A Systemic Pathway for Empowering Urban Digital Transformation Through the Industrial Internet

As an integrated socio-technical system linking information technology with industrial infrastructure, the Industrial Internet is increasingly central to urban digital transformation. However, current research largely centers on national or sectoral scales, lacking systematic analysis at the city level—particularly regarding system structure, enabling mechanisms, and region-specific pathways. This study takes Dalian, a city with a strong industrial base and urgent digital transformation needs, leveraging the Industrial Internet Development Index (IIDI), employing a “system structure–mechanism–pathway” analytical framework, we conducted a comprehensive assessment of the spatiotemporal relationship between industrial structure and Industrial Internet performance in Dalian from 2020 to 2022. The study finds that, during the research period, Dalian’s Composite IIDI increased from 0.31 to 0.65, with substantial improvements in platform infrastructure, resource coordination, and data application capacity—providing key support for enterprise digitalization and intelligent consumption. A strong correlation (R2 = 0.85) between industrial structure and Industrial Internet performance underscores the structural foundation’s critical role. However, comparative analysis reveals that Dalian still faces structural deficiencies in platform openness, international interface integration, and ecosystem synergy. The study introduces a systemic pathway for empowering Industrial Internet capabilities and offers actionable insights for policymakers seeking to foster regionally adapted digital transformation.