INNOVATION ECOSYSTEMS AND THE MODERNIZATION OF HIGH-TECH PRODUCTION AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL IN UKRAINE

Анотація

Amidst the new challenges facing Ukraine’s economy, the problem of finding and implementing effective tools for structural modernization and the transition from a resource-based to a high-tech economic model has become a pressing strategic imperative. A key mechanism for this modernization is the formation of robust regional innovation ecosystems. According to established theoretical approaches, these ecosystems are not merely a collection of separate structural elements, but rather dynamic systems of interconnected economic and social actors, institutions and relationships that, through cooperation and competition networks, foster the creation of innovations, attract investment, and enhance economic competitiveness. The article contributes to the literature by providing a rare empirical assessment of ecosystem effectiveness in a country undergoing extreme external shocks and post-war transformation. The purpose of this paper is to quantitatively assess the impact of key infrastructural elements of these ecosystems (specifically, science parks, technology parks, and innovation platforms) on the volume of high-tech production across the regions of Ukraine. The empirical analysis is based on statistical data for 25 regions of Ukraine for the year 2023. A significant methodological challenge arises from the nature of the dependent variable, as a substantial portion of regions (5 out of 25) report zero high-tech output. This data censoring renders standard Ordinary Least Squares regression models susceptible to sample selection bias. To obtain consistent and unbiased estimates, this study employs an econometric Tobit model, which is specifically designed to handle such censored data structures. The independent variables quantify the presence of the aforementioned infrastructural objects. The results of the econometric analysis provide strong empirical support for the central research hypothesis: considered types of innovation infrastructure have a positive and statistically significant impact on the volume of high-tech production. The findings reveal a distinct hierarchy of influence among these elements. Science parks emerge as the most powerful driver, exhibiting the largest and most statistically significant positive effect. This result underscores their pivotal role in creating an effective environment for innovation generation by bridging the gap between academia and industry. While their impact is comparatively smaller, innovation technology platforms and technology parks also contribute substantially to the regional development of the high-tech sector, confirming their importance as valuable, complementary components of a comprehensive innovation ecosystem. The study’s conclusions offer significant theoretical and practical implications. Theoretically, the results empirically validate the core tenets of the innovation ecosystem framework, demonstrating that the effectiveness of infrastructure is contingent upon its ability to foster and institutionalize productive “relationships” between key “actors” (science institutions and business). The superior impact of science parks confirms that synergistic effects are most potent at the intersection of fundamental knowledge and its practical commercialization. From a policy perspective, these findings provide a crucial, evidence-based foundation for prioritizing state interventions. For a nation focused on postwar economic recovery, the research suggests that innovation policy should be strategically directed towards cultivating deep, collaborative linkages rather than merely increasing the number of isolated infrastructural objects. This approach is critical for ensuring the efficient allocation of limited resources and achieving sustainable, innovation-driven modernization.

Класифікація

Ідентифікатори

Схожі роботи