Guest editorial: Understanding some challenges for ASEAN

What the paper says

According to the ASEAN Economic Community Strategic Plan (2026–2030), to “become the fourth largest global economy by 2045, countries in the region will need to deepen their economic integration and enhance their agility to address multifaceted challenges […]. Looking ahead to 2045, ASEAN is committed to becoming a single and future-ready economy that is anchored on sustainable growth, empowered by advanced technologies, responsive to emerging opportunities, whilst ensuring that inclusivity and sustainability are mainstreamed across all dimensions of its economic integration endeavours” (ASEAN, 2025, p. 2).The aim of the special issue is to discuss challenges, initiatives, opportunities and trends for digital transformation in ASEAN. It explores how digital tools and solutions can contribute to boost competitiveness, create new jobs, empower citizens to fight digital inclusion and build more resilient economies and societies.Issue 2 of Journal of Science and Technology Policy Management presents a special issue with 15 papers. The collection of papers addresses key topics for the competitiveness of companies and economies in the ASEAN region. From public sector innovation policies and green economy to digital banking, circular economy and Internet of Things (IoT). The papers provide evidence and discussion from different countries (Brunei Darussalam, India, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, etc).The first paper titled “IoT-based Traceability Systems for Fresh Food: Strategic Development of Policy to Align with Sustainable Development Goals” (by Rodvong and Ana) presents the results of a study that “explains Internet of Things (IoT) in the fresh food supply chain, its link to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strategies for practical policies ensuring fair trade, safety and security. An integrative analysis of the recent case studies examined the IoT on traceability for fresh food supply chains and SDG impact and policy. The research included real-case applications, feasibility, implementation, reviews and lab tests of IoT-based traceability systems for fresh food and reviews of the potential impact on SDGs and policy development. IoT-based traceability system significantly contributes to reaching SDGs 1, 2, 3, 9, 11, 12 and 13. Capabilities include improved food safety and security, supply management and monitoring, optimized energy use and reduced contamination. Command and control policies are the most effective but face challenges for developing countries with limited budgets. IoT adoption may worsen gender and overall inequality (SDGs 5 / 10) without proper policies.”The paper titled “Understanding factors to digital wallet discontinuance intention among past-users: an exploratory study” (by Sait, Ali, Almunawar and Haji Masri) analyses “the factors influencing discontinuance intention among past users of local digital wallets in Brunei Darussalam. This study uses a mixed-method approach that integrates quantitative and qualitative research method. An online survey is distributed via widely used social media platforms, using purposive sampling to target previous users of local digital wallets. Structured questionnaires capture demographic data, whereas open-ended inquiries delve into reasons for discontinuation. Descriptive analysis will extract the demographic profiles of the samples. Inductive thematic analysis, guided by Braun and Clarke’s framework, will extract and analyze qualitative responses to unveil emergent themes. Data saturation, anticipated beyond 12 responses, will signify sample adequacy. Demographic profiles based on gender, age and payment preferences of discontinuers supplement the justification for identified themes influencing digital wallet discontinuation in Brunei Darussalam. These themes include “Acceptability Challenge,” highlighting limited vendor acceptance; “Financial Management and Security Issues,” revealing concerns over impulsive buying behavior and security robustness; “Limited Benefits,” referring to short-term interest driven by promotional benefits; “Technological Inertia,” emphasizing reluctance to change from conventional payment methods and “Technical Challenges,” encompassing internet connectivity and operational functionality issues.”The paper titled “Megatrends in science and technology parks and areas of innovation: co-citation clustering” (by Mohammadi, Karimi, Meidute-Kavaliauskiene and Aghazadeh) states that “science and technology parks (STPs) and areas of innovation, among the entrepreneurial ecosystem’s main actors, significantly contribute to economic development derived from technology development and commercialization worldwide. In light of this, the study aims to identify the megatrends in this domain, using bibliometric analysis and co-citation clustering. For this purpose, all the relevant documents on the Web of Science, as a citation database, were retrieved and analyzed. The study findings helped provide detailed information about the lead authors, the most influential countries, highly cited institutions and the top-used keywords in this field. Besides, the trend of using the given keywords over time and the megatrends in this line were established. Upon clustering the articles, 11 clusters were identified, including 6 dense clusters, STPs, technology business incubators, university STPs, university–industry collaboration, innovation and startup services and triple/quadruple helix, which were then completely analyzed to develop a big picture for future research.”The paper titled “The dark side of local public sector innovation: insights from SAMPADE innovation” (by Roziqin, Kamil, Romadhan and Zakaria) affirms that “in recent years, public sector innovation practices have continuously penetrated central and regional governments. Observations show that many new innovation ideas are abandoned after initial implementation. Therefore, this study aims to examine the dark side of local public sector innovation through the case of the Mobile Application System of Local Tax (SAMPADE) innovation. This study used the concept of the dark side of public sector innovation with a focus on SAMPADE innovation. Qualitative study cases were used, and empirical data were collected from semi-structured interviews and observations. Secondary data were collected from published primary study sources, including peer-reviewed journals, case studies, government newsletters, online newspapers and books. Referring to local findings, this study noted the weaknesses of public sector innovation caused by the failure of policymakers to consider any negative effects.”The paper titled “From Policies to Programs: Exploring the Evolving Landscape of Science and Technology in the Philippines” (by Custodio) states that “the Philippines has a long history of scientific and technological development from precolonial times through Spanish and American rule, marked by periods of both progress and neglect. In response to the growing importance of science and technology (S&T), the country established the National Science Development Board in 1958, which evolved into the Department of Science and Technology in 1987. This transition facilitated significant advancements in research and technology through substantial investments. Despite these efforts and progress, challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, limited funding and insufficient human resources continue to hinder the sector’s growth and global competitiveness The purpose of this study is to analyze the evolution of S&T policies in the Philippines, assess innovation and research outputs, and identify key growth areas to provide insights that can guide policymakers in enhancing the country’s global competitiveness. This review analyzed available literature, government reports, policy documents and data from the Global Innovation Index and SCImago Journal and Country Ranking to trace the evolution of S&T policies in the Philippines, identify growth areas and assess innovation and research outputs, providing insights to guide policymakers in enhancing the country’s global competitiveness. The study highlights the challenges that remain in infrastructure, funding and human resources despite significant investments in S&T to enhance global competitiveness. The scarcity of skilled professionals such as scientists, researchers and engineers was particularly concerning, emphasizing the need for increased investment in education and training programs. It also underscored the importance of sustained support, funding and collaborations between government, academia and industry innovation, technological progress and sustainable growth in the global S&T sector.”The paper titled “Chatbots Adoption Intention in Public Sector in Malaysia from the Perspective of TOE Framework. The Moderated and Mediation Model” (by Jais, Ngah, Rahi, Rashid, Ahmad and Mokhlis) explores “the motivating factors for Malaysian governmental agencies (MGAs) to embrace chatbot technology. Based on the technology–organisation–environment (TOE) framework, using purposive and snowball sampling techniques, 262 online data from the MGA top management were gathered. Smart PLS4 was employed to test the hypotheses of the study. The findings demonstrated positive relationships between technological readiness (TR), big data analytics (BDA), organizational readiness (OR), organizational learning capabilities (OLC) and governmental policies (GP) concerning chatbot adoption intention and also the relationship GP with OR. A mediating effect was also observed, which indicated the OLC role in positively mediating BDA, the OR role in positively mediating OLC and the OR role in positively mediating GP with OR and OLC as sequential mediators in the relationship between BDA and chatbot adoption intention. Furthermore, the presence of citizen demand strengthened the relationship between TR, OR and chatbot adoption intention.”The paper titled “Integrating Soft Computing Techniques for Optimizing Green Vehicular Communications and Networking in Circular Digital Supply Chain” (by Agarwal, Kumar, Tyagi and Garg) analyses “environmental and societal challenges in reverse logistics within circular digital supply chains (CDSCs), focusing on reducing carbon emissions and improving community well-being. This study emphasizes how advanced technologies can drive sustainability in CDSC reverse logistics by exploring social innovation through green vehicular communications and networking (GVCN), combined with artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of Things (IoT). A novel model is developed, leveraging soft computing techniques and multicriteria decision-making approaches (Simple Weighted Additive Ratio Analysis and Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment) to optimize GVCN performance through AI and IOT in CDSC. This model integrates Industry 4.0 technologies to promote real-time decision-making, reduce emissions and mitigate negative environmental impacts. The research highlights the societal impact of integrating predictive analytics and route optimization in reducing fuel consumption and emissions, contributing to cleaner transportation systems. This supports environmental goals and enhances public health and community well-being by reducing pollution and improving urban living conditions.”The paper titled “Navigating the Digital Landscape: Social Media’s Influence on Luxury Brand Equity and Purchase Intention” (by Goi, Ngu and Chieng) studies “how social media affects luxury brand equity and purchase intention in Malaysia. Questionnaires were distributed across shopping malls in the Klang Valley, including Kuala Lumpur and surrounding areas, targeting Malaysian citizens aged 18 and above with a history of luxury purchases. Using random sampling, the study collected and analyzed 300 valid responses. The findings demonstrate that social media has a positive effect on luxury brand equity and that brand equity significantly influences purchase intention. However, the study reveals a negative impact of social media on purchase intention.”The paper titled “Framing Gender in Pakistan’s Digital Policies: A Critical Examination through Capabilities and Decolonial Feminist Lenses” (by Naveed, Jamal and Ahmad) presents the results of a study that “seeks to contribute to the development of more inclusive policies. By applying the capabilities approach and decolonial feminism, they aim to investigate the intersectional vulnerabilities and gendered precarity perpetuated by the current framing of digital inclusion. This research endeavors to dismantle the simplistic notion of digital platforms as a universal remedy for gender equality and instead emphasizes the importance of context-sensitive and decolonial perspectives. They adopt a combination of the capabilities approach and decolonial feminism to critically examine the portrayal of gender within Pakistan’s digital policy landscape, unraveling the underlying assumptions, discourses and ideologies shaping the gender gap framing in the context of digital inclusion. They treat policy documents as active agents shaping social reality, using content analysis to analyze the epistemic methods used in generating knowledge about the gender gap in digital inclusion. Our study reveals that the gender gap framing in Pakistan’s digital inclusion is influenced by specific assumptions, discourses and ideologies embedded in policy documents. They shed light on how misrepresentation and instrumentalization contribute to intersectional vulnerabilities faced by women.”The paper titled “Exploring the Influence of Social Media Utilization on Strategic Objectives and Profitability in Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs): A Preliminary Empirical Study” (by Rashid and Abdullah) states that “in recent years, there has been a significant increase in business entities that use social media platforms for business purposes. Thus, this study aims to investigate how Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in a developing country use multiple social media platforms to achieve business objectives and enhance profitability. Moreover, the explosive growth of social media platforms has also generated vast amounts of data, making them a valuable resource for organizations. So, the study also explores the extent to which MSMEs have adopted data collection and analytics methodologies to leverage social media insights for informed decision-making. A quantitative research design was employed using an online survey targeting MSME owners and managers across various sectors in Brunei. Data were collected from 93 valid respondents through purposeful and convenience sampling, then analyzed using SPSS with both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The surveys were distributed through direct messages to the official business Instagram and Facebook accounts, and the available WhatsApp numbers of the MSMEs. This study provides a preliminary analysis of the social media practices by MSMEs. Yet, it is successful to reveal that WhatsApp Business, Instagram and Facebook are the most frequently used and profitable platforms among MSMEs. These platforms are primarily used for brand visibility, customer engagement and product marketing. Despite widespread adoption, a majority of MSMEs do not systematically collect or analyze social media data, highlighting a gap in data-driven decision-making. Nevertheless, a growing trend toward basic analytics practices is evident.”The paper titled “Determinants of Digital Financial Literacy and its Impact on Digital Financial Inclusion in Odisha, India- A Study on the Mediating Role of Digital Operations” (by Kanungo) studies “the nexus among digital financial literacy (DFL), access to digital infrastructure, digital financial inclusion (DFI), the purpose of using digital financial services (DFS) and modes of digital operations (DOP) within the context of the Puri district of Odisha, India. It has considered DOP a mediator and will investigate how reliance on others for digital operations affects the use of DFS.The current study’s evaluation was conducted using Bootstrap to test the hypotheses formulated using PLS-SEM, based on a structured questionnaire administered to 776 respondents. The findings revealed a significant association between DFL and DFI (the ownership and usage of DFS). The study’s results highlighted that DFI significantly affects the purpose of using financial services on a virtual platform. The study also highlights that, despite people using the digital pathway for various purposes, it remains exclusive, mainly, with some individuals observed to be dependent on others for digital transactions. The presence of the digital divide concerning age and place is also reflected in the study. The research paper does not throw light on the reasons for low level of DFL among the people in the place of research.”The paper titled “The Influence of Using Digital Banking to Impulsive Buying Behavior (The students’ Perspective)” (by Kurniawan, Sadjidah, Riza and Sephiana) studies “whether there is an influence of using digital banking on student’s impulsive buying behavior. This research is quantitative research and the research method used in this research is purposive sampling using a questionnaire data collection tool in the form of Google Form and obtaining 150 students as respondents with the characteristics of digital banking users aged 18–25 years who live on the island of Java. For this research, the authors use data analysis methods in the form of descriptive statistics and regression analysis with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences software. The research results show that the variables tested have a positive or significant influence. So, it can be said that the use of digital banking has a positive effect on impulsive buying behavior.”The paper titled “Actual Adoption of Fintech services among Micro Entrepreneurs of Urban Slum area of Uttarakhand” (by Jha and Dangwal) explores “the level of awareness and determinants of the actual adoption of fintech services. 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