Scholarlink

<p>Digital infrastructure has expanded rapidly in recent years, generating significant positive externalities. It has become a key driver of economic growth and high-quality development. Yet how these benefits are distributed among micro-level agents remains insufficiently understood. Using the “Broadband China” policy as a quasi-natural experiment, we find that digital infrastructure construction significantly enhances firm profitability. In the short term, 13.65% of the gains accrue to shareholders, 7.35% to employees, and 79.00% are reinvested in production. If long-term gains are allocated in the same proportion, 65.01% ultimately accrue to shareholders and 34.99% to employees. Differences in firm size, labor intensity, labor productivity, and industry concentration influence employee bargaining power, leading to variation in benefit distribution. These findings provide insights for strengthening the foundation of the digital economy and promoting more inclusive benefit sharing.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

The benefits share of digital infrastructure

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年1月8日

查看全文
  • Yibo Li,
  • Haonan Li

摘要

Digital infrastructure has expanded rapidly in recent years, generating significant positive externalities. It has become a key driver of economic growth and high-quality development. Yet how these benefits are distributed among micro-level agents remains insufficiently understood. Using the “Broadband China” policy as a quasi-natural experiment, we find that digital infrastructure construction significantly enhances firm profitability. In the short term, 13.65% of the gains accrue to shareholders, 7.35% to employees, and 79.00% are reinvested in production. If long-term gains are allocated in the same proportion, 65.01% ultimately accrue to shareholders and 34.99% to employees. Differences in firm size, labor intensity, labor productivity, and industry concentration influence employee bargaining power, leading to variation in benefit distribution. These findings provide insights for strengthening the foundation of the digital economy and promoting more inclusive benefit sharing.