Digital Economy and Green Innovation: Driving Sustainable Consumer Practices
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2026 | Viewed by 2097
Special Issue Editors
Interests: sustainable practices; consumer behavior; educational management
Interests: pricing strategies; corporate social responsibility; marketing ethics; green marketing; price fairness; consumer behavior
Interests: loyalty strategies; consumer behavior; services marketing; AI-based tools’ impacts on marketing; qualitative marketing research
Interests: databases; big data; e-learning; decision support
Interests: competitiveness management and quality assurance; sustainable development; tourism destination management; risk and crisis management
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Currently, we all assist in the rapid evolution of the global digital economy, an evolution that can be assessed in terms of how we innovate, produce, and consume products and services. Along with technical and systemic changes, this evolution is directly linked to the broad concept of sustainability, especially from the point of view of green innovation practices and outcomes.
Our Special Issue seeks to explore how cutting-edge digital tools—such as AI, blockchain, IoT, and advanced data analytics—are empowering consumers to adopt more sustainable habits. Along with sustainable consumer practices, we may take into consideration conscious purchasing decisions, waste reduction, the adoption of energy-efficient practices (using energy-efficient appliances, reducing electricity consumption, and supporting products with certifications like Energy Star), product lifespan-extension-oriented consumption, ethical consumption, local and seasonal buying, reduced overconsumption, consumers engagement in a circular economy, digital and sharing economy participation, etc.
Within this Special Issue, we will cover both theoretical and applied research, exploring topics such as the use of digital solutions to reduce environmental footprints and optimize supply chains, the emergence of innovative business models that promote green consumption, etc., highlighting contributions from various fields like economics, environmental science, technology, and social sciences.
Our purpose is to clarify the ways in which digital economy coupled with green innovation can reshape consumer behavior and lead to sustainable patterns of consumption. At the same time, we want to explore how socio-economic, cultural, and technological factors contribute to or inhibit sustainable consumption. Through its content and its diversified range of topics related to all of the above, this Special Issue also aims to provide both theoretical insights and practical recommendations for businesses, policymakers, and consumers.
Not in the least, this Special Issue will contribute to the discourse around sustainability by offering a detailed examination of how digital and green innovations can address major challenges in sustainable development. Of particular interest could be the role of digital technologies in reducing resource consumption, enhancing supply chain traceability, and ultimately leading to reduced carbon footprints.
In line with the aims of Sustainability, this Special Issue focuses on addressing pressing sustainability challenges through integrated socio-economic and scientific approaches. By providing empirical evidence, conceptual models, and practical tools, we hope to inspire new strategies to measure, monitor, and enhance sustainability practices globally. We encourage submissions that offer innovative perspectives, rigorous methodologies, and a strategic outlook on how digital advancements can foster a more sustainable and resilient future.
We look forward to receiving contributions that reflect the diverse ways in which the digital economy and green innovation intersect, and the profound opportunities they present for advancing sustainable consumer practices worldwide.
Dr. Gârdan Iuliana Petronela
Prof. Dr. Diana Maria Vrânceanu
Dr. Daniel Adrian Gardan
Dr. Mihai Andronie
Prof. Dr. Mariya Stankova
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- digital economy
- green innovation
- sustainable consumption
- environmental footprint reduction
- digital transformation
- green technologies
- consumer behavior
- sustainable business models
- socio-economic sustainability
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