Can digital-real integration promote industrial green transformation: Fresh evidence from China's industrial sector

• Published in: Journal of cleaner production Vol. 426; p. 139116
• Main Authors: Meng, Xiao-Na, Xu, Shi-Chun, Hao, Meng-Ge
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 10.11.2023
• Subjects: China's industrial sector; Digital-real integration; Heterogeneity analysis; Industrial green transformation; Influence mechanism; Digital-real integration; Industrial green transformation; China's industrial sector; Influence mechanism; Heterogeneity analysis
• ISSN: 0959-6526; 1879-1786
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2023.139116

China is actively advancing the integration of digital and real industrial economies, fostering a mutually beneficial cycle that could potentially drive new momentum for eco-friendly industrial development. The empowering effect of digital-real integration on industrial green transformation (IGT) requires urgent exploration. Based on China's industrial sector panel data from 2010 to 2020, this paper empirically investigates the relationship between digital-real integration and IGT and delves into its internal mechanism to verify the above hypothesis. Meanwhile, it analyzes the heterogeneous effects of digital-real integration on IGT, considering variations in industrial technology levels and the sources of such integration. The results demonstrate a positive impact of digital-real integration on IGT in China. The green technology and scale effects play pivotal roles in unleashing the green benefits of digital-real integration in the industrial sector. Notably, the contribution of digital-real integration to IGT varies across industrial subsectors with distinct technology levels. There is heterogeneity in the enabling effect of digital-real integration from different sources on IGT, and the integration of digital services and the real industrial economy has yet to achieve the expected green benefits. Our findings provide new scientific evidence for managers and policymakers in developing countries like China to promote industrial digitization and sustainable growth. This work informs the future discussion on digital-real integration topics from a global context. [Display omitted] •The degree of digital-real integration in China's industrial sector is estimated.•Digital-real integration significantly promotes industrial green transformation.•Digital-real integration acts as a driver through green technology and scale effects.•Digital-real integration from different sources varies in green empowerment effects.