Purpose: Our study investigates the combined effects of financial technologies (fintech) and the digital economy on sustainable development, considering geopolitical risks as a moderating factor. Origin: While sustainable development is a global imperative, the integrated roles of digital transformation and fintech remain insufficiently explored. Our research addresses this gap by analyzing their impacts on socioeconomic advancement and environmental sustainability across diverse contexts. Methodology: Employing panel data from 30 developed and developing countries between 1990 and 2023, we assess sustainable development using the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and the Human Development Index (HDI). Independent variables include proxies for the digital economy (e.g., internet usage, mobile subscriptions, and high-tech exports) and fintech (e.g., digital payments, digital currency, and peer-to-peer lending). The Geopolitical Risk Index (GPRI) is used to evaluate the effect of political instability. We apply generalized least squares (GLS) and fixed-effects estimation (within) to ensure robustness. Findings: Our results indicate that digital transformation and fintech significantly foster socioeconomic development and environmental performance, even amidst geopolitical instability. Key variables such as digital payments and internet access show substantial positive impacts, providing valuable insights for policymakers aiming to enhance resilience and sustainability. Contributions: Our article offers a comprehensive evaluation of how the digital economy and fintech jointly influence sustainable development under geopolitical risks, providing a nuanced understanding for policymakers and researchers.
Digital transformation of companies is often referred to as a future track and a strategic path towards ensuring the survival and sustainability of companies. In this paper, we aim to outline this transformation process in Tunisian companies and identify its driving factors and finally explain its key success factors. To this end, we examine a sample of 70 companies operating in all economic sectors. The results indicate that such a digital strategy has a significant and a positive effect on the success of digital transformation of companies. Leadership has an effect at a low level of digital maturity. On the other hand, corporate culture does not have a significant effect on digital transformation. These results contribute to explaining this emerging phenomenon by focusing on the driving factors as well as the factors that contribute to its success.