A Study on the Configurational Pathways of Rural Revitalization Driven by the Digital Economy: Based on Dynamic QCA Analysis of Inter-Provincial Panel Data

The multidimensional elements of the digital economy are crucial in achieving rural revitalization. This article, drawing on panel data from 31 provinces in China from 2015 to 2020, empirically studies the influencing factors and configurational pathways of rural revitalization driven by the digital economy using dynamic Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA). The study finds that no single element of the digital economy constitutes a necessary condition for driving rural revitalization. However, the significance of digital inclusive finance has been increasingly evident over the years, showing a clear time effect. Configurational analysis reveals two pathways: the “Technology-Organizational Planning” and the “Technology-Industry Linkage” pathways. Over time, the importance of these two pathways generally increased, except for a decline in 2017. Spatially, the eastern regions mainly follow the “Technology-Organizational Planning” pathway, while the central and western regions follow the “Technology-Industry Linkage” pathway, indicating significant regional differences. The study concludes by recommending the continuous advancement of the layout and development of rural digital inclusive finance, the constant optimization of the rural digital governance system, and the enhancement of governance capacity, to foster a deep integration of digital technology elements with rural industries.