SUSTAINABLE DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION STRATEGIES FOR INTERNATIONAL TRADE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17449312Keywords:
Sustainable Digital Transformation, International Trade Competitiveness, Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP), Digital Readiness and Governance, Data-Driven Market Forecasting, Smart Logistics and Automation, Asia–Europe Trade Corridors.Abstract
Advanced analytical frameworks have enabled the formulation of multiple digital transformation strategies with
considerable economic, technological, and sustainability benefits. Recent studies on international trade are challenging
traditional conceptions of competitiveness and value creation, and in the process, opening up windows of opportunity
for reconfiguring the mechanisms associated with cross-border digitalization. As little is known about where sustainable
digital transformation is gaining momentum beyond developed economies and high-income markets, the purpose of this
investigation is to map in what dimensions of international trade it is perceived to gain traction. Drawing on data from
regression modeling and Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) evaluation in Asia–Europe trade corridors, we identify a
long tail of institutional and industrial domains in which a total of 47 unique transformation models operate, including
categories such as logistics automation, digital trade finance, and data-driven market forecasting. Our findings reveal a
strong, positive correlation coefficient (r = 0.842) between digital readiness and trade performance. However, firms do not
passively comply. Rather, their adaptive capabilities and sustainability orientations are integrated into the architecture of
strategic innovation. The paper concludes by identifying policy implications, reflecting on the application of multi-criteria
decision-making in the field of sustainable trade governance, and proposing suggestions for scalable implementation.
The empirical insights enrich understandings of the workings of digital transformation in experiences of international
competitiveness and sustainable growth.
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