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Digital Transformation and Economic Development: Strategies for Sustainable Industrial Competitiveness

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: 5 October 2025 | Viewed by 4046

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
1. Department of Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Administrative Sciences, Cyprus International University, Nicosia, Cyprus
2. Department of Business, Holy Spirit University of Kaslik, Jounieh, Lebanon
Interests: corporate finance; corporate governance; international finance; Islamic finance; financial economics, technology; energy; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainability is excited to announce a call for submissions for a Special Issue centered on "Digital Transformation and Economic Development: Strategies for Sustainable Industrial Competitiveness". This call aims to offer a space for researchers, scholars, and practitioners to share valuable insights, research discoveries, and creative solutions that tackle the urgent need for sustainable strategies thus propelling industries to achieve competitiveness in the digital age.

This Special Issue is focused on examining the link between digital transformation and economic development, particularly in the context of promoting sustainable industrial competitiveness practices. Therefore, we welcome submissions that thoroughly examine digital transformation, how it is used, and the progress that supports economic growth within industries.

Topics of interest for this Special Issue include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Digital transformation and economic growth;
  2. Digital transformation and sustainable practices for industries;
  3. Artificial intelligence, neural network, and industrial competitiveness;
  4. Digital transformation, digital economy, and sustainability;
  5. Digital transformation, businesses, supply chain, marketing, and economic growth;
  6. Digital transformation, financial institutions, sustainable strategic plans, and industrial competitiveness.

I look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Seyed Alireza Athari
Guest Editor

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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 transformation
  • artificial intelligence
  • economic development
  • industries
  • sustainability
  • competitiveness

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 607 KiB  
Article
Artificial Intelligence and Green Innovation in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises and Competitive-Advantage Drive Toward Achieving Sustainable Development Goals
by Panteha Farmanesh, Niloofar Solati Dehkordi, Asim Vehbi and Kavita Chavali
Sustainability 2025, 17(5), 2162; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17052162 - 3 Mar 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2501
Abstract
A significant portion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are usually allocated to the construction sector, which plays a vital role in many economies. SMEs currently face serious concerns regarding the pursuit of sustainability. Limited financial resources (FRs) frequently prevent SMEs from implementing [...] Read more.
A significant portion of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are usually allocated to the construction sector, which plays a vital role in many economies. SMEs currently face serious concerns regarding the pursuit of sustainability. Limited financial resources (FRs) frequently prevent SMEs from implementing sustainable practices. Therefore, these enterprises should mitigate expenses to invest in environmentally friendly initiatives. Enhancing resources and developing ways to accelerate Turkish SMEs’ shift toward sustainability is vital. Moreover, adopting artificial intelligence (AI) and green innovation strategies (GISs) can boost sustainable competitive advantage (SCA) and lead them to success. This study utilized the natural resource-based view theory (NRBV), developed to compensate for the RBV’s shortcomings by incorporating the natural environment into the RBV’s framework. This study uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine the causal effect between the study variables based on the responses received from 228 executives within SMEs in Turkey’s construction sector. The findings of this study reveal that FRs significantly impact the SCA among SMEs, while GIS serves as a mediator in the relationship. Additionally, the moderating impact of AI adoption promotes sustainability development in this industry. This study is significant because it contributes to the body of knowledge regarding the relationship between the study’s constructs that align with Sustainable Development Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), presented by the United Nations in 2015. This goal promotes robust infrastructure, encourages sustainable and inclusive industrialization, and stimulates innovation in the SME construction industry. Although these variables have been studied individually in previous studies, this study integrates them into a thorough framework that emphasizes the function of GIS as a mediator in the relationship between FRs and SCA, and the interaction effect of AI adoption. This study offers useful information to managers, stakeholders, politicians, and SME leaders, enabling them to make well-informed decisions about sustainable practices. Full article
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27 pages, 4367 KiB  
Article
The Mechanism and Effects of the Digital Economy on Urban Resilience: An Empirical Test Based on 110 Cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt
by Yuqing Zhang, Zhimo Sun and Xiaolong Chen
Sustainability 2025, 17(1), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17010030 - 25 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1015
Abstract
Cities encounter increasing risks and challenges under new development patterns, and digital economy (DE) can drive cities’ improved resilience to natural and social uncertainties. Based on data collected on the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2011 to 2021, the development situation of the [...] Read more.
Cities encounter increasing risks and challenges under new development patterns, and digital economy (DE) can drive cities’ improved resilience to natural and social uncertainties. Based on data collected on the Yangtze River Economic Belt from 2011 to 2021, the development situation of the regional DE and urban resilience (UR) was measured, and the impact mechanisms of the DE on UR were analysed theoretically and empirically using a benchmark regression model. The findings are as follows: The benchmark test revealed that the DE development contributed significantly to UR in the region. The mediating effect test revealed that the DE improved UR through two pathways: industrial structure upgradation and energy restructuring. The moderating effect test suggested that environmental pollutant emissions had a negative moderating effect between the impact mechanisms of the DE, industrial structure, and energy structure and between the effects of industrial structure, energy structure, and UR, whereas CO2 emissions had a positive moderating effect between the impact mechanisms of DE and industrial structure. Heterogeneity analysis indicated that the DE contributed positively to the UR except in the upstream region, where the coefficient of the DE was insignificant. Overall, this study highlights the crucial role of the DE in improving UR and elucidates the theoretical impact mechanisms of environmental pollution control and carbon reduction measures on UR. Full article
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