Research on technology innovation path of Intelligent Manufacturing enterprises—Based on qualitative comparative analysis of fuzzy sets under TOE framework

Intelligent manufacturing enterprises play a crucial role in the modern industrial system and are key to high-quality economic development. However, most current research on intelligent manufacturing technology innovation focuses on single variables, lacking a comprehensive analysis from a linkage grouping perspective. This paper constructs an analytical framework for the technology innovation path of intelligent manufacturing enterprises from three dimensions: technology level, organization level, and environment level. Six antecedent variables are selected: R&D investment, digital transformation, human capital structure, profitability, government support, and competitive position. Using the fuzzy sets of qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) methodology, the paper examines the technological innovation paths of intelligent manufacturing enterprises in China. The research indicates that no single antecedent variable is necessary for high technological innovation; instead, the innovation path results from the synergistic effect of multiple conditions. The study identifies three paths leading to high technological innovation in intelligent manufacturing:"Government and Human Resource driven types," "Environmental-Organizational linkage types,"and"Organizational Resilience dominant types." This analysis provides reference suggestions for enterprises to adopt suitable development strategies based on their competitive positions.