Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 Sep 29;15(1):33337.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-17897-z.

Impact of environmental performance on intelligent transformation in Chinese manufacturing enterprises

Zhou Qingjie  1 , Sun Jiamin  2 , Ran Lijun  3 , Qu Yahui  4
Affiliations

Impact of environmental performance on intelligent transformation in Chinese manufacturing enterprises

Zhou Qingjie et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

Intelligent transformation has become a key driver of enterprise development. It enables firms to improve operational efficiency, enhance innovation capabilities, and maintain long-term competitiveness. This study investigates the impact of environmental performance on the intelligent transformation of manufacturing firms in China. It uses the panel data from A-share listed manufacturing companies covering the period from 2010 to 2023. Environmental performance is measured using the environmental sub-score from the CNRDS ESG rating system. The analysis investigates both the direct impact of environmental performance on firms' intelligent upgrading and the mediating effects of external market environments, including product market, policy environment, and capital market. The empirical findings reveal that higher environmental performance significantly enhances the level of intelligent transformation, highlighting its increasingly key role in promoting technological progress and smart development in the manufacturing sector. This study contributes to the theoretical integration of environmental governance and digital transformation, offering practical implications for manufacturing firms seeking to align sustainability with innovation strategies under China's dual transformation framework.

Keywords: Environmental performance; Intelligent transformation; Resource-based theory; Stakeholders network.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Declarations. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Theoretical frameworks.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Path diagram for H1- H4.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Lucke, D., Constantinescu, C. & Westkämper, E. Smart Factory - A step towards the next generation of manufacturing. in Manufacturing Systems and Technologies for the New Frontier (eds Mitsuishi, M., Ueda, K. & Kimura, F.) 115–118 10.1007/978-1-84800-267-8_23. ((Springer, 2008).
    1. Guo, Y. & Zheng, G. How do firms upgrade capabilities for systemic catch-up in the open innovation context? A multiple-case study of three leading home appliance companies in China. Technol. Forecast. Soc. Change. 144, 36–48 (2019).
    1. Liu, J. & Meng, Z. Innovation model analysis of new energy vehicles: taking toyota, Tesla and BYD as an example. Procedia Eng.174, 965–972 (2017).
    1. Shan, S., Wen, X., Wei, Y., Wang, Z. & Chen, Y. Intelligent manufacturing in industry 4.0: A case study of Sany heavy industry. Syst. Res. Behav. Sci.37, 679–690 (2020).
    1. Cho, C. H., Guidry, R. P., Hageman, A. M. & Patten, D. M. Do actions speak louder than words? An empirical investigation of corporate environmental reputation. Acc. Organ. Soc.37, 14–25 (2012).

LinkOut - more resources