Akademik Məlumat İdarəetmə Sistemi
Regional Statistics, vol.15, no.6, pp.1103-1123, 2025 (ESCI, Scopus)
The Visegrad (V4) countries experienced rapid economic growth from the mid-1990s until the 2008 global financial crisis. While growth resumed after the crisis, its pace has not been strong enough to achieve convergence with advanced economies. This study examines the impact of technological capabilities on economic growth in V4 countries. First, the evolution of two technological capabilities – implementation and design capabilities – is analysed. Subsequently, their impact on economic growth is assessed. The Toda–Yamamoto causality test results indicate that the accumulation of implementation capability (IC) precedes the development of design capability (DC). Panel quantile regression estimates show that implementation capability drives economic growth at lower income levels, while design capability becomes more influential at higher income levels. Foreign direct investment (FDI)-led growth in V4 countries primarily relies on implementation capability, but this model has reached its limits. At this stage of development, design capability is crucial for catching up with advanced economies by fostering new technologies and business models on a global scale. Therefore, governments should recognize this economic shift and implement measures to strengthen design capability.