Data as a New Factor of Production: Reshaping Growth, Innovation, and Labor in the Digital Economy (Applied Economics and Policy Studies) - Hardcover

Li, Xiaolong; Liao, Lewei; Sun, Pengfei; Wu, Zhengyu

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 9819599849 ISBN 13: 9789819599844

Publisher: Springer, 2026

Synopsis

This book offers a groundbreaking exploration of how data, empowered by artificial intelligence, is reshaping traditional economic paradigms. Through a richly interdisciplinary lens, it analyzes the disruptive potential of data as a core production factor—alongside labor, capital, and land—highlighting its non-rivalrous nature, exponential returns to scale, and transformative impact on productivity, employment, and institutional design.

 

Bridging theoretical modeling and real-world case studies, the volume reveals how data-driven innovation transcends sectoral boundaries, from manufacturing to public governance. It examines how leading economies strategically deploy AI and data to redefine global competitiveness, while also addressing critical issues such as data monopolies, regional inequality, and algorithmic ethics.

 

Intended for scholars, policymakers, and industry practitioners in digital economics, public policy, and technology governance, this book delivers cutting-edge insights with accessible depth. It balances global comparisons with in-depth analysis of China’s digital infrastructure, AI regulation, and data market reform—offering a timely contribution to the global conversation on digital transformation.

 

Key Features:

 

Introduces a novel conceptual framework positioning data as a primary production factor.

 

Combines theoretical rigor with empirical detail and forward-looking policy recommendations.

About this title

About the Author

Dr. Xiaolong Li, an Associate Professor and Ph.D. Supervisor at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, and Deputy Director of the Center for Market Economy Studies at Peking University. His research focuses on the digital economy and fintech, with over 40 papers published in leading journals, including two ESI Highly Cited Papers. His policy work has been adopted by key central government ministries.

Dr. Lewei Liao, a Ph.D. Candidate at Guanghua School of Management in Beijing Daxing, specializing in the digital economy and industrial transformation. His empirical research on digital technology adoption has been published in international journals including macroeconomic dynamics and economic analysis and policy.

Dr. Pengfei Sun, a lecturer at the People's Public Security University of China, holding a Ph.D. in Engineering, with a research focus on the digital economy. His research findings have been published in academic journals including Research in International Business & Finance and Applied Economics.

M.Sc. Zhengyu Wu, a Master's student at the University of Hong Kong, specializing in the digital economy, with a research focuses on the impact of digital transformation on financial institutions. She has published her work in The Impact of Digital Transformation on the Operating Performance of Commercial Banks.

From the Back Cover

This book offers a groundbreaking exploration of how data, empowered by artificial intelligence, is reshaping traditional economic paradigms. Through a richly interdisciplinary lens, it analyzes the disruptive potential of data as a core production factor—alongside labor, capital, and land—highlighting its non-rivalrous nature, exponential returns to scale, and transformative impact on productivity, employment, and institutional design.

 

Bridging theoretical modeling and real-world case studies, the volume reveals how data-driven innovation transcends sectoral boundaries, from manufacturing to public governance. It examines how leading economies strategically deploy AI and data to redefine global competitiveness, while also addressing critical issues such as data monopolies, regional inequality, and algorithmic ethics.

 

Intended for scholars, policymakers, and industry practitioners in digital economics, public policy, and technology governance, this book delivers cutting-edge insights with accessible depth. It balances global comparisons with in-depth analysis of China’s digital infrastructure, AI regulation, and data market reform—offering a timely contribution to the global conversation on digital transformation.

 

Key Features:

 

Introduces a novel conceptual framework positioning data as a primary production factor.

 

Combines theoretical rigor with empirical detail and forward-looking policy recommendations.

Edition details

• Publisher: Springer
• Publication date: 2026
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9819599849
• ISBN 13: 9789819599844
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 246