Digital Public Goods: Concepts, Frameworks, Applications, and Future Directions
Author(s): 1 Pritesh Patil, 2 Dr Sheetal Mali
Authors Affiliations:
1 Research scholar, The Department of Business and Industrial Management, VNSGU, Surat, India
2 Dr Sheetal Mali , Temporary Assistant professor , Department of rural studies, VNSGU, Surat, India
DOIs:10.2017/IJRCS/202603014 | Paper ID: IJRCS202603014Digital public goods (DPGs) have gained considerable traction in global policy and development circles as a mechanism for advancing equitable, sustainable, and inclusive development worldwide. Broadly defined as open-source software, open data, open content, open artificial intelligence models, and open standards that adhere to privacy, security, and other applicable best practices, DPGs represent a transformative category of digital resources capable of addressing some of the most pressing developmental challenges of the twenty-first century. This review article synthesizes the extant literature on DPGs, tracing the evolution of the concept from its theoretical underpinnings in public goods economics to its contemporary operationalization through international frameworks such as the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA) Standard. The article examines prominent sectoral applications in health, education, and public administration, drawing on case studies such as the District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2) and OpenMRS. It also analyzes key challenges surrounding governance, sustainability, financing, data privacy, and digital inclusion, while discussing emerging policy directions. The review concludes that while DPGs hold significant promise as engines of development, their full potential can only be realized through coherent international coordination, robust domestic policy environments, sustainable funding mechanisms, and a commitment to inclusive design
Pritesh Patil, Dr Sheetal Mali (2026); Digital Public Goods: Concepts, Frameworks, Applications, and Future Directions, International Journal of Research Culture Society, ISSN(O): 2456-6683, Volume – 10, Issue – 3, Available on – https://ijrcs.org/
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