Enterprise AI Analysis
From digital circulation to green growth: the mediating role of digital technology innovation in e-commerce's impact on urban green productivity
Our deep dive into "From digital circulation to green growth: the mediating role of digital technology innovation in e-commerce's impact on urban green productivity" reveals critical insights for enterprise leaders aiming to leverage digital transformation for sustainable growth.
Executive Impact
Unlock Sustainable Growth with E-commerce and Digital Innovation
This study analyzes the impact of e-commerce on urban green productivity, finding a significant positive effect (0.397 coefficient). Digital technology innovation mediates this relationship (4.3% of total indirect effect), with regional heterogeneity observed (central > western > eastern). Robustness checks and machine learning models confirm reliability and predict rapid improvement in green productivity during 2022-2025. This provides strong policy implications for sustainable development.
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Overall Impact Score
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E-commerce Impact Coefficient
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Mediating Effect of Digital Tech Innovation
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Predicted Growth (2025)
Deep Analysis & Enterprise Applications
Select a topic to dive deeper, then explore the specific findings from the research, rebuilt as interactive, enterprise-focused modules.
Abstract: E-commerce's Role in Green Productivity
Against the backdrop of global sustainable development, e-commerce has emerged as a pivotal driver of economic growth, and its implications for green productivity merit in-depth scholarly investigation. Using panel data from 252 prefecture-level cities in China between 2012 and 2022, this study constructs a comprehensive indicator system via the Entropy Weight-TOPSIS method and employs a two-way fixed effects model alongside a mediation effect model to systematically examine the impact of e-commerce on urban green productivity. The empirical findings are as follows: First, e-commerce development exerts a statistically significant positive effect on urban green productivity, with an estimated coefficient of 0.397. Second, digital technology innovation serves as a significant mediating variable between e-commerce development and urban green productivity, accounting for 4.3% of the total indirect effect. Third, this influence exhibits notable regional heterogeneity, displaying a pattern of “strongest in Central China (coefficient=1.550), followed by Western China (coefficient=1.073), and weakest in Eastern China (coefficient=0.281)”. A series of robustness checks and endogeneity tests further support the reliability of these core results. Moreover, this study innovatively incorporates a random forest machine learning model into the analytical framework; the predictions generated by this model align with those from the benchmark regression. Overall, the results suggest that China's urban green productivity is likely to enter a phase of rapid improvement during the 2022–2025 period. These findings offer substantial policy and practical implications for enhancing China's green productivity and promoting broader societal sustainable development.
Introduction: The Urgency of Green Productivity
To address the issue of climate change, a large number of nations have begun to attach greater importance to carbon emissions and environmental conservation. They are taking such measures as formulating more rigorous laws and regulations and establishing specific emission reduction goals. Amid these global sustainability efforts, the world economy is accelerating its digital transformation. As one of the most dynamic and pervasive manifestations of the digital economy, e-commerce has become deeply integrated into all sectors. It reduces energy consumption by optimizing logistics resource allocation and shortening the production-to-consumption supply chain, thereby holding promise for pioneering new pathways to cultivate and enhance green productivity. However, existing research has not yet fully elucidated the intrinsic relationship between e-commerce and green productivity. This study aims to fill these gaps by systematically investigating the combined outcomes of the multidimensional “economy-technology-environment" system.
Theoretical Framework: E-commerce, Digital Innovation, and Green Growth
This section outlines the theoretical underpinnings of our study. We propose that e-commerce positively impacts urban green productivity through mechanisms such as optimizing industrial structure, promoting green consumption patterns, and facilitating technological advancement. Digital technology innovation is hypothesized to mediate this relationship, acting as a crucial bridge where e-commerce drives digital infrastructure, industrial digital transformation, and life-oriented digital innovation, which in turn enhance green productivity.
0.397
Direct Impact Coefficient of E-commerce on Green Productivity
Enterprise Process Flow
E-commerce Development
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Digital Technology Innovation (Mediator)
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Urban Green Productivity
| Region | Impact Coefficient | Key Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Central China | 1.550 |
|
| Western China | 1.073 |
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| Eastern China | 0.281 |
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4.3%
Indirect Effect Share of Digital Technology Innovation
E-commerce Driven Green Transformation in Hubei Province (Central China)
Hubei Province, a key area in Central China, has demonstrated remarkable strides in green productivity, significantly leveraging e-commerce and digital technology. By focusing on integrating e-commerce platforms with local manufacturing, Hubei has seen a reduction in inventory overstock and optimized logistics. This transformation is underpinned by infrastructure digital innovation (e.g., advanced data centers, robust network communications), enabling precise resource allocation. Furthermore, industrial digital innovation has reshaped traditional industries towards greener practices, while life digital innovation has fostered sustainable consumption patterns. This strategic approach, driven by strong government support and enterprise engagement, exemplifies the 'late-comer advantage' in action, yielding a high marginal conversion efficiency for green productivity.
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Your Implementation Roadmap
A strategic phased approach to integrate digital technology innovation and e-commerce for enhanced green productivity.
Phase 1: Strengthen E-commerce Infrastructure
Improve digital infrastructure, optimize e-commerce logistics networks (green delivery models), and promote data-driven production strategies to reduce waste.
Phase 2: Foster Digital Technology Innovation Alliances
Encourage collaboration between e-commerce enterprises and research institutions for green tech application, supporting big-data-based energy monitoring systems.
Phase 3: Differentiated Regional Strategies
Tailor policies based on regional heterogeneity: prioritize Central China for integrated e-commerce-manufacturing-green tech development, Western China for ecological advantage conversion, and Eastern China for high-end digital trade and spillover effects.
Phase 4: Establish Long-term Green Development Mechanisms
Integrate green productivity evaluation into local assessments, establish long-term green development funds, and guide market towards green consumption through e-commerce platforms.
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