How does digital transformation enhance enterprise technological innovation? Evidence from Chinese manufacturing listed companies

Using the data of listed companies in the Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share manufacturing industry from 2013 to 2020, this paper empirically tests the effect and mechanism of digital transformation (DT) on enterprise technological innovation (ETI). The results show that DT can significantly promote ETI, and there is an inverted-U relationship between DT and ETI. DT can improve the ETI through the demand scale effect, collaborative innovation effect, and knowledge spillover effect. And the above effects explain the inverted-U relationship between DT and ETI. This paper further explores the role of digital infrastructure (DI) and finds that DI can enhance the facilitating role of DT and ETI. Moreover, demand scale effect and collaborative innovation effect work only at high-level DI regions. This article provides enlightenment for promoting enterprise DT and ETI. © 2025 Elsevier Ltd