Application of Accounting Software and Enterprise Productivity——Evidence from Unlisted Companies

The existing research on the economic consequences of accounting informatization mainly focuses on enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, but in reality, most companies are still using relatively simple accounting software. This paper empirically analyzes the application of accounting software in unlisted companies and its impact on enterprise productivity for the first time with a large sample of tax return information. We found that 75% of unlisted companies use accounting software of varied functions, but only 6% of them use ERP systems. With other factors unchanged, it is found that the productivity of enterprises using accounting software is significantly higher than that of enterprises not using accounting software, and the performance of accounting software is significantly positively correlated with productivity. This correlation is reinforced by the ability of enterprises to utilize accounting information and their growth opportunities. This paper adopts methods such as the Granger causality test and instrumental variable regression to alleviate endogeneity problems. This paper will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the economic consequences of accounting information systems and provide an important decision-making reference for promoting high-quality economic development.