A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF UZBEKISTAN’S INNOVATION EFFICIENCY: EVALUATING GII OUTPUT–INPUT RATIOS RELATIVE TO LEADING AND EMERGING INNOVATIVE ECONOMIES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17697070Keywords:
innovation efficiency, Global Innovation Index (GII), Uzbekistan, comparative analysis, innovation policy, R&D commercialization, national innovation systemAbstract
Utilizing Global Innovation Index (GII) data, this study evaluates Uzbekistan’s innovation efficiency between
2020 and 2025 and compares it with top overperformers (India, Viet Nam, Morocco), regional peers (Kazakhstan,
Azerbaijan), and global leaders (Switzerland, Sweden, United States). Uzbekistan’s GII ranking improved to 79th in 2025,
yet its innovation outputs remain significantly weaker than its inputs, resulting in an average output–input efficiency gap
of –23 ranks. While Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan underperform relative to their potential, India, Viet Nam, and Morocco
exceed expectations based on their input levels. The main challenge for Uzbekistan is not investment scarcity but low
commercialization of research due to weak industry–science linkages and limited high-tech exports. The study concludes
that Uzbekistan must strengthen national innovation system coordination, attract foreign investment, and expand sectorspecific
venture capital to foster an innovation-driven economy
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