HOW DOES STANDARDIZATION AFFECT THE QUALITY OF CORPORATE INNOVATION?

School of Economics & Management, Shanghai Polytechnic University, China
China

School of Economics & Management, Shanghai Polytechnic University, China
China


Abstract

Using the National Comprehensive Standardization Reform Pilot Program as a quasi-experimental framework, this study employs a multi-period difference-in-differences model based on data from Chinese A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2024 to examine the impact of standardization efforts on the quality of corporate innovation and its underlying mechanisms.The study finds that standardization significantly improves the quality of corporate innovation, a conclusion that holds up after a series of tests. Mechanism tests indicate that standardization promotes improvements in the quality of corporate innovation through two pathways: enhancing resource allocation efficiency and increasing managers’ attention to innovation. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that this effect is more pronounced in regions with higher marketization levels, technology-intensive industries, and private enterprises. This paper offers a new perspective on understanding the micro-institutional spillover effects of standardization.

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