A configurational analysis of the industrial internet-driven technological innovation in enterprises: A QCA study of MIIT′s leading application cases

doi:10.19571/j.cnki.1000-2995.2025.09.007

Abstract

Abstract: The booming growth of industrial internet platforms is reshaping how enterprises produce and innovate, yet their underlying mechanisms in promoting technological innovation remain to be thoroughly explored. This study employed the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) method to empirically analyze 138 pioneering cases of industrial internet innovation in China, and examined how industrial internet platforms facilitate technological innovation under varying conditions across the dimensions of technology, organization, and environment. The research revealed that: (1) the coordinated fit among industrial internet platforms′ technical capabilities (digital and network), firm characteristics (size and type), and the external environment (market competition and regional financial support) is vital for realizing technological innovation; (2) Enterprises with high levels of technological innovation follow notably diverse pathways, mainly including: large firms leveraging external technologies to develop digital capability platforms in challenging environments; large state-owned enterprises building digital platform capacities via in-house R&D; and large private firms constructing innovation ecosystems through network capabilities supported by regional policies; and (3) for firms with low technological innovation, predominantly small in scale, it was found that simple adoption of industrial internet platforms does not effectively drive innovation. This research has developed an innovation path model grounded in the TOE framework to unveil the intricate impacts of diverse element configurations on technological innovation, and enriched theoretical insights into digital transformation and innovation mechanisms, and it will offer valuable references for governments to craft targeted support policies and for enterprises to refine innovation strategies.

Key words: industrial internet platform, technological innovation, digital transformation, configuration analysis

Lu Pingjun, Fang Lin, Lu Dingming, Ma Xujie. A configurational analysis of the industrial internet-driven technological innovation in enterprises: A QCA study of MIIT′s leading application cases[J]. Science Research Management, 2025, 46(9): 69-77.

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A configurational analysis of the industrial internet-driven technological innovation in enterprises: A QCA study of MIIT′s leading application cases

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