Grounded in upper echelons theory and dynamic capabilities theory, this study aims to investigate the impact of corporate management’s cognitive attributes and leadership competencies on carbon emission efficiency, and the mediating role of digital technology innovation and application in this relationship.
Using panel data of Chinese Main Board listed firms from 2011 to 2023, this study reveals that digital leadership enhances corporate carbon emission efficiency through the dual mechanisms of digital technology innovation and application.
Empirical findings reveal that digital leadership improves corporate carbon emission efficiency by an average of 1.4%, a result that remains robust across a series of stringent tests. Mechanism analysis indicates that digital leadership enhances carbon efficiency through two distinct pathways: promoting digital technology innovation and advancing technological application, with mediating effects accounting for 22.69% and 15.9% of the total effect, respectively. Heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that the carbon efficiency improvement effect of digital leadership is more pronounced in regions with developed digital infrastructure, stringent environmental regulations, high public environmental awareness, and strong fiscal transparency. Furthermore, the effect is stronger in privately owned enterprises and in firms with higher managerial ownership.
This research extends the application of upper echelons theory in the field of environmental governance, while providing valuable theoretical insights and practical guidance for enterprises seeking to achieve green transformation through the cultivation of digital leadership.
Despite the increasing prominence of digital leadership, little literature has focused on how digital leadership specifically affects firm-level carbon efficiency and its mechanisms of action.
