THE IMPACT OF IT EXPORTS ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF UKRAINE AND EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

Abstract

Information technologies have become an integral part of the modern economic environment and social life in Ukraine and the EU. The development of the IT industry in various countries demonstrates significant potential to stimulate economic growth. The article is aimed at assessing the impact of IT exports on the macroeconomic indicators of Ukraine, Poland, Estonia and Germany in order to formulate recommendations for the development of the IT industry in Ukraine. The study examines the impact of the export of IT services on GDP, GDP per capita, foreign direct investment and unemployment rate on the example of these countries by calculating the Fechner correlation coefficient. Based on the analysis of data from 2012-2022, it has been discovered that IT exports have a considerable positive impact on GDP and GDP per capita. In EU countries, the export of IT services also positively influences FDI attraction and the employment level. Despite the growth in the export of IT services, Ukraine shows adverse tendencies in the FDI volumes and increasing unemployment. In Ukraine, there is an inverse weak relationship between the amount of FDI and the IT service exports (Fechner correlation coefficient -0.2727) and a direct moderate relationship with the unemployment rate (Fechner correlation coefficient 0.4545). Considering the complexity of the challenges to the functioning of the economy during the war, the IT sector alone is unable to negate the impact of all threats to the economy of Ukraine. However, the share of IT exports in the total volume of service exports in Ukraine amounted to more than 45% in 2022. That is, on the one hand, the IT sector is developing despite the war (somewhat slower in 2022 compared to previous years); while on the other hand, a strong imbalance remains in Ukraine regarding the predominant increase in the export of IT sector services. According to the results of a comparative analysis with EU countries, we can say that the export of IT services can become a driver of investment attractiveness and decrease unemployment in Ukraine in the future.

Keywords

• IT business
• IT export
• EU countries
• unemployment
• foreign direct investment
• GDP