Digital economy, natural endowments, and regional economic growth: a moderating effect analysis based on multilevel models

This study examines the impact of the digital economy and natural resources on economic growth using a hierarchical linear model and provincial-level data from China (2013–2024). Data is treated as a production factor, while digital technology and natural resources influence total factor productivity. The findings show that both the within-group and between-group effects of the digital economy are significantly positive. The cross-level moderating effect of natural resources is significant, whereas the Level-2 moderating effect is not statistically significant. Overall, the digital economy effectively promotes regional economic growth through both within-group and between-group channels, while the multilevel moderating role of natural resources exerts differentiated effects in the process through which the digital economy drives economic growth. To promote economic growth, regions should formulate targeted digital economy development strategies according to their respective natural resource endowments.