DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT INDICATORS SYSTEM AS A TOOL FOR MANAGING TRANSFORMATION PROCESSES IN THE ECONOMY OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The article explores theoretical and methodological principles and practical approaches to developing methodological tools for assessing the processes of digital transformation in the national economy. In today’s conditions of global challenges and threats, digitalization is not only a driver of technological progress, but also a factor in the economic security and resilience of the state. However, the dynamic nature of digital transformation requires a transition from fragmented implementation of IT solutions to data-based system management, making the development of an appropriate system of indicators relevant. The study analyzes the essence of digital transformation and its impact on modern management paradigms. Based on a critical analysis of international methodologies (DESI, GII, EGDI), an author’s hierarchical system of indicators is proposed, which structures digital development according to four groups of indicators: infrastructure, economic, institutional, and social. Each group contains a set of verified indicators that allow assessing both the resource provision (inputs) and the effectiveness (outputs) of digital reforms. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the development of an algorithm for calculating the integral index of digital development, which involves data normalization, which ensures the reduction of heterogeneous indicators to a comparable scale, as well as further weighted aggregation of group components into a single generalizing indicator. Practical testing of the methodology on the example of Ukraine made it possible to identify the structural asymmetry of digital development, which is manifested in the uneven level of digital infrastructure development, institutional capacity and digital activity of individual sectors of the economy. In particular, a high level of institutional convergence with European standards in the field of e-government was revealed, while a significant lag was observed in the digitalization of the real sector of the economy and in the use of cloud technologies by business. A comparative analysis of the indicators of Ukraine and the European Union countries was carried out, which allowed us to identify the strategic gap and formulate priority areas of the state’s digital development. It is proven that the implementation of the proposed system of indicators in the strategic planning processes will allow public administration bodies and business entities to make decisions based on empirical data, monitor the achievement of digital transformation KPIs and effectively integrate the national economy into a single EU digital space. Conclusions are formulated regarding the need to stimulate internal digital diffusion in the business environment and the development of the population’s cognitive capital as a prerequisite for sustainable economic recovery.