The impact of industrial robot adoption on corporate green innovation in China

Abstract

Green innovation plays a crucial role in transforming economic models and achieving sustainable development in enterprises. As an important embodiment of artificial intelligence technology, how industrial robots can effectively promote the green transformation of enterprises has become an important issue. This paper examines the impact and mechanisms of industrial robot adoption on corporate green innovation, as well as its heterogeneous effects. Using data from Chinese listed companies from 2007 to 2019, we find that industrial robot adoption has a significant positive impact on corporate green innovation, enhancing both its quantity and quality. Furthermore, our mechanism study reveals that industrial robot adoption can promote corporate green innovation by improving productivity and environmental management capabilities. Additionally, we investigate the moderating effects of various factors and conclude that the positive impact of industrial robot adoption on green innovation is more pronounced among the state-owned enterprises, enterprises with the intense market competition, as well as enterprises located in regions with higher carbon emissions intensity. This paper contributes to enrich the research on industrial robots and corporate green innovation, and provides a reference to improve environmental management and achieve a low-carbon economy in emerging markets.