Leveraging SDG 4 and SDG 5:Digital Knowledge Transfer by MNEs for Marginalised Communities in India’s Emerging Economy

<p class="p1">In an increasingly digitalised global economy, multinational enterprises (MNEs) are under growing pressure to contribute meaningfully to sustainable development. Yet, despite widespread corporate commitments to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), limited empirical evidence exists on whether digital knowledge transfer (DKT) initiatives generate tangible benefits for marginalised communities. This chapter investigates how MNE-led DKT initiatives advance SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth) in the context of India’s emerging economy. <p class="p1">Drawing on qualitative data from five leading information technology MNEs operating in India, the study examines how corporate digital initiatives intersect with national development priorities, including the Digital India Programme. The findings reveal that when DKT initiatives are strategically embedded within both corporate and host-country development agendas, they can enhance digital literacy, improve employability, stimulate entrepreneurship, and foster inclusive economic participation. However, the impact of such initiatives varies depending on the degree of alignment between corporate strategy, government policy, and local community needs. <p class="p1">By moving beyond symbolic corporate social responsibility (CSR) narratives, this chapter demonstrates how MNEs can create sustained developmental value through digitally enabled capability building. The study extends stakeholder theory by repositioning marginalised communities as central beneficiaries rather than peripheral stakeholders and highlights the importance of double accountability—where MNEs are responsible to both shareholders and host-country societies. In doing so, the chapter contributes to international business scholarship by providing a nuanced understanding of how digitalisation can serve as a vehicle for inclusive growth in emerging economies. <br/><b>CONTRIBUTION TO KNOWLEDGE: </b>This chapter advances international business scholarship by providing empirical evidence on how multinational enterprises (MNEs) use digital knowledge transfer (DKT) to support marginalised communities in emerging economies. It extends IB and sustainability research by demonstrating how DKT initiatives contribute to inclusive development outcomes aligned with SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth). The study enriches stakeholder theory by foregrounding marginalised communities as legitimate beneficiaries of MNE activity.<br/><b><br/></b><b>ORIGINALITY: </b>The chapter is original in shifting attention from firm-level spillovers and symbolic CSR to community-centric digital knowledge transfer. Using qualitative archival data from leading IT MNEs in India, it identifies distinct mechanisms—digital liberation, digital economic integration, and digital entrepreneurship—through which MNEs generate sustained developmental impact. This challenges critiques of CSR as superficial and demonstrates how non-proprietary knowledge sharing can deliver societal value without eroding firm competitiveness.<br/><b><br/></b><b>SIGNIFICANCE: </b>The findings are significant for IB research, policy, and practice. They inform policymakers on how MNE–government alignment can support inclusive growth and digital capability building, and guide managers in designing community-responsive DKT strategies. The chapter contributes to debates on sustainable globalisation, industrial development, and responsible MNE behaviour in emerging economies.<br/><b><br/></b><b>RIGOUR: </b>Rigour is demonstrated through systematic qualitative analysis of secondary data using established inductive coding techniques. The study follows principles of methodological fit, transparent data selection, and cross-case synthesis, producing credible and transferable insights grounded in IB and sustainability theory.<br/><b><br/></b><b>LINK TO MY IMPACT:</b>This output contributes directly to my impact narrative on responsible international business and inclusive sustainable development. By identifying how multinational enterprises can deploy digital knowledge transfer to empower marginalised communities, enhance skills, and foster digital entrepreneurship, the chapter aligns with SDG-related objectives such as quality education, decent work, and reduced inequalities. It also underpins policy-relevant engagement with governments, international organisations, and practitioners on designing community-centric digitalisation strategies, reinforcing my system-level impact on evidence-based sustainability policy and responsible research governance.<b><br/></b><br/>