Search Results (9)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Generative AI are transformative yet double-edged technologies with evolving risks. While research emphasises trustworthy, fair, and responsible AI by focusing on its “what” and “why,” it overlooks practical “how.” To bridge this gap in financial services, an industry at the forefront of AI adoption, this study employs a qualitative approach grounded in existing Responsible AI and Corporate Digital Responsibility (CDR) frameworks. Through thematic analysis of 15 semi-structured interviews conducted with professionals working in finance, we illuminate nine non-technical barriers that practitioners face, such as sustainability challenges, trade-off balancing, stakeholder management, and human interaction, noting that GenAI concerns now eclipse general AI issues. CDR practitioners adopt a more human-centric stance, emphasising consensus-building and “no margin for error.” Our findings offer actionable guidance for more responsible AI strategies and enrich academic debates on Responsible AI and AI-CDR symbiosis. Full article

An international rules system on digital trade that can satisfy multilateral interest appeal has not been formed yet despite the rapid growth of digital services trade. Using the panel data of 39 countries from 2010 to 2019, this study applied the stochastic frontier gravity model to analyze the influence of five types of barriers to digital services trade on the export efficiency of digital services. The research results show that infrastructure and connectivity barriers had no significant effect on the export efficiency of digital services. The barriers to electronic transactions and other barriers that affected the trade of digital services were conducive to improving the export efficiency of digital services. In contrast, the barriers to payment systems and intellectual property rights had a restraining effect on the export efficiency of digital services. The results also show that most countries were more efficient when exporting digital services to their major trade partner countries, which indicates a demand-driven characteristic. Based on these conclusions, we propose five recommendations that are helpful to enhance the export efficiency of digital services. Full article

In this digital era, digital service trade has brought significant benefits to the global economy. However, this trade also poses considerable challenges to international trade regulations. This study aims to analyze the impact of cross-border digital service trade on the economic growth of importing countries while determining how digital trade barriers moderate this effect. We established a theoretical model that meticulously delineates various restrictive regulatory measures that can hinder digital service inputs. We further developed a comprehensive and detailed trade barrier index based on these measures. A three-dimensional fixed effects panel regression model was used to analyze data from six types of digital services in 48 economies from 2005 to 2021. The findings indicated that cross-border digital service inputs enhance importing countries’ economic growth, highlighting the substantial economic value of these inputs. However, trade barriers in digital services were also found to diminish this positive effect. Specifically, an increase in the digital service trade barriers in importing countries constricts the range and quality of selectable digital services, which might adversely impact national economic growth. The inhibitory effect is stronger for countries with a “Limited Model” for personal data transfers and processing. Full article

Fast-paced digitization is affecting all aspects of life, including the way we trade. This study empirically analyzes the influence and mechanism of digital service trade on labor income share using 48 countries’ panel data from 2005 to 2019. The research results show that digital service trade has a positive effect on labor income share. Specifically, the impact of digital service trade on labor income share includes productivity effect, structural effect, and distribution effect. The results also show that the export of digital service trade is more conducive to increasing domestic labor income share than the import. The positive impact of digital service trade on labor income share in OECD countries is more significant than in non-OECD countries. At the same time, the digital service trade’s income distribution effect has heterogeneity due to differentiated national digital service trade barriers’ level. This paper discusses theoretically and empirically the impact of digital service trade on the share of labor income for the first time, and puts forward policy suggestions on formulating more open and win-win digital service trade policies, improving labor income, and promoting social equity and inclusive global trade. Full article

Latin American SMEs currently have serious financial and technological limitations. These problems have generated poor progress in technological digitization, innovation management, and corporate performance. The purpose of this research is to first analyze the direct effect that digitalization has on the management of innovation and corporate performance of Mexican SMEs. Secondly, the moderating effect that technological barriers have on the digitization, innovation, and results of the corporate performances of Mexican SMEs is examined. This study compiles information from a sample of 4121 managers of SMEs in the service trade and manufacturing sector. The information collection technique was through a personal interview (online questionnaire) addressed to the owner and/or manager of the SMEs through the LimeSurvey Professional platform. The fieldwork was carried out during the months of January to July of the year 2022. The structural equations model (SEM) was used for data analysis, specifically with the statistical technique of analysis of variance through the partial least square (PLS). The findings revealed that digitization has positive and significant effects on innovation management and corporate performance. In addition, the results indicate that the barriers to digitalization as a moderating variable have been impeding development and digital transformation and reducing the results of innovation and corporate performance of Mexican SMEs. This study contributes to the development of dynamic capabilities theory. Full article

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) make an important contribution to their country’s economy, job creation and balance of trade. The government has supported their development through service providers and has encouraged them to participate in the international market. Despite its importance and the encouragement from the government, participation in the international market is low and studies have shown that SMEs struggle to overcome barriers to internationalization. Digital technologies are tools to accelerate internationalization. This study aimed to explore the collaboration between SMEs and service providers enabled by digital interactive platforms (DIP) to accelerate internationalization. Interviews were conducted with seven participants involving two SME food and beverage (F&B) manufacturing company owners, three government agencies and two experts to gain a deeper understanding of the collaborative process through DIP to accelerate internationalization. A thematic analysis of the triadic qualitative study was utilized to understand the themes that emerged from different data sources, including in-depth interviews, observation and documentation review. Our findings show that the co-creation process was more effective through DIP and that it helps service providers create more value towards the internationalization of SMEs. In addition, the triadic approach proved that there was a more prevalent use-value among actors when using digital technology as a platform, as it helped them to expedite internationalization. The service experience by SMEs is also more impactful to a firm’s performance and enables them to follow strategic sustainability practices. We also found that the symbiotic relationship between SMEs and service providers has an important role to play in generating value for both parties. Full article

In the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the establishment of a TBT system that utilizes the knowledge-based view as a means of overcoming the problems of scarcity of human resources and lack of technological capabilities faced by export companies that produce and supply products and services is being emphasized. The WTO TBT Agreement, which is based on the multilateral agreement of the GATT 7th Tokyo Round, consists of 15 articles and 3 annexes to ensure that technical regulations, standards, and conformity assessment systems do not act as technical barriers to trade. The transition to the digital economy (EDT) has been accelerating, and currently the EDT presents both a challenge and an opportunity. The US, which is at the center of the international standards competition, has accelerated standards competition by invoking supply chain executive order decoupling, and as China looks to implement the policy set out in the China Standards 2035 Plan, the relationship between the US and China is worsening in relation to the preoccupation with standards. Dreaming of a Chinese version of this US strategy, China, which is connected from 12.5 to 14.5 units, is accelerating its standardization strategy through the Made in China 2035 program. The “double cycle development strategy” and “technological innovation” are key mid- to long-term policy directions. Korea should develop a Korean-style conformity assessment development model based on the TBT system, which is a major element of non-tariff barriers, under the WTO/FTA system that promotes the flow of the KBV along with the establishment of a digital transformation system. Full article

Due to economic globalization and the progress of digital technology, digital service trade develops rapidly, but it also faces challenges such as digital trade policy barriers, and gradually attracts the attention of all countries in the world. Based on panel data of 40 countries or regions from 2014 to 2020, this study empirically analyzed the moderating effects of digital technology and policy restrictions on digital service trade and the moderating effects of policy restrictions on the relationship between digital service trade and the other two by using a double fixed effect model. The results show that: first, the improvement of digital technology level enhances the scale of digital service trade import and export significantly; Secondly, the higher the degree of policy restriction is, the more significant the development of digital service trade will be inhibited, and according to the heterogeneity of import and export scale, the more significant the restriction is only on export. Third, restriction policy has a significant positive moderating effect on the positive relationship between digital technology and digital service trade, and only supports emerging economies according to the heterogeneity of countries. Therefore, China should strengthen its own digital technology construction, reduce the difference between China and its trading partners in digital service trade restriction policies, and actively participate in the construction of a digital service trade governance system under a multilateral cooperation mechanism, so as to promote the vigorous development of digital service trade. Full article

Improvements in logistics performance are considered to be a significant driver of economic growth. Digitalization in logistics, which includes enhanced tracking systems, digitized flows of information, artificial intelligence and automation, has further enabled globalized trade. However, Sub-Saharan African (SSA) economies, majorly export-commodity-dependent, still lag behind, grappling with inadequate policy frameworks, huge infrastructure deficits and trade barriers which result in a broken supply chain that negatively impacts growth. This study aims to investigate existing challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa, the potentials for the region to leapfrog traditional supply chain practices and adopt digital technologies, by evaluating previous findings in a systematic manner and augmenting these findings through semi-structured interviews. Systematic literature analysis conducted on published academic literature within a specific period and based on predefined criteria resulted in 287 articles being used for the final analysis. The most common logistics challenges and potential solutions have been identified. Semi-structured interviews with logistics service providers in the region have been conducted to establish the findings highlighted in the systematic literature review. The interviews showed that human capital training is a major factor when adopting digital technologies, and a focus on infrastructure investments, regulatory and institutional framework improvements will boost economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. Full article