Buffering the constraint: exploring the role of TOE in supporting enterprise digital transformation in resource-based cities

Digital transformation is crucial for enterprises to gain competitive advantages in complex environments. Resource-based cities possess abundant natural resources and stable economic structures that support economic development, however, the strong dependency on existing nature resources structures in these cities may impede enterprise digital transformation. This study investigates how nature resource dependency influences enterprise digital transformation in resource-based cities, and the moderating effects of technology-organization-environment (TOE) factors on this impact. By categorizing digital transformation into transformation speed and depth based on adoption and implementation stages, we use a sample from Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed companies between 2010 and 2022 to coudcut a empricial analysis, Theresults indicate that nature resource dependency significantly negatively impacts the speed and depth of enterprises' digital transformation resource-based cities, with more potent inhibition on transformation speed. However, the new digital infrastructure (T), executive digital background (O), and environmental regulatory intensity (E) can signifcanlty mitigate these adverse effects, and the three dimensions of TOE have a synergy effect. Heterogeneity analyses reveal that the nagetive impact of nature resource dependency on enterprise digital transformation is more pronounced in inland cities, non-transport hubs, and old industrial bases. This study contributes to the determinants on enterprise digital transformation by focusing on resource structure characteristics in resource-based cities, and offersg policy insights for promoting enterprise digital transformation.