不同数字创新专利的分析表明，与外观设计专利不同，实用新型和发明专利对企业可持续发展的贡献更大。这些发现突出了数字创新对企业可持续性的影响，并为寻求平衡创新、竞争力和长期可持续性的公司提供了有价值的见解。

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

China Journal of Accounting Research BUSINESS, FINANCE-

CiteScore

4.70

自引率

0.00%

发文量

295

审稿时长

15 weeks

期刊介绍： The focus of the China Journal of Accounting Research is to publish theoretical and empirical research papers that use contemporary research methodologies to investigate issues about accounting, corporate finance, auditing and corporate governance in the Greater China region, countries related to the Belt and Road Initiative, and other emerging and developed markets. The Journal encourages the applications of economic and sociological theories to analyze and explain accounting issues within the legal and institutional framework, and to explore accounting issues under different capital markets accurately and succinctly. The published research articles of the Journal will enable scholars to extract relevant issues about accounting, corporate finance, auditing and corporate governance related to the capital markets and institutional environment.