The impact of digital transformation on enterprise export resilience: Evidence from China

External shocks have negatively affected trade activities around the world, how to improve the enterprise's anti-risk ability to external shocks has gained widespread attention. This study explores whether and how the digital transformation affects enterprise export resilience after the 2008 financial crisis. By expanding an export growth model and utilizing a merged dataset from the Chinese customs trade and A-share listed company database, we find that digital transformation significantly enhances export resilience, and this effect is more prominent in private enterprise as well as high-tech enterprise types. The mechanism analysis shows that digital transformation promotes enterprise export resilience through cost reduction and demand diversification channels. In addition, the effect of digital transformation is more evident on enterprises exporting to high-income countries. Furthermore, this paper finds that the smart city pilot policy has strengthened the promoting effect of digital transformation on enterprise export resilience. These findings shed insights into the relationship between the digital transformation and enterprise's export behavior in the post-crisis era.