Impact of the digital transformation of Chinese new energy vehicle enterprises on innovation performance

Digital transformation involves fundamental changes in business models, organizational structure, corporate culture, and customer interaction. Chinese new energy vehicle firms aim to achieve faster response, higher efficiency, and better user experience through digital transformation. This study introduces absorptive capacity as a mediating variable and network embeddedness as a moderating variable to build a theoretical model explaining how digital transformation affects enterprise innovation performance. Using theoretical and empirical analysis, the study tests hypotheses and finds: (1) digital transformation (digital technology, digital products, digital platforms) positively impacts innovation performance; (2) absorptive capacity significantly mediates the relationship between digital transformation and innovation performance; and (3) network relational embeddedness exerts a significant positive moderating effect on the relationship between digital transformation and innovation performance. The research provides a framework linking digital transformation, absorptive capacity, and innovation performance; analyzes the moderating role of network embeddedness; and offers implications for enterprises and policymakers pursuing digital transformation.

Wei Liu, Zhengbin Wang, Qiwei Shi, Siqintana Bao