Local creative culture environment and corporate digital transformation: evidence from cultural and creative industry parks in China

Based on a sample of Chinese A-share listed firms from 2009 to 2023, we investigate the influence of the local creative culture environment on corporate digital transformation (DT). The results show that a vibrant creative culture environment is positively related to firms’ DT, primarily through three channels: higher R&D investments, lower financing constraints and higher regional digital talent agglomeration. Moreover, heterogeneity analyses reveal that this effect is more pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises, in regions with weaker Confucian cultural traditions, and in firms with a higher proportion of female executives. We enhance the literature on the drivers of DT from the perspective of the local creative culture environment. The findings also provide policy implications for promoting the synergies between cultural development and the digital economy.