INNOVATION AND INSTITUTIONAL DETERMINANTS OF THE COMPETITIVE POSITION OF UKRAINE'S CREATIVE INDUSTRIES: AN INDEX-BASED ASSESSMENT

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to assess the innovation and institutional determinants shaping the competitive position of Ukraine's creative industries in the global creative economy. The study focuses on identifying the key strengths and constraints of the innovation and institutional environment influencing their development and competitiveness. Methodology. The study applies an index-based approach using the Global Innovation Index (GII) and the International Property Rights Index (IPRI). The empirical analysis covers selected years during 2010–2025 and examines changes in Ukraine's ranking positions and selected index components related to the development of creative industries. The results of the index-based assessment are systematized through a SWOT analysis to identify the main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats affecting the competitive position of Ukraine's creative industries in the global environment. Results. The analysis reveals a persistent asymmetry between Ukraine's innovation inputs and innovation outputs, with stronger positions generally observed in innovation outputs. Relatively favorable positions are identified in knowledge creation, information and communication technologies, and selected components of creative outputs. At the same time, weaknesses in the institutional environment, human-capital development, innovation linkages, and intellectual property protection constrain the realization of Ukraine's creative and innovation potential. The findings indicate a gap between the country's capacity to generate knowledge and creative outputs and its institutional capacity to protect, commercialize, and capitalize intellectual assets, thereby constraining the competitive position of Ukraine's creative industries in the global creative economy. Practical implications. Strengthening the competitive position of Ukraine's creative industries requires improving the institutional environment, intellectual property protection, human-capital development, and innovation linkages. Addressing these constraints can facilitate the transformation of existing creative and innovation potential into sustainable economic value and strengthen the position of Ukraine's creative industries in global markets. Value / originality. The combined application of innovation and property rights indices provides a multidimensional perspective on the determinants shaping the competitive position of Ukraine's creative industries and reveals the structural gap between creative potential and the institutional capacity for its economic realization.