Exploring the progress of global digital economy research: a bibliometric study via R-tool

Jun Yang () and Fenglong Tan ()
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Jun Yang: Hunan University
Fenglong Tan: Hunan University

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2025, vol. 27, issue 3, No 1, 5447-5477

Abstract: Abstract Following the agricultural and industrial revolutions, the digital economy has become a significant global player. Despite its importance, the digital economy remains a relatively nascent field of research, with few studies offering a comprehensive overview and systematic quantitative analysis of the subject. Utilizing the R-tool bibliometric analysis tool, this paper presents a holistic depiction and a cross-sectional deconstruction coupled with an in-depth longitudinal analysis of global digital economy research. This approach supplements existing quantitative analyses of the digital economy's impact and qualitative research on specific aspects of the digital economy. The study reveals that the USA, China, and the UK are at the forefront of digital economy research. Innovation remains the enduring theme and core of the digital economy. The future direction of digital economy research is toward innovation, system building, and balancing economic and social impacts. Consequently, future research in the digital economy field could focus on analyzing the latest findings from the USA, UK, China, and other nations, as well as on establishing causal evidence. Moreover, digital economy research should also examine the complex interplay between the digital economy and innovation, while also scrutinizing the broader economic and social ramifications.

Keywords: Digital economy; Research progress; R-tool; Bibliometric analysis; Emerging trends (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-023-04111-1

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