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Digital Solutions for Sustainable Economic Development
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Digital Solutions for Sustainable Economic Development

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: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 1085

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mariana Petrova

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Guest Editor
Department of Information Technologies, St. Cyril and St. Methodius University of Veliko Tarnovo, Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
Interests: digital solutions in business and management; digital transformation; big data and analytics; business applications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Olena Sushchenko

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Guest Editor
Tourism, Hotel and Restaurant Business Department, Educational and Scientific Institute of Culture and Creative Industries, Kyiv National University of Technologies and Design, Mala Shyianovska Street, 2, Kyiv 01011, Ukraine
Interests: business process management, human resource management, мanagement of it processes, project and services; smart economics and innovation; marketing technologies in tourism; international business

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Digitalization is transforming traditional financial and economic systems, with the digital economy becoming a key enabler of environmental and social sustainability. Beyond mere technological advancement, digital solutions are increasingly integral to addressing global challenges—such as reducing carbon emissions, improving resource efficiency, promoting sustainable consumption, and fostering inclusive economic and social development. As digital transformation progresses across sectors and countries, it is critical to examine its broader sustainability implications. There remains a need for deeper cross-national analysis and the development of robust methodologies to evaluate the role of digital technologies in driving green innovation, social equity, and resilient economies. This Special Issue invites research on a range of vital areas, including the following topics: 

  • Emerging trends in the digital economy;
  • The intersection of digital transformation with environmental and social systems;
  • Sustainable entrepreneurship through digital platforms;
  • Digital tools for risk modeling and management;
  • Sustainable risk management in digital ecosystems.

 Theoretical and empirical articles, large-scale quantitative research based on big data, business reviews, and case studies are all welcome.

Dr. Mariana Petrova
Prof. Dr. Olena Sushchenko
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

  • dynamics of open innovation
  • business models
  • innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainability
  • digital transformation and innovation in the public sector
  • industry innovation ecosystem design and strategic development
  • open innovation and strategic competitiveness
  • big data and analytics. innovation ecosystem for sustainable development
  • entrepreneurship and technology-based firms
  • open innovation in the tourism sector
  • R&D and supply chain
  • innovation and knowledge creation
  • other related topics in the field of business and management, logistics, big data, digital transformation and sustainable enterprise development

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 401 KB  
Article
The Impact of Servitization on Performance in Manufacturing Firms in the Digital Era
by Hongbo Zhao, Yang Zhang, Yuyan Xia and Chunbao Wang
Sustainability 2026, 18(1), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18010036 - 19 Dec 2025
Viewed by 85
Abstract
The phenomenon of digitalization and servitization paradoxes constrains the motivation of manufacturing firms to implement both strategies above. It has been shown that the role of digitalization in the link between servitization and firm performance in manufacturing firms has not yet been unanimously [...] Read more.
The phenomenon of digitalization and servitization paradoxes constrains the motivation of manufacturing firms to implement both strategies above. It has been shown that the role of digitalization in the link between servitization and firm performance in manufacturing firms has not yet been unanimously concluded. In this study, based on the theories of digitalization, dynamic capability, and the knowledge base view, we propose a research model to investigate the relationship between servitization, digital capabilities, and firm performance of manufacturing firms, conducting an empirical study based on questionnaire data from 435 manufacturing firms in China. The empirical results show that the three sub-dimensions of servitization of manufacturing firms have a significant positive impact on both financial and non-financial performance of firms. Meanwhile, digital capabilities act as a mediator between the three sub-dimensions of manufacturing servitization and firm performance (financial and non-financial). These results provide empirical evidence that manufacturing firms must emphasize knowledge-based digital capability development in current servitization and digitalization initiatives. Simultaneously, the study further addresses contradictions in the conclusions of existing studies on the interrelationships between servitization, digitalization, and firm performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Solutions for Sustainable Economic Development)
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22 pages, 674 KB  
Article
An Empirical Study on the Impact of Public Data Openness on High-Quality Regional Economic Development: Data from China’s 31 Provinces
by Jingmei Wang, Shumei Zhang and Weiwei Jia
Sustainability 2025, 17(23), 10806; https://doi.org/10.3390/su172310806 - 2 Dec 2025
Viewed by 512
Abstract
In the era of the ‘Internet of Everything’ and amid growing demands for high-quality economic development, public data has emerged as a new core factor of production, establishing itself as a pivotal force behind regional economic growth. However, existing research rarely clarifies the [...] Read more.
In the era of the ‘Internet of Everything’ and amid growing demands for high-quality economic development, public data has emerged as a new core factor of production, establishing itself as a pivotal force behind regional economic growth. However, existing research rarely clarifies the multi-dimensional impact and influence mechanism of public data openness on regional development, and there are still deficiencies in the research on transforming the advantages of data elements into sustainable economic driving forces. This study, in conjunction with the interpretation of data elements, employed a fixed-effects model to empirically investigate the impact and path of public data opening on the high-quality development of regional economies, using panel data from 31 provincial regions in China from 2017 to 2024. Empirical findings provide clear evidence that public data openness acts as a significant catalyst for high-quality economic development, thereby solidifying its role as an indispensable engine for sustainable growth in the digital era. Analysis of the underlying mechanisms reveals two primary channels: business environment optimization and improved factor allocation efficiency, with the latter proving to be the more significant driver. Furthermore, heterogeneity analysis reveals that the positive effects are most pronounced in fostering economic structural optimization, advancing the low-carbon environment and expanding shared public welfare, while their influence on innovation dynamism remains comparatively modest. The research results support the government in increasing the openness of public data, establishing and improving a data opening mechanism oriented towards the business environment, and deepening the integration and application of data to enhance the efficiency of factor allocation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Digital Solutions for Sustainable Economic Development)
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