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Impact of Public Environmental Concerns on the Digital Transformation of Heavily Polluting Enterprises

Author

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  • Youmeng Wu

    (School of Business, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243002, China)

  • Hao Sun

    (School of Business, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243002, China)

  • Hongliang Sun

    (School of Business, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan 243002, China)

  • Chi Xie

    (School of Business, Hunan Normal University, Changsha 410081, China)

Abstract

China is currently facing the arduous tasks of energy conservation, emission reduction and structural transformation, making it of great significance to study the digital transformation of heavily polluting enterprises. As an important informal regulatory system, public environmental concerns affect corporate environmental behavior by increasing external environmental pressure. This study uses the data of listed companies in China’s heavily polluting industries from 2012 to 2020 and Baidu Index data to analyze how public environmental concerns affect the digital transformation of heavily polluting enterprises. This study finds that public environmental concerns can significantly promote the digital transformation of heavily polluting enterprises. For non-state-owned, green image and high-tech enterprises, the impact is even more obvious. Furthermore, based on the structural and hierarchical perspective of enterprise digital transformation, we find that public environmental concerns significantly promote digital technology application. This study puts forward some suggestions for government departments to formulate environmental protection regulations, enterprises to fulfill their green responsibilities and the public to participate in environmental governance.

Suggested Citation

  • Youmeng Wu & Hao Sun & Hongliang Sun & Chi Xie, 2022. "Impact of Public Environmental Concerns on the Digital Transformation of Heavily Polluting Enterprises," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-19, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2022:i:1:p:203-:d:1012627
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Jialiang Yang & Wen Yin & Yi Jin, 2023. "Analyzing Public Environmental Concerns at the Threshold to Reduce Urban Air Pollution," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-17, October.
    5. Guixiang Cao & Xintong Fang & Ying Chen & Jinghuai She, 2023. "Regional Big Data Application Capability and Firm Green Technology Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-29, August.

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