Digital transformation and corporate green innovation: enhancing both quantity and quality through resource orchestration

Abstract

Drawing on resource orchestration theory, this study investigates whether and how digital transformation (DT) affects corporate green innovation (GI) using panel data on Chinese A-share listed firms from 2010 to 2023. The results show that DT significantly improves both the quantity and quality of GI, with technology-driven DT exerting a stronger effect than application-driven DT. Moreover, the positive effect of DT on GI is stronger when executives exhibit higher levels of green cognition. Mediation analyses further show that DT promotes GI mainly through three resource orchestration pathways: resource structuring, bundling, and leveraging. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the effect of DT on GI is stronger in SOEs and high-tech industries, reflecting their superior resource endowments, innovation capabilities, and institutional support. This study deepens understanding of how DT contributes to GI, enriches the resource orchestration literature, and offers empirical insights for promoting high-quality and sustainable development.