This section presents papers dedicated to examining the effects of new technology implementation at local and regional levels. In papers that address this topic, we expect researchers to discuss the economic and financial aspects of new technological developments both for companies and for the regions where they operate. Another area of interest to consider is how new technologies are likely to modify the relationship between the state and citizens. In this sense, the development of digital identities will be a new challenge for the state. In addition, new services within the areas of e-learning and e-government have become key to regional planning and operation. Scholars may also present papers that discuss how new engineering solutions can reshape both business operations and public services, and how these solutions can result in either detrimental or beneficial effects for the complex development of regional territories. Such engineering solutions may derive from any field of engineering, including information-technology engineering. Papers devoted to the development of frameworks and models that support decision-making processes in this field are also welcomed. Authors might choose to discuss how the COVID-19 pandemics has affected the technological developments and decisions made by companies and government. This topic addresses many of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. For example, Goal 8: Decent work and economic growth; Goal 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure; Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities.

The focus of this topic is the general impact of enterprises on the sustainable development of different regions around the globe. Therefore, we shift focus from precise technologies to enterprises and industries. Potential areas for discussion could be circular economies and closed resource cycles. We invite scholars to submit papers that present systematic results on sustainable business models and research on sustainable industry development. This research might also contain assessments of the direct and indirect effects of certain companies, in particular, and industrial development, in general. Direct effects can be measured through the evaluation of the concrete damage or benefits that are generated by these companies. We would also welcome papers that assess the different types of spillovers that can be generated by enterprises, economic clusters, industries and global value chains. These spillovers may occur in a variety of areas—for example, environmental, social, and governance (ESG) within corporations, knowledge or technology. In addition, we expect authors to discuss the impact of regional policies and special economic regimes on enterprise development. Industry-specific research is also welcome—for example, issues related to energy economics, energy strategy or energy policy. Research published on this topic would contribute to making progress in achieving aspects of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as, ‘Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all’ (from Goal 7); ‘Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all’ (from Goal 8); ‘Make cities and human settlements open, safe, sustainable and sustainable’ (from Goal 11); ‘Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns’ (from Goal 12).

We believe that the UN’s collection of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) will be an indispensable instrument for building a better world. The various concepts that lie behind this ambitious agenda—the need for a defined vision, the importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships, the emphasis on accountability and measurement, and the acknowledgment that environmental, social, and economic goals are interconnected—together, will provide the engine for progress. This topic is dedicated to research that discusses the role of different types of infrastructure—physical, innovation, digital, smart, financial, transportation and entrepreneurial—in the sustainable development of regions and enterprises. We expect authors to identify and assess the effects of infrastructure development on different aspects of economic, innovative, social and environmental regional development. Accordingly, we are open to submissions on such topics as waste management, smart logistics systems and smart cities, among others. Research in the area of digital/smart/intelligent cities must address the issues of both information management and information security that arise out of these developments. Work published on this topic mainly contributes to the UN SDG 9, which aims to ‘build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation’, as well as to other goals relating to the sustainable use of sea, land, energy and other resources.

Innovation helps companies to avoid stagnation and fosters economic growth. Innovation management is the structuring of a specific innovation process, with a beginning (input), middle (processing), and end (output and generation of results). Innovation management consists of establishing the means and methods to generate value and of putting ideas into practice. It is important for avoiding systemic stagnation in organisations and can help to place a focus on corporate sustainability. Sustainability, according to the United Nations, has three pillars: economic, social, and environmental. Usually, the focus of innovation is centered on the economic aspect of sustainability, but it can also be expanded to encompass the other two aspects. The strategic vision of a company must include innovative actions that are aligned with business objectives to promote synergy between available resources—human, material, technological and financial. This will usually lead to an organisation's productive, operational and managerial processes being updated, rationalised or, sometimes, disrupted. This can improve outcomes for an organisation by making the services or products provided to customers more attractive and effective. Research in the area of this topic can contribute to innovation management at the individual, enterprise, and regional levels. The focus of such research could be not only on the economic aspects of innovation management but also on its social and environmental aspects. We would also welcome papers that discuss closed and open innovation models and their contribution to the achievement of sustainable development.