Dynamic mechanisms of digital servitization micro-practices driving corporate decarbonization in manufacturing enterprises: a qualitative meta-analysis

Purpose This paper aims to link the macro-strategy of corporate decarbonization (CD) with micro-practices of digital servitization (DS) and provides a systematic solution for CD in manufacturing enterprises. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a qualitative meta-analysis of 39 case studies, including more than 100 manufacturing enterprises, to identify core DS micro-practices driving CD and their industry-specific variations. It further utilizes the IPOO framework from innovation control theory to analyze the interactions among these practices and to refine the decarbonization mechanisms across three pathways. Findings The research identified five core micro-practices of DS driving CD: innovation, manufacturing, sales, supply, and management chains. Different industries, such as the automotive industry, emphasize these dimensions differently. Additionally, this paper clarifies three CD pathways driven by DS micro-practices—internal, downstream, and value chain–wide decarbonization—and their dynamic mechanisms: process optimization and multiple feedback loops. Originality/value This study contributes by unpacking the “black box” of how DS micro-practices drive CD, providing theoretical insight into the dynamic mechanism through which these practices enable continuous decarbonization and thereby advancing dynamic capability and ecosystem theories at a micro-foundational level.