Shifting digital priorities for the SDGs: A global analysis on economic and geographic scales
Telecommunications Policy, cilt.49, sa.9, 2025 (SCI-Expanded, SSCI, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
- Cilt numarası: 49 Sayı: 9
- Basım Tarihi: 2025
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.telpol.2025.103032
- Dergi Adı: Telecommunications Policy
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, International Bibliography of Social Sciences, ABI/INFORM, Business Source Elite, Business Source Premier, Communication & Mass Media Index, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, EconLit, Film & Television Literature Index, INSPEC, Library and Information Science Abstracts, Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA), PAIS International
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Digital transformation, Economic, Geographic, Global analysis, Sustainable development goals
- Süleyman Demirel Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Digital transformation is recognized as a critical enabler of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), influencing approximately 70 % of their targets. While the literature often focuses on the effects of digitalization, it tends to overlook the core content and strategic focus of regional and national digitalization policies. As a result, the specific domains through which countries are advancing digital transformation—and the areas they aim to digitalize—remain unclear. This neglect obscures a concrete understanding of what is actually being digitalized and for which purposes, leaving a critical and underexplored area of research with significant implications for policy design and implementation. This study presents a comprehensive, multi-scale content analysis of 188 countries' Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), assessing how digitalization policies are articulated and operationalized across global, regional, and income-based classifications. The results indicate that high-income countries tend to embed digital tools within a wide range of societal sectors—including health, justice, culture, and education—reflecting an integrative vision of digitalization that goes beyond infrastructure. Conversely, LMICs largely emphasize foundational digital infrastructure, potentially reinforcing structural inequalities and exacerbating the digital divide. Geographically, the results highlight that localized digital strategies, informed by regional dynamics, cultural contexts, and developmental priorities, offer more nuanced insights than economic groupings alone. The study underscores the importance of inclusive digital governance frameworks that prioritize equity, social justice, and context-sensitive innovation while it contributes to interdisciplinary debates on the socio-technical dimensions of digital transformation and its role in fostering sustainable and inclusive development.