Spatiotemporal characteristics and obstacle factors of coupling coordination degree between the digital economy and the high-quality development of the construction industry: evidence from China

Purpose The deep integration of the digital economy and the construction industry is a crucial pathway for promoting the green transformation and high-quality development of the construction sector. This study investigates the spatiotemporal evolution of the coupling coordination degree (CCD) between the digital economy (DE) and the high-quality development in the construction industry (HQDCI) across different provinces in China. It also identifies key obstacle factors, aiming to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for the high-quality development of the construction industry in the context of the digital economy. Design/methodology/approach Utilizing panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2013 to 2022, this study constructs a comprehensive evaluation index system for the DE and the HQDCI. The entropy weight TOPSIS method is employed to measure the development levels of the two systems. The study further applies a coupling coordination degree model, a Dagum Gini coefficient and an obstacle degree model to analyze the spatiotemporal differentiation characteristics, regional disparity sources and obstacle factors of their CCD. Findings The development levels of the DE and the HQDCI both exhibit an “east-high, west-low” gradient. The CCD increased from 0.334 in 2013 to 0.445 in 2022, although it remains at an elementary coordination stage. The spatial pattern reveals a multi-layered structure characterized by “eastern leadership, central catch-up, and western differentiation,” with inter-regional disparity contributions exceeding 70% and a particularly pronounced east-west gap. Furthermore, core obstacle factors show regional heterogeneity: the DE is primarily constrained by a shortage of IT talent and imbalances in the technology market, while the construction industry is limited by redundant infrastructure and mismatches in talent supply and demand. Originality/value This study is the first to integrate the DE and the HQDCI within a unified framework, thereby unveiling their co-evolutionary mechanisms. Quantifying the CCD and regional disparity contributions provides empirical evidence for precise policymaking. Moreover, identifying region-specific obstacle factors offers targeted solutions for overcoming the “digital–construction” coordination bottleneck, yielding insights that have reference value for the digital transformation of the construction industry in China and the rest of the world.