Abstract: The development of digital and intelligent technologies has profoundly reshaped the Global Value Chain (GVC) positions of manufacturing industries across countries. This study investigates the role of industrial scale in this process, integrating industrial competitiveness analysis with GVC theory. Building on the GVC location configuration model as the theoretical foundation, the research employs OECD ICIO database data from 39 developing countries across 17 manufacturing sectors. By distinguishing between intermediate and final products, the empirical analysis reveals that digital and intelligent inputs significantly influence developing countries’GVC positions. Industrial scale exerts a moderating effect through two channels: improvement in total factor productivity and reduction in trade costs. Specifically, the scale of intermediate goods production (production-side) amplifies the positive impact of digital and intelligent inputs on intermediate product GVC positions, while the scale of final goods consumption (consumption-side) weakens the negative effect of digital and intelligent inputs on final product GVC positions. This study provides theoretical insights for developing countries to enhance their GVC positions amid digital innovation-driven growth paradigms.

Key words: GVC position, manufacturing digital intelligence, scale of intermediate goods production; scale of final goods consumption