{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,2]],"date-time":"2026-01-02T17:16:59Z","timestamp":1767374219701,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,17]],"date-time":"2025-07-17T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1752710400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Science and Technology Innovation Think Tank of the Fujian Association of Science and Technology","award":["FJKX-2023XKB014","FJ2024B113"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FJKX-2023XKB014","FJ2024B113"]}]},{"name":"Fujian Provincial Philosophy and Social Science Fund Project","award":["FJKX-2023XKB014","FJ2024B113"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FJKX-2023XKB014","FJ2024B113"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Systems"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The gradual recovery of the economy has positioned the digital economy as a vital force driving global economic growth. However, the sustainability of this emerging economic sector is being tested by unexpected systemic shocks. There is a scarcity of research on the factors influencing the sustainable development of the digital economy. Therefore, developing a framework to assess the sustainability of the digital economy is significant. Building on previous research, this study established an evaluation system that extracts key indicators across four dimensions: society, the economy, the environment, and technology. Data were then collected through questionnaires and in-depth interviews with experts. Subsequently, this study employed the fuzzy Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory\u2013Analytical Network Process (fuzzy DANP) method to determine the weight of each indicator and used the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to the Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) method to evaluate the sustainability of the digital economy in three cities. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to validate this comprehensive evaluation method. The results indicate that society and the economy are the two most crucial dimensions, while the regional economic development level, enterprise innovation culture, and digital divide are the top three indicators affecting the sustainable development of the digital economy industry. This work suggests that the digital economy industry should enhance regional economic levels, strengthen technological and innovative corporate cultures, and narrow the digital divide to achieve the goal of sustainable development in the digital economy sector.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/systems13070603","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,17]],"date-time":"2025-07-17T15:15:54Z","timestamp":1752765354000},"page":"603","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["System Factors Shaping Digital Economy Sustainability in Developing Nations"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8832-5883","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Qigan","family":"Shao","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Economics and Management, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0003-1369-1293","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Zhaoqin","family":"Lu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Economics and Management, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-7885-6527","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Xinlu","family":"Lin","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Economics and Management, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0005-3711-3601","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Canfeng","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of Economics and Management, Xiamen University of Technology, Xiamen 361024, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6918-6048","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"James J. J. H.","family":"Liou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Industrial Engineering and Management, National Taipei University of Technology, Taipei 10608, Taiwan"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,7,17]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101251","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cosust.2022.101251","article-title":"The sustainability impact of a digital circular economy","volume":"61","author":"Piscicelli","year":"2023","journal-title":"Curr. Opin. Environ. 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