When More Is Less: The Inverted U-Shaped Impact of Digital-Intelligent Transformation on Value Co-Creation

This study explores the nonlinear impact of digital-intelligent transformation on enterprise value co-creation. It examines the mediating role of organizational agility and investigates the influence of network embeddedness on the effectiveness of digital-intelligent transformation. This article draws on a sample of 418 manufacturing enterprises and employs a questionnaire survey and hierarchical regression analysis to test the hypotheses. It divides digital-intelligent transformation into two dimensions: digital-intelligent technology level and digital-intelligent application scope. Organizational agility is used as the mediating variable, and network embeddedness is used as the moderating variable. This study reveals an inverted-U relationship between digital-intelligent transformation and value co-creation. The impact of digital-intelligent technology level and digital-intelligent application scope on value co-creation is mediated through organizational agility. Network embeddedness is associated with a wider range over which digital-intelligent transformation relates positively to value co-creation before returns diminish. The findings indicate that firms reporting excessive digital-intelligent transformation tend to report lower value co-creation. This research enriches the literature on digital-intelligent transformation. It points out that digital-intelligent transformation has a nonlinear impact on value co-creation. The study uses organizational agility as the mediating mechanism and network embeddedness as the boundary condition. These findings provide a reference for enterprises seeking to implement digital-intelligent transformation in a balanced and sustainable way.