Research on the influence of digitalization on competitive advantage of manufacturing enterprises

Abstract In the current era of rapid digital development, the digital transformation of manufacturing has gradually become an inevitable trend in industry development, and the in‐depth study of the relationship between digitalization and competitive advantage has become an important topic in the field of management science. Based on data from Chinese‐listed manufacturing companies from 2012 to 2021, this paper uses empirical analysis to show that digitalization can effectively enhance the low‐cost competitive advantage and differentiation competitive advantage of manufacturing companies, with organizational slack and environmental uncertainty playing a moderating role in this process. The study also delves into the heterogeneity among firms of different scales, ownership characteristics, and life cycles. This research helps to examine the actual effectiveness of manufacturing companies in the process of digital transformation, while also providing a theoretical basis for how manufacturing companies can better acquire and maintain competitive advantages in the process of digitalization.