Measuring technological development and sovereignty

Abstract

The article discusses the issue of measuring technological sovereignty, which is essential for developing a scientific and technical strategy to enhance Russia’s technological independence. Index methods do not provide an accurate representation of the level of technological sovereignty. Solving this problem requires assessing the efficiency of economic technologies. The aim of the study is to explain the direct (non-indexed) method of measuring technology sovereignty, taking into account qualitative features of technologies. The study employs the theory of technological change and empirical regression analysis and uses statistical data from the Russian economy as its information base. A general algorithm for measuring technological independence is proposed. It is applied to each technological area separately, considering the qualitative characteristics of the technologies used. An indicator for assessing the level of producibility is calculated based on the ratio of innovative to non-innovative products and services. The impact of investments in new and old technologies on this indicator is assessed, allowing to obtain a structural picture of Russia’s technological development and renewal. The general conclusion is that investments in new technologies have not been a determining factor in increasing the level of producibility for the Russian economy. The measurement of technological sovereignty requires changes to the federal statistical system for tracking technological development. This would not only allow for a more accurate quantification of the superiority of domestically produced technologies over imported ones but would also reflect the qualitative aspects of potential dependence on foreign technologies in a more comprehensive way. It is important to identify the balance between new and obsolete technologies, as well as between domestic and foreign-produced technologie