Digital Entrepreneurial Orientation and Sustainable Economic Development: A Systematic Review of Empirical Evidence (2020-2026)

Digital technologies continue to reshape entrepreneurial activities and economic development by enabling innovation, organizational agility, and sustainable value creation. As businesses increasingly adopt artificial intelligence, cloud computing, big data analytics, blockchain, and digital platforms, Digital Entrepreneurial Orientation (DEO) has emerged as a strategic capability that integrates entrepreneurial behaviour with digital transformation. Despite growing scholarly interest, empirical findings remain fragmented across different industries, countries, and theoretical perspectives. This study systematically reviews empirical evidence published between 2020 and 2026 to examine the relationship between Digital Entrepreneurial Orientation and Sustainable Economic Development (SED). Following a systematic review approach, peer reviewed studies were identified, screened, and synthesized to determine prevailing research trends, theoretical foundations, methodological approaches, and key empirical findings. The review indicates that Digital Entrepreneurial Orientation consistently enhances innovation capability, organizational resilience, digital transformation, sustainable business performance, and broader economic development. Innovation capability, organizational learning, digital capability, and knowledge management frequently emerge as mediating mechanisms, while government support, institutional quality, entrepreneurial ecosystems, and digital infrastructure moderate the relationship between DEO and sustainable development outcomes. The review further identifies conceptual, methodological, contextual, and theoretical gaps that provide directions for future research. The findings contribute to entrepreneurship and strategic management literature by consolidating contemporary evidence on digital entrepreneurship while offering practical implications for managers and policymakers seeking to strengthen sustainable economic development through digital innovation.