2026, 39(3): 69-86

“困”则思“变”：最低工资标准与企业数字化转型

“Dilemma” Inspires “Change”: Minimum Wage Standard and Enterprises′ Digital Transformation

DOI：10.3969/j.issn.1672-0334.2026.03.005

中国分类号：F276.6

作者：

林亚清 厦门大学 公共政策研究院，福建 厦门 361005

林晨彬 厦门大学 公共事务学院，福建 厦门 361005

魏志华 厦门大学 经济学院，福建 厦门 361005

基金项目：国家自然科学基金 (72442004， 72472131， 71972163)；福建省社会科学基金 (FJ2024B017)；福建省自然科学基金(2024J01029)；厦门大学中国式现代化专项 (207202310513)

中文摘要：

近年来数字经济与实体经济不断融合，实体企业的数字化转型问题备受瞩目。基于中国实施最低工资标准的现实背景，深入探讨劳动力成本对企业数字化转型的影响，可以为深刻理解数字经济时代下企业数字化转型的驱动因素提供新的视角。以中国上市企业为样本，实证检验最低工资标准对企业数字化转型的影响及其作用机制。研究发现，较高的最低工资标准倒逼企业数字化转型，在控制其他影响因素后，最低工资标准每上调10%，企业数字化转型程度提高7.681%。进一步研究表明，最低工资标准对企业数字化转型的促进作用在非国有企业、管理层短视水平较低企业和劳动密集型企业中更为显著。从分项指标看，最低工资标准提升了企业在人工智能技术、区块链技术、云计算技术和数字技术应用4个方面的数字化转型水平。此外，企业应对最低工资标准不断上调而进行数字化转型的决策属于长期战略而非短期策略，有助于企业降本增效、提升企业价值，从而有效应对劳动力成本持续攀升的压力。研究结果表明，面对较高的最低工资标准所带来的经营之“困”，企业可以通过数字化转型求“变”予以有效应对。研究结论在理论上丰富了最低工资标准实施的经济后果和企业数字化转型驱动因素的研究，在实践上则对理解中国最低工资制度的政策效应和企业数字化转型战略具有重要参考意义。

关键词：最低工资标准；数字化转型；劳动力成本；创新；人力资本水平

英文摘要：

In recent years, the continuous integration of the digital economy and the real economy has made the digital transformation of real enterprises a topic of great concern. Based on the background of the implementation of the minimum wage standard in China, this paper deeply explores the impact of labor costs on enterprises′ digital transformation, providing a new perspective for understanding the driving factors of enterprises′ digital transformation in the digital economy era. Using Chinese listed companies as a sample, this paper empirically examines the impact of the minimum wage standard on enterprises′ digital transformation and its underlying mechanisms. The study finds that a higher minimum wage standard forces enterprises′ digital transformation: After controlling for other influencing factors, a 10% increase in the minimum wage standard leads to a 7.681% increase in the degree of enterprises′ digital transformation. Mechanism analysis shows that a higher minimum wage standard triggers cost pressure effects (increasing labor costs), innovation effects (increasing R&D investment), and human capital investment effects (improving the level of human capital), thereby promoting digital transformation, while the factor substitution effect (increasing capital expenditure to replace labor) is not supported. Further analysis reveals that the promoting effect of the minimum wage standard on digital transformation is more pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises, firms with lower managerial myopia, and labor intensive enterprises. At the sub-indicator level, the minimum wage standards enhance enterprises′ digital transformation in four areas: Artificial intelligence technology, blockchain technology, cloud computing technology, and the application of digital technologies. Moreover, firms′ decisions to pursue digital transformation in response to the continuous upward adjustment of minimum wage standards represent a long-term strategy rather than a short-term tactic. Such a strategy helps firms reduce costs, improve efficiency, and increase firm value, thereby effectively coping with the sustained upward pressure on labor costs. The findings indicate that faced with the operational “dilemma” brought about by a higher minimum wage standard, enterprises can effectively respond by seeking “change” through digital transformation. The conclusions theoretically enrich research on the economic consequences of implementing the minimum wage standard and the drivers of enterprises′ digital transformation, and practically provide important implications for understanding the policy effects of China′s minimum wage system and enterprises′ digital transformation strategies.

Key words: minimum wage standard|digital transformation|labor costs|innovation|human capital level