Exploring the ‘crowding-out’ and ‘empowering’ effects of digital technology spill-overs on supply chain social sustainability
研究了中国上市公司2009-2024年数据，发现数字技术对供应链社会可持续性存在U型溢出效应，先挤出后赋能，机制包括供应商创新能力、融资约束和客户集中度，对国企、成熟企业及竞争行业更显著。
Digital technologies (DTs) are widely regarded as critical enablers of sustainable supply chain management. By using a matched panel of listed customer and supplier companies in China for the 2009–2024 period, this study analyzes the spill-over effect of DTs on social sustainability (SS) in supply chains and elucidates the mechanisms of the relationship. Results reveal the U-shaped spill-over effect of DTs on SS, characterised by the coexistence of crowding-out and empowering effects. Suppliers’ innovation capability and financial constraints, and customer concentration, are the primary mechanisms through which the effect operates. Furthermore, the U-shaped spill-over effect is more pronounced in state-owned suppliers, mature suppliers, and suppliers in competitive industries and non-heavily polluting sectors. Overall, this study extends the literature on DTs within socially sustainable supply chains and provides important managerial insights to firms seeking to advance their SS practices during their digital transformation.