Inovacije kao faktor razvoja industrije

Abstract

Innovation is central to economic development and change in its structure. Innovation can be extremely diverse, and, according to the undivided opinion of economic researchers, it dominantly shapes practically all areas of economic activity, including the industrial sector. Relations between innovation and industrial development are extremely complex and often contradictory. This paper analyzes the development of industry on a global scale in the period 1970-2014, by looking at the trend of share of industry in creating a global newly added value, share of industry employees in the structure of total employment, and the share of industrial exports in the value of total exports of individual countries. The analyzed countries are classified into four groups: industrialized economies, economies in the process of industrialization, other developing economies, and least developed economies. By applying statistical and econometric research methods, it is proven that emerging countries, which are at the stage of accelerated industrialization, increase the share of industry in creating a global newly added value, that changes in the level of industry value added, trends in the number of employees, and the structure of exports over time indicate the direction and speed of industrialization and de-industrialization of the world countries. Furthermore, empirical analysis has shown that the growth of the share of innovation-intensive products in the global industry export implies the conclusion of the positive impact of innovation on the development of this area of production. The economic crisis of 2008 had a negative impact on innovation and growth in industrial production, where countries undergoing the process of premature de-industrialization were particularly affected. It is proven that the dynamic technological advances in industry lead to faster productivity growth in it, compared to other sectors of the economy, which, as a rule, means a reduction in the share of industry in total employment. The results of research and development activities, expressed as a number of patent applications per million inhabitants, have had a positive impact on the trend of industrial production in the European Union countries in the period 2003-2010.