Researchers map twin transition: GBS as key 'operational airlock' for green + digital

Researchers from the arXiv preprint server (2606.12787) have published a paper that systematically maps how multinational corporations (MNCs) can orchestrate the Twin Transition — the simultaneous pursuit of digital transformation and environmental sustainability — through their Global Business Services (GBS) units. Authors Han-Teng Liao and Karen Ang combine Technology Roadmapping (TRM) with the International Telecommunication Union's (ITU) ICT-centric innovation ecosystem toolkit. Using bibliometric analysis of research clusters, they document an evolutionary shift from basic process automation to what they term 'Sustainable Intelligence,' where GBS units act as a central 'operational airlock.' This airlock mediates between landscape pressures (e.g., the EU's dual mandate and Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms) and niche innovations in AI-native workflows.

The study further maps these clusters onto a stakeholder engagement canvas, highlighting how resilient 'Middle Power' hubs — specifically in Poland, Portugal, and Malaysia — are bypassing the middle-income trap to provide a 'third way' for global value chains amid a bifurcated geopolitical cloud. The findings offer a data-driven design approach for leaders and entrepreneurial support networks to orchestrate talent and supply chain flows. The paper enriches the conceptual understanding of Industry 5.0 and positions GBS as a primary mechanism for navigating a volatile, multipolar digital economy, providing actionable insights for C-suite executives and sustainability officers alike.