Digital innovation and corporate carbon emissions from the perspective of asymmetric supply chain relations

The innovation of digital technology to expedite the establishment of sustainable productivity that aligns with the "double carbon" objective is a crucial approach to balancing environmental considerations with development, hence fostering the high-quality advancement of organizations. This paper analyzes panel data from listed companies in China between 2010 and 2023 to assess the level of digital technology innovation through digital technology patents and investigates the effect of this innovation on the carbon emissions of enterprises within the industrial chain. The findings indicate that: Digital technology innovation (EDIG) in focused firms exhibits asymmetric effects, enhancing upstream firms' UPCE while diminishing downstream firms' DOCE; EDIG facilitates UPCE by expediting information dissemination and reinforcing organizational interdependence, while concurrently suppressing DOCE through the enhancement of supply chain resilience and product competitiveness. Various categories of environmental laws exert distinct regulatory impacts on the correlation between EDIG and UPCE (DOCE). The extent of carbon reduction resulting from enterprises' digital technology innovation varies due to the supply chain relationships between the two enterprises and the differing conditions of the focused enterprises, with the influence of various types of technological innovation on the carbon emissions of upstream and downstream enterprises being notably robust. Consequently, it is imperative to enhance the research, development, and implementation of digital technology innovation, comprehend the carbon reduction pathway mechanisms associated with enterprise digital technology innovation, and offer sustainable development insights to other developing nations as enterprises adopt measures to facilitate carbon peak and carbon neutrality through digital technology innovation.