The effects of intellectual property protection on corporate digital transformation

This study explores how intellectual property protection (IPP) influences the digital transformation of firms, based on data from A-share listed companies in China from 2011 to 2022. The results indicate that: internal IPP plays a significant role in promoting digital transformation; it also fosters corporate innovation, which further facilitates this transformation; additionally, external IPP enhances the positive impact of internal IPP on digital transformation, with this moderating effect varying across different regions—namely eastern, central, and western China.