Publication Type
Journal Article
Version
acceptedVersion
Publication Date
11-2020
Abstract
By Asian digital economy, we refer to high-tech developments, business and social transformations, and information-driven changes in the region's growth. We discuss its background and foundations, significance in Asia and contribution to removal of historical barriers in traditional business. We assess how new value chains are transforming country-level involvement in worldwide manufacturing and note "smiling curve theory" predictions about the global value chain in Asia for high-tech firms and their economies. The takeaway is that the digital economy in Asian nations involves revamping business processes through technology innovation, government policies for growth, and digital entrepreneurship. We analyze the "digital economy and society index", and attributes of nations, societies and economies, as a basis for framing our ideas. We consider research directions prompted by data analytics and AI, the platform economy, digital trade, fintech innovation, and societal and economic sustainability. We further highlight new issues in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Keywords
Asian digital economy, COVID-19 pandemic, Digitalization, Digital trade, Digital transformation, Economic growth, Emerging technologies, Firm-level technological sophistication, Global value chains, Industrial infrastructure, Information and communication technologies (ICTs), Information technology (IT), Informatization, IT innovation, Smiling curve, Technological change, Technology impacts, Transaction costs, Value chain participation
Discipline
Asian Studies | Databases and Information Systems | E-Commerce
Research Areas
Information Systems and Management
Publication
Electronic Commerce Research and Applications
Volume
44
First Page
1
Last Page
16
ISSN
1567-4223
Identifier
10.1016/j.elerap.2020.101004
Publisher
Elsevier
Embargo Period
6-10-2021
Citation
LI, Kai; KIM, Dan J.; LANG, Karl R.; KAUFFMAN, Robert J.; and NALDI, Maurizio.
How should we understand the digital economy in Asia? Critical assessment and research agenda. (2020). Electronic Commerce Research and Applications. 44, 1-16.
Available at: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/sis_research/5994
Copyright Owner and License
Authors
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Additional URL
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elerap.2020.101004