Speaker
Description
Background: Digital technology significantly affects various aspects of the economy, such as economic growth, innovation, overall quality of life, and sustainable development. Given the gaps in EU administrative and governance policies, the importance of digitising governance is becoming evident in promoting economic prosperity.
Brief Literature Review: Research in the digital economy has progressed, but most studies are limited to theoretical surveys, with few empirical aspects explored. The selection process for the digital economy index system is devoid of depth and encompasses a limited scope. Moreover, the construction of the evaluation index system has not adequately addressed selection criteria, diverse expert consultation, and horizontal comparison.
Objective: Our research aims to analyse the role of digital governance in promoting sustainable development within the European Union Member States in the period 2017–2022, focusing on SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure). The study investigates how the digitalisation of the public sector, through adopting digital technologies and transforming administrative processes, contributes to improving economic performance, stimulating innovation, and developing sustainable infrastructure.
Methodology: The empirical analysis uses a robust methodological tool based on an innovative estimation: the fixed-effects method of moments quantile regression (MMQR). Including GDP and R&D expenditure as control variables will allow us to better understand the impact of digital governance implementation on sustainable development.
Results: The study's results confirm the hypotheses, highlighting digital governance's positive and consistent effect on sustainable development across Member States' economic performance levels. GDP and investment in R&D also have a significant positive impact, which underlines that economic strength and innovation capacity are essential pillars for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (in particular SDG 8 and SDG 9). Strengthening the study by integrating it with the general equilibrium model provides a systemic perspective on the effects of digital governance on sustainable development.
Conclusion: Key findings of the study:
• Digital governance is a strategic lever for sustainable development. It integrates public policies, optimises resource allocation, and supports real-time decisions, contributing to a more equitable and resilient society.
• GDP and R&D significantly impact sustainable development, highlighting the importance of strengthening economic capacity and innovation to achieve SDG 8 through green technology, renewable energy or efficient infrastructure.
• To advance towards SDG 9, Member States must align digital transformation strategies with innovative policies and investments in digital infrastructure, crucial for developing sustainable industries and deploying advanced technological solutions.
