Assessing regional digital competence: Digital futures and strategic planning implications

Khorshed Alam, Michael Odei Erdiaw-Kwasie, Md Shahiduzzaman, Barbara Ryan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Understanding strategic decisions aimed at addressing regional economic issues is of increasing interest among scholars and policy makers today. However, studies that proffer effective strategies to address digital futures concerns from social and policy perspectives are timely. In light of this, this research uses strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis tool to frame a regional strategy for digital futures to enhance place-specific digital connectivity and socio-economic progress. Focus group discussions and a structured questionnaire were conducted to examine a SWOT for a digital economy strategy in the Southern Downs Region in Queensland, Australia. The findings show that while the proposed regional strategies for digital futures are susceptible to internal and external forces, strategic planning makes them manageable. The study's findings also reveal that adaptive strategic planning can help regulate the effects of internal and external factors that shape individual and organizational responses to digital transformation, and that these factors promote regional competitiveness.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)60-69
Number of pages10
JournalJournal of Rural Studies
Volume60
Early online date24 Mar 2018
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - May 2018
Externally publishedYes

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Assessing regional digital competence: Digital futures and strategic planning implications'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this