Global digital networks

Matthew Zook and Michael Grote

Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 2025, vol. 18, issue 1, 93-110

Abstract: The rapid evolution of digital technologies over the past decades has induced profound economic and social transformations. Economic geography faces the ongoing challenge of assimilating these changes into existing theories that elucidate the dynamics of the global economy. In response, we present the Global Digital Networks (GDN) framework, drawing inspiration from established analytical instruments like Global Production Networks (GPN) and Global Financial Networks (GFN). GDN centres on three key economic materialities—people, things, and places—intertwined with territorially grounded practices of data generation and enhancement. We identify four enhancement types—singularisation, association, centralisation and fractionalisation—driving a cyclical process shaping complex networks across territories. Governance structures, encompassing national regulations, platform systems, and firm governance, play a pivotal role. The GDN cycle, exemplified through diverse territorial scenarios, underscores the intricate interplay of data generation, enhancement and governance structures in delineating global economic networks.

Keywords: global digital networks; data; digital technologies; territories; governance; economic networks (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/cjres/rsae039 (application/pdf)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:oup:cjrecs:v:18:y:2025:i:1:p:93-110.

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://academic.oup.com/journals

Access Statistics for this article

Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society is currently edited by Judith Clifton, Anna Davies, Betsy Donald, Emil Evenhuis, Stefania Fiorentino (Associate Editor), Harry Garretsen, Meric Gertler, Amy Glasmeier, Mia Gray, Robert Hassink, Dieter Kogler, Michael Kitson, Linda Lobao, Charles van Marrewijk, Ron Martin, Peter Sunley, Peter Tyler and Chun Yang

More articles in Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society from Cambridge Political Economy Society Oxford University Press, Great Clarendon Street, Oxford OX2 6DP, UK.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Oxford University Press ().