REGIONAL FEATURES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE SMART ECONOMY OF UKRAINE IN THE CONTEXT OF GLOBAL DIGITALISATION TRENDS

Abstract

The digitisation of economic activity is a pivotal factor in enhancing the productivity, transparency and innovation of business processes, ensuring rapid data exchange and access to global markets. It has been demonstrated that the aforementioned factors contribute to the creation of new business models, reduce transaction costs and form competitive advantages in the global digital economy. The article examines the peculiarities of the implementation of digitalisation policies in developed countries, identifies the peculiarities of the innovation development strategy, and conducts a comparative analysis of existing approaches in developed countries. The identification of salient features thus enabled an analysis of Ukraine's digitalisation policy in the context of prevailing global trends and the ongoing state of war. The research was conducted through the administration of surveys to business representatives regarding their collaboration with other stakeholders and the extent of their utilisation of digitalisation and digital recovery policies in the process of rebuilding and relocating businesses. Digitalisation is emerging as a pivotal catalyst for regional advancement in Ukraine, fostering the establishment of a smart economy, even within regions that have traditionally experienced limited development. In the contemporary geopolitical landscape, characterised by profound challenges related to military situations and the pressing need for strategies focused on post-war recovery, this process assumes a particularly salient role. A multi-level approach to digital transformation is dictated by the specific characteristics of Ukraine's regions, which demonstrate varying degrees of readiness to implement modern digital solutions. Western regions, including Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Ternopil, are distinguished by their accelerated development in digital services, advanced logistics, educational technologies, and the establishment of IT clusters. This progress establishes the basis for the subsequent scaling of their achievements and the integration of regional successes into the national context. The central part of the country is characterised by significant opportunities for the digitalisation of the agro-industrial complex and industrial sectors, where the latest technologies can become a key factor in productivity growth and production process optimisation. Conversely, the Eastern and Southern regions encounter a multitude of obstacles that impede their digital advancement. In this context, it is imperative to implement measures that will result in a substantial enhancement of the infrastructure base, with particular emphasis on the domains of energy, public safety, and the acquisition of technical equipment to augment production capacities. The establishment of a smart economy necessitates a bespoke approach to each region, with consideration for numerous factors, including natural resources, the digital competence of the population, human resources, and the investment attractiveness of the territories. The successful implementation and development of these approaches is significantly influenced by public-private partnerships. The present interaction facilitates the implementation of projects that are intended to develop infrastructure, establish modern industrial parks, launch innovative startups and prepare educational programmes with the aim of deepening digital literacy. The advent of global digitalisation trends has engendered a plethora of novel prospects for Ukraine to integrate into the European Union's digital sphere, to attract foreign technological investment, and to establish competitive smart regions on the international stage. In the context of martial law, the introduction of smart solutions is becoming a critically important means of managing urban infrastructure, ensuring uninterrupted business operations, and guaranteeing the availability of digital services to the population. The efficacy of such models is contingent upon the implementation of multi-level development strategies that are designed to address prevailing impediments and establish sustainable foundations for prosperity within each region.