APPROACHES TO ASSESSING THE LEVEL OF DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIGITAL ECONOMY THROUGH A SYSTEM OF INDICES

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to substantiate approaches to assessing the development of the digital economy through the system of indices underlying various international rankings. Research methodology. The study used the methods of logical and structural analysis, generalisation, grouping, systematisation and comparison. Results. The article provides a brief description and methodology for calculating the existing indices for assessing the development of the digital economy: the ICT Development Index, the Huawei Global Networking Index, the e-Government Development Index, the Digital Economy and Society Index, the International Digital Economy and Society Index, the Boston Consulting Group Digitalisation Index, the Global Digital Competitiveness Index, the Global Innovation Index, the Digital Evolution Index, and the National Cybersecurity Index. Ukraine's place in the rankings based on these indices is shown. A table of data on the level of development of information and communication technologies in Ukraine according to international indices and ratings is compiled. The data table shows insignificant fluctuations in the ICT development index over the previous two years, a significant drop in Ukraine's ranking in the Global Innovation Index, and a positive increase in the e-government development index. Practical significance of the results. Today, international rankings serve as an important source of information on the development of information and communication technologies in different countries, provide a complete picture of development trends and generally show the level of development of the digital economy. In addition, the methodology for calculating almost all global indices does not include a country's assessment of its participation in research related to advanced technologies. There is a clear lack of indices that would assess not only how a country implements the latest advances in telecommunications infrastructure, but also what contribution it makes to the development of artificial intelligence, blockchain, the Internet of Things, etc. There are also no indicators that can measure the level of digitalisation of certain sectors of the economy and services. This necessitates further research.