Science Research Management

Science Research Management ›› 2026, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (1): 11-24.DOI: 10.19571/j.cnki.1000-2995.2026.01.002

• 6561D43B-1C2 • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Fundamental issues of data value: A literature review and research prospects

Qin Haolang1, Xiao Yangao1, Tang Jiaodong1, Li Daitian1,2, Liu Yulin1   

  1. 1.School of Management and Economics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu 611731, Sichuan, China; 
    2. China Institute for Science and Technology Policy, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China

  • Received:2025-07-30 Revised:2025-11-25 Accepted:2025-11-25 Online:2026-01-20 Published:2026-01-12

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Abstract:   Realizing the value of data elements constitutes both a significant theoretical issue and an urgent practical demand for enterprise development in the digital economy era. This study systematically reviewed the literature on data value published between 1991 and 2024 in the fields of management and law. Drawing on the grounded theory for data coding, it distilled three fundamental questions of data value: which categories of data are of value? What forms of value can be derived from data? How is the value of data realized? The three issues respectively correspond to the value attributes of data, contents of data value, and the mechanisms by which that value is realized. The research indicated that: (1) The value attributes of data manifest as inherent intangibility, technical reusability, increasing returns to scale in economic terms, and limited exclusivity of rights; (2) The value of data encompasses economic, social, and political dimensions. From the perspectives of data stakeholders, namely data operators, data providers, and data governors, their respective value objectives are to enhance productive efficiency, achieve digital equity, and ensure data security; (3) The mechanism for realizing data value primarily encompasses the stages of value creation, value circulation, and value distribution. Data value creation is fundamentally grounded in data standardization, which specifically includes the assetization, productization, and capitalization of data. The circulation of data value faces pressing challenges in pricing, necessitating the orderly advancement of data trading, openness, and sharing. Through initial allocation and subsequent redistribution of data value, improvements in economic efficiency and the realization of social equity can be promoted. Finally, the paper outlined prospective research directions concerning the theoretical frameworks and methodologies underlying the systemic operation and realization mechanisms of data value.

Key words: data value, value attribute, value content, value realization