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INTEREST CATEGORY: INNOVATION AND TECH, SUSTAINABILITY
POSTING TYPE: Calls: Journals

Posted by: Aijaz Shaikh

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Special Issue: Web 3.0 Platforms for Sustainable Digital Social Innovation

1. Journal: Digital Business (Elsevier/Scopus/Q1)
2. Deadline: 30 September 2026 (Manuscripts will be reviewed as they are received, with final decisions made on a rolling basis)
3. Quick review process (desk review and first round) approx. 2-3 months
4. Submission link:
5. Please select “VSI: Web 3.0 Platforms” when they reach the “Article Type” step in the submission process.

Guest Editors

Prof. Ravi S. Sharma
College of Technological Innovation, Zayed University, United Arab Emirates
ravishankar.sharma@zu.ac.ae

Dr. Aijaz A. Shaikh
Senior Researcher
Institute of Information and Computational Technologies, Almaty, Kazakhstan
aijaz.a.shaikh@ipic.kz

Prof. Francisco J. Liébana Cabanillas University
University of Granada, Spain
franlieb@ugr.es

Prof. Galimkair Mutanov
Institute of Information and Computational Technologies, Almaty, Kazakhstan
galimkairmutanov@gmail.com

Prof. (Ms.) Intan Azura Mokhtar
Community Leadership and Social Innovation Centre (CLASIC),
Singapore Institute of Technology, Singapore
intan.mokhtar@singaporetech.edu.sg

Prof. Richard Glavee-Geo
Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Ålesund, Norway
rigl@ntnu.no

Social innovation are improving the everyday life of the consumers and has gained significant momentum as governments, industries, and communities seek new ways to advance the UN SDGs (Buck et al., 2025). Digital technologies have accelerated this transition, leading to DSI and digital social enterprises that leverage tools such as AI, IoT, and blockchain to address consumer’s varying needs as well as managing social, economic, and environmental issues (Li et al., 2024). Similarly, emerging technologies such as blockchain are changing how trust, transparency, and collaboration are built across sectors, transforming the consumer behaviour and offering great potential for sustainable development.

However, research on DSI and blockchain remains scattered, with gaps in theoretical foundations, governance models, practical applications for inclusive growth as well as how consumers are adopting and using these technologies. Moreover, as argued by González-Ramírez et al. (2025) and Dionisio et al. (2023), the theoretical, technological, and systemic bases of DSIs remain fragmented, and current research indicates that Blockchain technology is still in early stages and requires improvements in standardization, security, and regulation. Moreover, recent work (Hanafizadeh and Alipour, 2024) shows that blockchain research relies heavily on explanatory and predictive theories, with limited attention to broader theoretical approaches needed to understand blockchain’s role in sustainable development and changing consumer attitude and behaviour towards the use of these emerging technologies.

This special issue would consider Business-2-Consumer, Business-2-Business, and Consumer,The issue will focus on case studies, conceptual frameworks, empirical research, and platform design strategies that demonstrate how digital tools, especially those enabled by Web 3.0 technologies, can promote inclusive and sustainable growth, community empowerment, and socio-economic transformation. By bridging gaps between digital innovation and social enterprise, the issue will offer actionable insights for policymakers, industry leaders, technologists, international organizations, and researchers working toward the SDGs. Additionally, the primary goal of this special issue is to advance theoretical understanding among scholars, promote evidence-based platform design, and encourage cross-sector collaboration for sustainable transformation. The issue also welcomes studies that identify, apply, or extend theories explaining the role of blockchain, digital social innovations, and other digital innovations in understanding consumer choices, attitude, behaviour, and achieving sustainable development.

Tentative topics

• Digital social innovation for society and sustainability: Applying DSI in health, education, rural development, and community empowerment; Reducing digital divides among different population segments and promoting inclusion; Exploring how DSIs transform the consumer behaviour and contribute to the SDGs. Developing or testing theories on social value creation, digital inclusion, socio-technical transitions, or consumer/community empowerment.

• Technologies and platforms for social impact: The role of blockchain, IoT, and Web 3.0 in supporting social and green innovation; adoption and sustained use of digital payments, mobile money, and other financial technologies that promote financial and social inclusion; blockchain’s role in new business models; testing or expanding theories on platform governance, digital affordances, product/service/value co-creation, or innovation ecosystems.

• Digital marketing, consumer engagement, and behavioural change in digital social innovation: This topic examines how digital marketing strategies, social media, and influencer ecosystems shape consumer engagement, trust, and behavioural change in digital social innovation. It focuses on the role of data driven marketing, personalization, and AI enabled systems in influencing consumer awareness and adoption of DSI platforms, while also addressing ethical marketing practices, transparency, and consumer data governance in blockchain and Web 3.0 based environments.

• Governance, ethics, and collaboration: Policies, governance, and ethical challenges in implementing digital social innovations; Open innovation and multi-stakeholder collaboration between governments, businesses, and civil society; Managing trust, transparency, and accountability in digital social platforms.

• Measuring impact and shaping the future: Assessing the social, environmental, and economic impact of DSIs; Tools and frameworks for monitoring progress toward the SDGs; Emerging trends, future scenarios, and strategies for scaling DSIs sustainably.

Possible research questions, but not limited to:

• How does DSI help achieve the SDGs and transform the user attitude and behaviour?
• How do digital marketing strategies influence consumer awareness, trust, and adoption of digital social innovations and blockchain enabled platforms?
• What role does transparency enabled by blockchain play in shaping consumer trust, perceived authenticity, and sustainable purchase intentions?
• In what ways can technologies like AI, GenAI, blockchain, or IoT improve social and green innovation?
• How do digital social enterprises use technology to create social and environmental value for the companies and consumers?
• What role do FinTech, digital payments and mobile financial systems play in promoting inclusion and sustainability globally and among young and old consumers?
• How can Web 3.0 technologies build transparent, fair, and community-centered innovation systems?
• What is the link between digital transformation, corporate social responsibility, and green innovation?
• Consumer perspectives on digital social innovations and Blockchain
• What ethical or governance challenges arise when using new technologies for social innovation?
• How can digital social innovations build long-term community resilience and empowerment?

Please note that only original manuscripts are accepted, as outlined in the ‘Guide for Authors’ posted on the Digital Business journal website. Please include the name of the Special Issue in your cover letter, and ensure your paper is assigned to this special issue within the Editorial Manager system. All submissions will undergo peer review according to the journal’s established policies and procedures. Final publication decisions will depend on the peer review outcomes and the evaluations of the Guest Editors.

Key references

Buck, C., Heim, L., Körner-Wyrtki, K., Krombacher, A., & Röglinger, M. (2025). Making the most of digital social innovation: An exploration into success factors. Journal of Business Research, 190, 1–29.

González-Ramírez, R., Gasco, J., & Llopis, J. (2025). Digitalisation and sustainability: their role in corporate social responsibility through innovation. European Journal of Innovation Management, 28(8), 4083–4111.

Hanafizadeh, P., & Alipour, M. (2024). Taxonomy of theories for blockchain applications in business and management. Digital Business, 4(2), 1v39.

Li, H., Lu, L., Lin, Z., & Meng, T. (2024). Digital innovation and corporate social responsibility performance: Evidence from firms’ digital patents. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 207, 1–16.