National digital strategy development: Guidelines and lesson learnt from Asia Pacific countries

Adoption of information and communication technology (ICT) to create a digital ecosystem gives rise to substantial economic and social benefits. Therefore, many countries develop National digital strategies (NDSs) to establish objectives, policy priorities and outline necessary actions for implementation of digital transformation. However, given the digital divide between different economies, it is difficult to compare consistently the priorities of NDS across various countries. This paper is an effort to explicate various priorities on different country groups. Using a macro-analysis lens, this research project explored specific policies and regulations that are perceived useful in identifying strategies for strengthening ICT adoption for economic and digital growth. We surveyed members of Asia Productivity Organization (APO) from mid-2020 to 2021 and interviewed three member countries (Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Republic of Korea). Findings offer a guideline for countries to develop their NDS and discuss implications for policy makers in the Asia Pacific region.