Digital Transformation from Short-Run Effects to Long-Run Sustainable Outcomes: A Meta-Synthesis of Economic, Environmental, and Social Sustainability in Sporting Events

Purpose: Sporting events represent complex global phenomena that extend beyond competition, influencing the environmental, social, and economic sustainability of host communities. As the scale and frequency of such events increase, integrating digital transformation into sustainability management has become both a practical necessity and a theoretical imperative. Previous research has largely emphasized short-run economic or environmental impacts, neglecting the long-run, multidimensional effects of digital technologies on sustainability.Methodology: Adopting a translational meta-synthesis approach, this study systematically analyzed ۳۵ high-quality articles from Scopus and Web of Science (۲۰۰۶–۲۰۲۵). Python-based text mining, semantic clustering, and thematic coding were employed to extract conceptual relationships across environmental, social, and economic dimensions.Findings: The analysis revealed three core sustainability dimensions (environmental, social, and economic) and four integrative dimensions of sustainability and sustainable impacts: (۱) green technologies for material cycle optimization and emission reduction; (۲) smart infrastructures and sustainable transport; (۳) human-centered digital experiences enhancing social equity; and (۴) institutional alignment and inter-organizational collaboration for long-run governance. Digital technologies such as AI, IoT, blockchain, and VR emerged as enablers of both short-run operational efficiency and long-run institutional transparency, justice, and resilience.Originality: The proposed ESG–DSE model provides a comprehensive framework for sustainable sporting events that aligns with the UN SDGs ۹, ۱۱, ۱۲, and ۱۳. It underscores digital transformation not as a technical tool but as a mechanism for data-driven governance and multi-stakeholder participation, offering actionable insights for policymakers, sports managers, and sustainability strategists. This study also introduces an integrated conceptual model, ESG–DSE (Environmental, Social, and Governance–Digital Sustainability Ecosystem), to bridge this gap by linking sustainability frameworks with technological innovation.

کلیدواژه ها:

Economic Sustainability ، Environmental Sustainability ، ESG–DSE Integrated Model ، Social Sustainability ، Technological Sustainability