How Industrial Robot Applications Resolve "Involutionary" Competition: From a Perspective of the Manufacturing Industry's Capacity Governance

WANG Xiaodan; KE Yangjian

Volume 41 Issue 2

Mar. 2026

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WANG Xiaodan, KE Yangjian. How Industrial Robot Applications Resolve 'Involutionary' Competition: From a Perspective of the Manufacturing Industry's Capacity Governance[J]. Journal of Guangdong University of Finance & Economics, 2026, 41(2): 4-15.

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WANG Xiaodan, KE Yangjian. How Industrial Robot Applications Resolve "Involutionary" Competition: From a Perspective of the Manufacturing Industry's Capacity Governance[J]. Journal of Guangdong University of Finance & Economics, 2026, 41(2): 4-15.

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How Industrial Robot Applications Resolve "Involutionary" Competition: From a Perspective of the Manufacturing Industry's Capacity Governance

School of Economics, Guangdong University of Finance & Economics, Guangzhou 510320, China

Received Date: 2025-11-24
Available Online: 2026-05-15
Publish Date: 2026-03-28

Abstract

Abstract

Governing overcapacity is one of the key tasks of China's manufacturing industry's "anti-involution". This article uses China's A-share manufacturing listed companies from 2007 to 2023 as samples to examine the impact of industrial robot applications on overcapacity and their mechanism of action. It is found that the application of industrial robots has significantly improved enterprise production capacity utilization, thus overcapacity has been alleviated effectively. This is achieved by enhancing flexible production and optimizing factor allocation. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the capacity governance effect of robot application is more significant in downstream industries, enterprises in the growth period, and non-strategic emerging industries. Further analysis reveals that the application of industrial robots exhibits a "double threshold" characteristic regarding overcapacity: when applied at a medium-low level, the robot application has a significant governance effect, but excessive application exacerbates supply surplus. Additionally, robot applications in upstream industries will be transmitted through the supply chain, intensifying the overcapacity in downstream enterprises. This paper provides a micro evidence for understanding how technology can break down "involutionary" competition, and also offers some policy insights for categorized capacity governance and prevention of "vertical involution" in supply chains.
- overcapacity,
- industrial robot,
- "involutionary" competition,
- strategic emerging industries

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References(42)

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