Taxation of the Digital Economy: Assessing the Challenges and Opportunities for Governments and Multinational Corporations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.62207/w6qes127Keywords:
Digital economy taxation, Taxable Income, Cross-Border Transaction Management, International Collaboration, Digital Tax Solutions.Abstract
This research reveals the challenges and opportunities in digital economy taxation and their application to tax policy and global business practices. The analysis was carried out through in-depth literature observations on key aspects, including tax revenue determination, cross-border transaction management, international collaboration, and digital tax solutions. Findings show that determining taxable income suffers from a variety of challenges, including prevention, tax planning activities, and optimization errors. On the other hand, cross-transaction management requires careful coordination to maintain data consistency and transaction integrity in complex scenarios. International cooperation is important in overcoming the challenges of digital taxation, although there is no international context in which a satisfactory solution has yet been achieved. The study also identifies methodological limitations and promising areas of future research, including geographic expansion, broader sector analysis, and exploring new technologies in tax administration.
References
Abeliansky, A. and Hilbert, M. (2017). Digital technology and international trade: is it the quantity of subscriptions or the quality of data speed that matters?. Telecommunications Policy, 41(1), 35-48. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.telpol.2016.11.001
Abendin, S. and Duan, P. (2021). International trade and economic growth in africa: the role of the digital economy. Cogent Economics & Finance, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2021.1911767
Akhmetshin, E., Barmuta, K., Vasilev, V., Okagbue, H., & Ijezie, O. (2020). Principal directions of digital transformation of higher education system in sustainable education. E3s Web of Conferences, 208, 09042. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202020809042
Ardin, G. (2021). Taxing digital advertising: a proposal to indonesia. Scientax, 3(1), 1-28. https://doi.org/10.52869/st.v3i1.103
Astuti, R. and Udjianto, D. (2023). The impact of digital economy on economic growth in southeast asia. International Journal of Advanced Economics, 5(1), 10-17. https://doi.org/10.51594/ijae.v5i1.430
Bilozubenko, V., Yatchuk, O., Wolanin, E., Serediuk, T., & Korneyev, M. (2020). Comparison of the digital economy development parameters in the eu countries in the context of bridging the digital divide. Problems and Perspectives in Management, 18(2), 206-218. https://doi.org/10.21511/ppm.18(2).2020.18
Blomquist, S. and Newey, W. (2017). The bunching estimator cannot identify the taxable income elasticity.. https://doi.org/10.1920/wp.cem.2017.4017
Bornman, M. and Wassermann, M. (2020). Tax knowledge for the digital economy. Journal of Economic and Financial Sciences, 13(1). https://doi.org/10.4102/jef.v13i1.461
Browne, J. and Phillips, D. (2017). Estimating the size and nature of responses to changes in income tax rates on top incomes in the uk: a panel analysis.. https://doi.org/10.1920/wp.ifs.2017.w1713
Budak, T. (2017). Uluslararasi vergi̇ reji̇mi̇ni̇n dönüşümü: di̇ji̇tal ekonomi̇. İnönü Üniversitesi Hukuk Fakültesi Dergisi, 297-330. https://doi.org/10.21492/inuhfd.354397
Castillo, R., Villa, H., Encinas, E., Hernandez, J., & Mandocdoc, M. (2022). End user computing satisfaction on digital trade facilitation in the philippines. Journal of Innovation Information Technology and Application (Jinita), 4(1), 21-31. https://doi.org/10.35970/jinita.v4i1.1102
Deng, X., Meng, G., & Liu, Y. (2023). Digital economy development and the urban-rural income gap: evidence from chinese cities. Plos One, 18(2), e0280225. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280225
Devereux, M., Auerbach, A., Keen, M., Oosterhuis, P., Schön, W., & Vella, J. (2021). Taxing profit in a global economy.. https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780198808060.001.0001
Di, Y., Zhi, R., Song, H., & Zhang, L. (2022). Development and influencing factors of international trade in digitally deliverable services. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.908420
Ermolaev, K., Trubetskaya, O., Shnyakin, K., & Pavlova, J. (2019). Platforms and tendencies for the development of the digital economy in russia. SHS Web of Conferences, 62, 01001. https://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20196201001
Fang, W. (2023). Tax certainty in the digital economy in the perspective of a two-pillar program. Modern Economics & Management Forum, 4(4), 85. https://doi.org/10.32629/memf.v4i4.1401
Geringer, S. (2020). National digital taxes – lessons from europe. South African Journal of Accounting Research, 35(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/10291954.2020.1727083
Geringer, S. (2020). National digital taxes – lessons from europe. South African Journal of Accounting Research, 35(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1080/10291954.2020.1727083
Guo, Y., Zou, T., & Shan, Z. (2022). Taxation strategies for the governance of digital business model—an example of china. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.1013228
Hermawan, P. (2022). A study of trust base voluntary tax compliance through tax administration digital transformation in indonesia. International Journal of Current Science Research and Review, 05(08). https://doi.org/10.47191/ijcsrr/v5-i8-53
Hou, J., Bai, W., & Sha, D. (2023). Does the digital economy successfully facilitate carbon emission reduction in china? green technology innovation perspective. Science Technology and Society, 28(4), 535-560. https://doi.org/10.1177/09717218231161235
Hrabčák, L., Popovič, A., & Sabo, J. (2021). Post covid-19 world and potential compensatory tax instruments in the context of the digital economy. Institutiones Administrationis, 1(2), 26-34. https://doi.org/10.54201/iajas.v1i2.20
Hrabčák, L. and Popovič, A. (2020). On certain issues of digital services taxes. Financial Law Review, (1 (4)), 52-69. https://doi.org/10.4467/22996834flr.20.004.12045
Hu, F., Qiu, L., Xi, X., Zhou, H., Hu, T., Su, N., … & Wei, S. (2022). Has covid-19 changed china's digital trade?—implications for health economics. Frontiers in Public Health, 10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2022.831549
Hu, Y., Zhou, H., Yan, B., Zhou, Z., & Li, Y. (2022). An assessment of china’s digital trade development and influencing factors. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.837885
Ivanov, I. (2022). Can we talk about digital economy taxation without improved administrative cooperation between countries?. Pravni Zapisi, 13(2), 475-499. https://doi.org/10.5937/pravzap0-41045
Jin, P. and Li, G. (2022). Deterrence or conformity?—an analysis of digital economy taxpayer compliance behavior based on prospect theory. Frontiers in Psychology, 13. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.967715
Laitinen, E. and Laitinen, T. (2017). Does actual taxable income contain valuable information for shareholders? evidence from finland. Archives of Business Research, 5(10). https://doi.org/10.14738/abr.510.3692
Latif, L. (2021). The evolving ‘thunder’. International Journal of Digital Technology & Economy, 4(1), 34-50. https://doi.org/10.31785/ijdte.4.1.4
Li, B. and Su, Z. (2022). Research on the development path of china's digital trade under the background of the digital economy. Journal of Internet and Digital Economics, 2(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1108/jide-10-2021-0010
Li, T. and Yang, L. (2021). The effects of tax reduction and fee reduction policies on the digital economy. Sustainability, 13(14), 7611. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13147611
Lyaskovskaya, E. and Khudyakova, T. (2021). Sharing economy: for or against sustainable development. Sustainability, 13(19), 11056. https://doi.org/10.3390/su131911056
Ma, S., Guo, J., & Zhang, H. (2019). Policy analysis and development evaluation of digital trade: an international comparison. China & World Economy, 27(3), 49-75. https://doi.org/10.1111/cwe.12280
Mastuki, N. and Bardai, B. (2009). Book‐tax difference and value relevance of taxable income: malaysian evidence. Journal of Financial Reporting and Accounting, 7(2), 19-40. https://doi.org/10.1108/19852510980000002
Mpofu, F. (2022). Taxation of the digital economy and direct digital service taxes: opportunities, challenges, and implications for african countries. Economies, 10(9), 219. https://doi.org/10.3390/economies10090219
Mpofu, F. and Moloi, T. (2022). Direct digital services taxes in africa and the canons of taxation. Laws, 11(4), 57. https://doi.org/10.3390/laws11040057
Ndhlovu, J. (2023). A principles – based assessment of the quality of zimbabwe’s direct tax policy for the digital economy. Tijab (The International Journal of Applied Business), 7(1), 31-49. https://doi.org/10.20473/tijab.v7.i1.2023.40000
Ntiamoah, J. and Asare, J. (2020). Taxation of digital business transactions: challenges and prospects for developing economies. Journal of Economics and Public Finance, 6(3), p38. https://doi.org/10.22158/jepf.v6n3p38
Nurova, O. and Freze, T. (2021). Competitive advantage of the sustainable digital economy. E3s Web of Conferences, 250, 06004. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202125006004
Olbert, M. and Spengel, C. (2019). Taxation in the digital economy – recent policy developments and the question of value creation. SSRN Electronic Journal. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3368092
Pandey, K., Yadav, S., & Sharma, S. (2023). Drivers of tax avoidance by mnes in the developing countries under the digital economy: a modified-tism approach. Journal of Advances in Management Research, 20(5), 896-919. https://doi.org/10.1108/jamr-02-2023-0025
Pavelko, O. (2023). Digital economy: place of ukraine in global trends of sustainable development. Iop Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science, 1254(1), 012085. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1254/1/012085
Peeters, B. and Waeytens, S. (2022). The united nation's response to the digitalisation of the economy: the introduction of article 12b into the un model tax convention., 249-274. https://doi.org/10.26481/mup.22001.16
Pizhuk, O., Lazebnyk, L., & Mamonova, H. (2022). Digitalization’s effect on the sectoral structure change in the economy: a comparative analysis of ukraine and selected countries. Comparative Economic Research Central and Eastern Europe, 25(2), 21-43. https://doi.org/10.18778/1508-2008.25.11
Ponomareva, K. (2021). Digital services taxes: the international experience and relevance for the russian federation. Kutafin Law Review, 8(2), 314-330. https://doi.org/10.17803/2313-5395.2021.2.16.314-330
Ponomareva, K. (2022). Analysis of the oecd a nd the united nations’ approaches to developing an international consensus on reforming the rules of taxation of digital services. Kutafin Law Review, 9(3), 564-585. https://doi.org/10.17803/2713-0525.2022.3.21.564-585
Romer, C. and Romer, D. (2012). The incentive effects of marginal tax rates: evidence from the interwar era.. https://doi.org/10.3386/w17860
Rongping, M., Fentaw, N., & Zhang, L. (2023). Tax evasion, psychological egoism, and revenue collection performance: evidence from amhara region, ethiopia. Frontiers in Psychology, 14. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1045537
Solodovnik, A., Savkin, V., Sidorenko, O., Buraeva, E., & Bogachev, A. (2022). Improving the environmental management system to ensure sustainable development of the agricultural sector in a circular economy. Iop Conference Series Earth and Environmental Science, 981(2), 022038. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/981/2/022038
Sturgeon, T. (2019). Upgrading strategies for the digital economy. Global Strategy Journal, 11(1), 34-57. https://doi.org/10.1002/gsj.1364
Su, Y., Li, Z., & Yang, C. (2021). Spatial interaction spillover effects between digital financial technology and urban ecological efficiency in china: an empirical study based on spatial simultaneous equations. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(16), 8535. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168535
Sutherland, W. and Jarrahi, M. (2018). The sharing economy and digital platforms: a review and research agenda. International Journal of Information Management, 43, 328-341. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2018.07.004
Ting, A. and Gray, S. (2019). The rise of the digital economy: rethinking the taxation of multinational enterprises. Journal of International Business Studies, 50(9), 1656-1667. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41267-019-00223-x
Usman, I. and Saha, T. (2022). An overview of tax challenges of digital economy. Asia‐pacific Journal of Management and Technology, 03(02), 56-63. https://doi.org/10.46977/apjmt.2022v03i02.005
Xianbin, T. and Wu, Q. (2021). Sustainable digital economy through good governance: mediating roles of social reforms and economic policies. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.773022
Ye, Z. and Tong, Y. (2022). The influence of digital transformation of foreign trade enterprises on their business performance. Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society, 2022, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/2177689
Zhang, L., Pan, A., Feng, S., & Qin, Y. (2022). Digital economy, technological progress, and city export trade. Plos One, 17(6), e0269314. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0269314
Zu, Y. (2021). Developing vat treaties: international tax cooperation in times of global recovery. Legal Studies, 42(1), 159-177. https://doi.org/10.1017/lst.2021.37
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Lenny M. Posumah (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

















