Estimating the Impact of Digital Transformation Indicators on Sustainable Growth in Iraq for the Period 2011-2024

Abstract

This research aims to estimate the impact of digital transformation indicators on achieving sustainable growth in the Iraqi economy using quarterly data during the period (2011–2024), by analyzing the relationship between several digital and economic variables using the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model. The digital transformation indicators included the e-government index, the percentage of internet users, and telephone density per hundred people, while economic growth represented the dependent variable of the study. The results showed the existence of a long-term cointegration relationship between digital transformation indicators and economic growth, indicating that digital transformation is an influential factor in supporting the path of sustainable development in Iraq. It was also found that the e-government index, the percentage of internet users, and telephone density have positive and significant effects on economic growth in both the short and long term. The research concluded that digital transformation represents one of the fundamental pillars for achieving sustainable growth in Iraq and recommended the necessity of adopting a comprehensive national strategy for digital transformation that includes developing technical infrastructure, expanding the use of the internet and communications, and improving the efficiency of human capital to support the national economy in the long term.