Effects of digital transformation on international trade

Authors

  • Andrej Nikolaevich Spartak Russian Foreign Trade Academy

Keywords:

digital revolution, digitalization, international trade, technologies, supply chains, transformation, regulation, data flows

Abstract

The article considers central, integrative role of digitalization and related technologies in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Digitalization in the world economy and international trade is rapidly growing while digital space becomes the major field for global commerce. Effects of digital transformation on international trade are the following: (1) shifts in the structure and configuration of international trade, including “flow” of many operations with real goods and services into digital space; (2) enhancing global competition and its shift to non-material sphere; (3) appearance of new formats and opportunities for international business due to digitalization, more inclusive cross-border commerce and expansion of “cloud” employment, blurring of lines between crossborder and domestic operations in the globalized digital environment; (4) regulatory changes to deal with fast growing digital trade with participation of companies, entrepreneurs, households and actually beyond national jurisdictions; emergence of the new generation “above the border” disciplines related to regulation of commercial relations in virtual space. Many of the expected changes in the existing concept of international trade will be drastic.

Author Biography

Andrej Nikolaevich Spartak, Russian Foreign Trade Academy

Corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Doctor of Economic Sciences, Honored Worker of Science of RF
Place of work, post: Russian Market Research Institute (VNIKI) (119285, Moscow, Pudovkina, 4) - Director, Russian Foreign Trade Academy (119285, Moscow, Pudovkina, 4A), Department of international trade and foreign trade of the RF – the Head

Published

2024-02-08

How to Cite

Spartak, A. N. (2024). Effects of digital transformation on international trade. Russian Foreign Economic Journal, (5), 7–23. Retrieved from https://journal.vavt.ru/rfej/article/view/2434

Issue

Section

Foreign trade activity