IRDL’s Contribution in 2022 (Bucharest):

Professor Adriana Anamaria Davidescu delivered a keynote speech titled “Two Faces of the Same Coin: Exploring the Multilateral Perspective of Informality in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals. Fostering Formal Work with Digital Tools” at the 7th International Conference on Digital Economy. In her talk, Professor Davidescu delved into the complex dynamics between informal economies and sustainable development, examining how digital tools can play a transformative role in promoting formal employment.

The study explored the dual nature of informality, discussing its challenges and impacts on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The insights promise to shed light on how digital innovations can bridge gaps within informal sectors, offering pathways toward inclusive growth and a more resilient digital economy. Professor Davidescu’s perspective was invaluable for anyone interested in the intersection of economic informality, digital transformation, and sustainable development as she highlighted the obstacles and opportunities ahead.

IRDL’s Contribution in 2024 (Morocco):

At the 9th International Conference on Digital Economy (ICDEc 2024) held in Rabat, Morocco from May 9–11, Prof.  Adriana AnaMaria Davidescu of the Bucharest University of Economic Studies chaired the special session “Exploring the Nexus of Digital and Sustainable Economies in Developing States,” steering interdisciplinary dialogue on how digital transformation can drive sustainable economic growth in emerging regions.

Presented papers:

1. Digitalization and Shadow Economy. A Literature Review
   Authors: Cristina Maria Geambasu, Eduard Mihai Manta and Margareta-Stela Florescu
   This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of 72 Web of Science publications to map how digitalization has reshaped research on the shadow (informal) economy. Using keywords such as “digitalization,” “shadow economy,” and “informal sector,” it tracks thematic shifts over time and visualizes the field’s intellectual structure. The analysis identifies Kurniawan T.A., Othman M.H.D., and Goh H.H. as the most influential authors, and highlights “Journal of Cleaner Production,” “Financial and Credit Activity – Problems of Theory and Practice,” and “Sustainability” as the leading outlets for this research. Overall, the study illuminates key contributors and publication venues driving the dialogue on digitalization’s impact on informal economic activity.
2. Is there a relationship between shadow economy, digitalization and sustainable development? Insights from a national and regional bibliometric analysis
   Authors: Marina-Diana Agafiței and Adriana Anamaria Davidescu
   This bibliometric study of Web of Science articles (1992–2023) on the shadow and regional shadow economy—using R’s Biblioshiny and Bibliometrix—finds a marked publication spike in 2016 alongside the UN’s SDGs and a peak in 2021 driven by COVID-19–accelerated digitalization, with recent research increasingly centering on themes like digital economy, financial development, innovation, e-waste, impact, and globalization.

IDRL’s Contribution in 2025 (Tunis):

At the 10th International Conference on Digital Economy (ICDEc 2025) in Tunis, Professor Adriana AnaMaria Davidescu delivered the keynote “Invisible Transactions, Visible Patterns: Interdisciplinary Synergies to Tackle Informality in the Digital Age,” where she showcased how merging insights from data science, econometrics, and sustainable development can illuminate and address hidden economic activity. 

Presented papers:

1. Governance and Digitalization: Exploring the Impact of E-Government Development on Sustainability Metrics
   Authors: Adriana Anamaria Davidescu, Ioana Birlan, Eduard Mihai Manta
   Using panel data (2003–2021) and machine learning, this study shows that incorporating e-government performance (EGDI) into traditional sovereign ESG indicators not only better predicts national sustainability (SDG Index) but also correlates with reduced economic informality by formalizing hidden transactions. These results underscore the necessity of integrating digital governance into ESG frameworks for more accurate assessments of a country’s resilience and stability.
2. Measuring AI Adoption Readiness in the Digital Era: A Composite Index Approach with PLS and PCA
   Authors: Cristina Maria Geambasu, Adriana AnamariaDavidescu, Eduard Mihai Manta, Mihail Busu
   This study develops a composite index of AI and digitalization readiness for 28 European countries using Eurobarometer 95.2 (2021) data and methods like PLS, PCA, and Elastic Net regression. The results reveal diverse readiness profiles—shaped by legislative frameworks, ethical considerations, and digital initiatives—and offer policymakers a quantitative tool to guide future AI strategies. By highlighting how AI and digital infrastructure can formalize economic activities and reduce informality, this index also informs efforts to integrate hidden transactions into the formal economy.
3. Digital Technologies and Informal Market Transactions: Who Buys and What Drives Their Choices?
   Authors: Rim Jallouli, Adriana Anamaria Davidescu, Eduard Mihai Manta, Marina-Diana Agafiței
   This study investigates how digital technologies and socio-demographic factors drive purchasing behaviors in EU informal markets by statistically matching Undeclared Work and Digital Technologies Eurobarometer data and applying Random Forest models. The results highlight digital infrastructure and accessibility as key determinants, offering evidence-based insights for policies to formalize informal transactions.
4. Shadow Economies in the Digital Age: A LASSO Approach to Measuring the Impact of Digitalization on Informality in Central and Eastern European Countries
   Authors: Diana Agafitei, Maria-Bianca Bolboașă, Adriana Anamaria Davidescu
   This Best Paper Award–winning study uses LASSO analysis of 2005–2022 data for 11 Central and Eastern European countries to show that governance—especially the rule of law—has the strongest negative effect on informal economy size, while digitalization measures (mobile subscriptions and internet use) exert minor yet consistent impacts, underscoring the need to pair legal reforms with digital initiatives to curb informality.