Research on configuration analysis and design strategies for factors influencing digital rural development

Digital rural development constitutes a vital component of China’s modernization drive and rural revitalization strategy. It represents not only a key direction for rural construction in the digital economy era but also a critical element in building a Digital China. Current research on factors influencing digital rural development typically focuses on evaluating the importance of individual factors, with little attention paid to the interplay and constraints among multiple factors. Therefore, how to achieve high-level rural development through configurational analysis of influencing factors and enhance the positive role of design in digital rural construction remains an urgent issue in digital rural design research. This study takes digital villages in China’s Yangtze River Delta region as its research subject. Based on the TOE research framework and informed by relevant policy documents and regional status surveys, a research framework is established. Employing qualitative comparative analysis, 108 sample cases were empirically analyzed against five influencing factors. This yielded configuration pathways for advancing rural digitalization alongside corresponding case studies. The analysis examined the experiences and challenges of three high-level and two low-level digital village development pathways, subsequently proposing design optimization strategies to elevate digital village construction standards.