The role of digital economy in China's sustainable development in a post-pandemic environment
Journal of Enterprise Information Management
ISSN: 1741-0398
Article publication date: 30 July 2021
Issue publication date: 18 February 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The COVID-19 pandemic is still raging, which calls for an exploration of how to prevent and control pandemics to promote sustainable development. The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of the digital economy in sustainable development, the relationship between the two, the impacts of the outbreak on economic and social development, and changes in China's digital economy.
Design/methodology/approach
The study used the time-series data from 2002 to 2019 and an unconstrained VAR model to examine the relationship between the digital economy and sustainable development before the pandemic.
Findings
China's digital economy has promoted the country's sustainable economic and social development; it has advanced rapid economic growth, improved people's living standards, increased efficient utilization of resources, and strengthened environmental protection.
Research limitations/implications
Amid the pandemic, China's digital economy developed effectively; it showed strong resilience because of its unique advantages. The digital economy in China has helped the country to control the pandemic in a short period, reduced the risk of supply chain disruption, promoted China's economic growth, and ensured the orderly operation of society. Therefore, countries worldwide are encouraged to prioritize their digital economies.
Originality/value
Compared with the extant literature, this study explores the sustainable supply chain in a broader sense in the context of a pandemic, and how the supply chain is influenced by the digital economy. It not only includes the stability, resilience, and viability of the supply chain in economic development but also involves aspects of people's life, resource utilization, and environmental protection.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the National Social Science Foundation of China (20ZDA084), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 71934001, 71471001, 41771568, and 71533004), the National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2016YFA0602500), and the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDA23070400).
Citation
Song, M., Zheng, C. and Wang, J. (2022), "The role of digital economy in China's sustainable development in a post-pandemic environment", Journal of Enterprise Information Management, Vol. 35 No. 1, pp. 58-77. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEIM-03-2021-0153
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited