Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Sustainable Development, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
This study investigates whether digital transformation acts as a catalyst or a constraint in shaping progress toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the Next-11 economies over the period 2000–2023. By examining both aggregate SDG performance and goal-specific outcomes, the analysis provides a comprehensive assessment of how digitalization influences economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. The empirical results show that digital transformation significantly enhances progress in SDGs related to poverty reduction, health, education, clean energy, and resilient infrastructure, indicating its role as a catalyst in these domains. However, adverse effects are detected for several environmental goals, while limited or statistically insignificant impacts emerge for social equality and global partnership objectives, suggesting that digitalization may also function as a constraint under certain conditions. These findings underscore the asymmetric and multidimensional nature of digital transformation, indicating that technology alone cannot guarantee balanced progress across all SDGs. Policymakers should therefore design targeted and context-specific digital strategies that mitigate environmental trade-offs and strengthen inclusiveness, ensuring that digitalization contributes to a more equitable and sustainable development trajectory.