In September 2023, Xi Jinping introduced the concept of “new qualitative productivity” during the Symposium on the Comprehensive Revitalisation of Northeast China in the New Era. For enterprises, the development of new qualitative productivity represents a critical pathway and essential step towards enhancing the quality of national productivity. As micro-innovation engines of modern industrialisation, science and technology enterprises (STEs) play a central role in this transformation. Among STEs, the listed subsidiaries of central state-owned enterprises (CSOEs) emerge as pivotal players. Investigating their levels of new qualitative productivity development, identifying growth drivers, and assessing trends hold substantial theoretical and practical significance for elucidating the micro-foundations of productivity innovation. This study analyses 93 technology-oriented subsidiaries of 10 CSOEs listed on the A-share market from 2011 to 2022. Drawing upon the triad of productive forces labour power, means of labour, and objects of labour we construct a corporate-level measurement framework for new qualitative productivity. Utilizing the entropy weight method, we systematically evaluate the developmental trajectories and operational efficiency of these enterprises. The findings provide empirical insights into how organisational innovation capabilities align with national strategic priorities for the advancement of qualitative productivity.