ScholarWorks@숙명여자대학교

초록

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly accelerated the global shift toward a digital economy, underscoring the critical importance of digital transformation in corporate strategy. This study investigates the relationship between digital activity and financial performance, focusing on the contrasting impacts in the IT and retail industries before and after the pandemic. Using data from 402 firms listed on the KOSPI and KOSDAQ between 2016 and 2023, digital activities were quantified through the frequency of digital-related keywords in annual reports, while financial performance was assessed using Tobin's Q. The results reveal three key insights: first, digital-oriented strategies positively influence financial performance; second, the strength of this positive relationship weakened in the post-COVID-19 period; and third, the IT industry exhibits a stronger correlation between digital activity and financial performance compared to the retail industry. These findings highlight the strategic value of digital transformation in driving financial success, the necessity of industry-specific approaches, and the ongoing importance of innovation to maintain competitive advantages in a rapidly evolving business landscape.

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