Share:


Measuring the technological competitiveness of economies with the PTCE method: PRC vs. USA 2000–2020

    Adam Woźnicki Affiliation
    ; Remigiusz Gawlik Affiliation

Abstract

The relationship between China (PRC) and the United States (USA) has reached an unprecedented level of tension, mainly due to economic and technological rivalry. This study introduces an original quantitative method, the Pentagon of Technological Competitiveness of Economy (PTCE) to measure the technological competitiveness of both countries from 2000 to 2020. The findings reveal that while the USA remains a global technological leader, the PRC is emerging as a formidable challenger. Although the USA still holds the lead, signs of decline are visible, while the PRC exhibits a remarkable upward trajectory in technological competitiveness. The findings provide actionable recommendations for policymakers. To reinforce its position as the unrivaled technological leader, the USA should prioritize enhancing capabilities in areas such as patents, scientific articles and the export of high technology and STEM-related products. For the PRC there is an unprecedented opportunity to surpass the USA in technological leadership by strategic investments in research, innovation and human capital development. The novelty of this research lies in two main areas: (i) its significant contribution to competitiveness analysis through the introduction of the PTCE method and (ii) its provision of a comprehensive assessment of the shifting technological dynamics between the USA and the PRC.

Keyword : competitiveness of economy, technology-based economies, public management, USA, PRC, comparative advantage, technological landscape, PTCE, innovation, human capital development

How to Cite
Woźnicki, A., & Gawlik, R. (2024). Measuring the technological competitiveness of economies with the PTCE method: PRC vs. USA 2000–2020. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 30(5), 1412–1434. https://doi.org/10.3846/tede.2024.21520
Published in Issue
Jul 11, 2024
Abstract Views
664
PDF Downloads
571
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Alvarez-Aros, E. L., & Bernal-Torres, C. A. (2021). Technological competitiveness and emerging technologies in industry 4.0 and industry 5.0. Anais Da Academia Brasileira de Ciencias, 93(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202120191290

Andrew, J., DeRocco, E., & Taylor, A. (2009). The innovation imperative in manufacturing. Boston Consulting Group. Retrieved December 27, 2022, from https://silo.tips/downloadFile/the-innovation-imperative-in-manufacturing

Atkinson, R., & Andes, S. (2011). The Atlantic Century II. Benchmarking EU & U.S. Innovation and Competitiveness. Retrieved December 27, 2022, from https://www2.itif.org/2011-atlantic-century.pdf

Ballesteros-Rodríguez, J. L., De Saá-Pérez, P., García-Carbonell, N., Martín-Alcázar, F., & Sánchez-Gardey, G. (2022). Exploring the determinants of scientific productivity: A proposed typology of researchers. Journal of Intellectual Capital, 23(2), 195–221. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIC-07-2019-0178

Barba-Sánchez, V., Calderón-Milán, M. J., & Atienza-Sahuquillo, C. (2018). A study of the value of ict in improving corporate performance: A corporate competitiveness view. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 24(4), 1388–1407. https://doi.org/10.3846/tede.2018.3114

Basu, A., Foland, P., Holdridge, G., & Shelton, R. D. (2018). China’s rising leadership in science and technology: quantitative and qualitative indicators. Scientometrics, 117(1), 249–269. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-018-2877-5

Blackwill, R. D., & Harris, J. M. (2016). War by other means: Geoeconomics and statecraft. Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674545960

Blank, R. M. (2016). What drives American competitiveness? Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 663(1), 8–30. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002716215600686

Boggio, L., & Barbieri, L. (2016). International competitiveness in post-Keynesian growth theory: Controversies and empirical evidence. Cambridge Journal of Economics, 41(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1093/cje/bev067

Boikova, T., Zeverte-Rivza, S., Rivza, P., & Rivza, B. (2021). The determinants and effects of competitiveness: The role of digitalization in the European economies. Sustainability, 13(21), Article 11689. https://doi.org/10.3390/su132111689

Bolívar-Ramos, M. T. (2017). The relation between R&D spending and patents: The moderating effect of collaboration networks. Journal of Engineering and Technology Management–JET-M, 46, 26–38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jengtecman.2017.11.001

Brooks, S., & Wohlforth, W. (2015). The rise and fall of the great powers in the twenty-first century. International Security, 40(3), 7–53. https://doi.org/10.1162/ISEC_a_00225

Cheba, K., Bąk, I., & Szopik-Depczyńska, K. (2020). Sustainable competitiveness as a new economic category – definition and measurement assessment. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 26(6), 1399–1421. https://doi.org/10.3846/tede.2020.13528

Chen, W., Du, X., Lan, W., Wu, W., & Zhao, M. (2023). How can digital economy development empower high-quality economic development? Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 29(4), 1168–1194. https://doi.org/10.3846/tede.2023.18784

Cheng, K., Chen, H., Zhang, F., & Zhang, M. (2023). China’s high-quality innovation development from an institutional perspective: Regional differences and convergence. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 29(4), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.3846/tede.2023.20214

Chistov, I. V., Zakutnev, S. E., & Ryazanov, A. A. (2020). Prospects for developing a competitive position of the Russian aerospace industry in the world market in conditions of economic digitalization. In A. V. Bogoviz & Y. V. Ragulina (Eds.), Lecture notes in networks and systems: Vol. 115. Industry competitiveness: Digitalization, management, and integration (pp. 115–122). Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-40749-0_14

Czarny, E., & Żmuda, M. (2018). Competitiveness as the ability to adjust: The EU-10 exports structure and its convergence to the German pattern. Comparative Economic Research, 21(1), 119–133. https://doi.org/10.2478/cer-2018-0007

Dai, S., & Tan, D. (2022). China and the United States hierarchical international competitiveness analysis. Sustainability, 14(16), Article 10347. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610347

Dereli, D. D. (2019). The relationship between high-technology exports, patent and economic growth in Turkey (1990–2015). Pressacademia, 8(3), 173–180. https://doi.org/10.17261/pressacademia.2019.1124

Fang, T.-Y., Lin, S.-W., Lo, H.-W., & Wu, C.-H. (2022). Southeast Asian Nations’ regional competitiveness: An exploration through grey relational analysis. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 28(5), 1287–1312. https://doi.org/10.3846/tede.2022.17033

Ficek, W., & Gawlik, R. (2022). A comparative analysis of regional integration potential in the Asia-Pacific Region. International Entrepreneurship Review, 8(4), 25–39. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.15678/IER.2022.0804.02

Flejterski, S., & Majchrzak, M. (2018). Poland’s long-term competitive position from the perspective of WEF global competitiveness reports. Comparative Economic Research, 21(2), 99–118. https://doi.org/10.2478/cer-2018-0014

Ghazinoory, S., & Ghazinouri, R. (2009). Nanotechnology and sociopolitical modernity in developing countries; Case study of Iran. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 15(3), 395–417. https://doi.org/10.3846/1392-8619.2009.15.395-417

Grupp, H. (1995). Science, high technology and the competitiveness of EU countries. Cambridge Journal of Economics, 19(1), 209–223. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.cje.a035304

Huang, C., & Sharif, N. (2015). Global technology leadership: The case of China. Science and Public Policy, 43(1), 62–73. https://doi.org/10.1093/scipol/scv019

Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires. (2007). The Global Innovation Index. Retrieved December 27, 2022, from https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/userfiles/file/GII-2007-Report.pdf

Institut Européen d’Administration des Affaires. (2010). The Global Innovation Index. Retrieved December 27, 2022, from https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/userfiles/file/GII-2009-2010-Report.pdf

International Institute for Management Development. (2000–2023). World Competitiveness Ranking. Retrieved December 3, 2022, from https://www.imd.org/centers/World-competitiveness-center/rankings/World-competitiveness/

Ivana, D., Jovan, Z., & Milena, L. (2018). Driving factors of Serbian competitiveness: Digital economy and ICT. Strategic Management, 23(1), 20–28. https://doi.org/10.5937/StraMan1801020D

Jacques, M. (2009). When China rules The World. Penguin Books. http://inctpped.ie.ufrj.br/spiderweb/pdf_3/4_when_china_martin_jacques.pdf

Kiseľáková, D., Šofranková, B., Onuferová, E., & Čabinová, V. (2019). The evaluation of competitive position of eu-28 economies with using global multi-criteria indices. Equilibrium. Quarterly Journal of Economics and Economic Policy, 14(3), 441–462. https://doi.org/10.24136/eq.2019.021

Kołodko, G. W. (1993). Kwadratura pięciokąta. Od załamania gospodarczego do trwałego wzrostu. Poltext. Retrieved February 2, 2022, from http://tiger.edu.pl/ksiazki/kwadratura.pdf

Kołodko, G. W. (2020a). Chinism and the future of the World. Communist and Post-Communist Studies, 53(4), 260–279. https://doi.org/10.1525/j.postcomstud.2020.53.4.260

Kołodko, G. W. (2020b). The great Chinese transformation: From the third to the first World. Acta Oeconomica, 70, 71–83. https://doi.org/10.1556/032.2020.00026

Krstić, M., Filipe, J. A., & Chavaglia, J. (2020). Higher education as a determinant of the competitiveness and sustainable development of an economy. Sustainability, 12(16), Article 6607. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12166607

Krugman, P. (1994). Competitiveness: A dangerous obsession. Foreign Affairs, 73(2), 28–44. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.2307/20045917

Li, J., Rim, G. N., & An, C. J. (2023). Comparative study of knowledge-based economic strength between China and the USA. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 14, 4256–4292. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-022-01054-2

Li, L. (2018). China’s Manufacturing Locus in 2025: With a comparison of “Made-in-China 2025” and “Industry 4.0”. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 135, 66–74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2017.05.028

Liu, C. (2017). International competitiveness and the fourth industrial revolution. Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review, 5(4), 111–133. https://doi.org/10.15678/EBER.2017.050405

Markowski, K. (1989). Rola państwa w gospodarce kapitalistycznej. Państwowe Wydawnictwo Naukowe.

Molendowski, E. (2021). The competitive position of the economy of Poland (against the backdrop of the Visegrad Group Countries and the Baltic States) – Changes and determinants in the post accession period. Comparative Economic Research, 24(1), 85–102. https://doi.org/10.18778/1508-2008.24.05

Moussa, B., & Varsakelis, N. C. (2022). Causality between international trade and international patenting: A combination of network analysis and granger causality. Atlantic Economic Journal, 50(1–2), 9–26. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11293-022-09743-8

National Science Board. (2000). Science and Engineering Indicators. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://www.nsf.gov/

National Science Board. (2010). Science and Engineering Indicators. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://www.nsf.gov/

National Science Board. (2020). Science and Engineering Indicators. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://www.nsf.gov/

Newman, N., Porter, A., Roessner, D., Kongthon, A., & Jin, X.-Y. (2005). Differences over a decade: High tech capabilities and competitive performance of 28 nations. Research Evaluation, 14(2), 121–128. https://doi.org/10.3152/147154405781776247

Novoskoltseva, L., Ignatyuk, A., Fyliuk, H., Chubuk, L., Kryshtof, N., & Hevchuk, A. (2021). The global competitiveness of national economies. Ad Alta-Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, 11(2), 101–106. Retrieved November 8, 2022, from https://ep3.nuwm.edu.ua/22265/

Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. (2001). Competitiveness (in international trade). Retrieved December 17, 2022, from https://stats.oecd.org/glossary/detail.asp?ID=399

Peña-Vinces, J., Sanchez-Ancochea, D., Guillen, J., & Aguado, L. F. (2019). Scientific capacity and industrial development as locomotors of international competitiveness in Latin America. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 25(2), 300–321. https://doi.org/10.3846/tede.2019.8073

Peneder, M. (2016). Competitiveness and industrial policy: From rationalities of failure towards the ability to evolve. Cambridge Journal of Economics, 41(3), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1093/cje/bew025

Piontek, B. (2000). Teoretyczny model rozwoju zrównoważonego i trwałego. Środkowo-Pomorskie Towarzystwo Naukowe Ochrony Środowiska, 16, 343–364.

Porter, A. L., Newman, N. C., Jin, X., Johnson, D. M., Roessner, J. D., Foundation, N. S., & Policy, T. (2008). High tech indicators technology-based competitiveness of 33 nations 2007 report. Science Indicators Unit. Retrieved December 28, 2022, from https://gtmarket.ru/files/research/GIT-high-tech-indicators-2007.pdf

Porter, A. L., Newman, N. C., Roessner, J. D., Johnson, D. M., & Jin, X. Y. (2009). International high tech competitiveness: Does China rank number 1? Technology Analysis and Strategic Management, 21(2), 173–193. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537320802625264

Posner, M. (1961). International trade and endogenous technical change. Oxford Economic Papers, 13(35), 323–341. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.oep.a040877

Pu, X. (2018). China’s international leadership: Regional activism vs. global reluctance. Chinese Political Science Review, 3(1), 48–61. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41111-017-0079-6

Radman, G., & Belin, A. (2017). Competitiveness in Technology and Innovation: How to keep on? International Journal of Digital Technology & Economy, 2(1), 45–56. Retrieved September 23, 2022, from https://ijdte.com/index.php/ijdte/article/view/40/26

Roberts, B., & Wolf, M. (2018). High-tech industries: an analysis of employment, wages, and output: Beyond the Numbers. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved October 10, 2022, from https://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-7/high-tech-industries-an-analysis-of-employment-wages-and-output.htm?view_full

Rojo, J. V. (2022). United States, China and the dispute for global hegemony: A comparative analysis. Human Review, 11, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.37467/revhuman.v11.4302

Rutkauskas, A. V. (2008). On the sustainability of regional competitiveness development considering risk. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 14(1), 89–99. https://doi.org/10.3846/2029-0187.2008.14.89-99

Schwab, K. (2016). The fourth industrial revolution. World Economic Forum. Retrieved September 19, 2022, from https://law.unimelb.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/3385454/Schwab-The_Fourth_Industrial_Revolution_Klaus_S.pdf

Schwab, K. (2018). The Global Competitiveness Report 2017–2018. World Economic Forum. Retrieved December 2, 2022, from https://www3.weforum.org/docs/GCR2017-2018/05FullReport/TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2017%E2%80%932018.pdf

Schwab, K. (2019). The Global Competitiveness Report 2019. World Economic Forum. Retrieved November 18, 2022 from https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_TheGlobalCompetitivenessReport2019.pdf

Sergushina, E., Leontyev, D., Kozhukalova, O., Dambayeva, I., & Bekhorashvili, N. (2021). Digital economy as a factor in increasing the competitiveness of countries and industries: A quantitative analysis. Economic Annals-XXI, 188(3–4), 69–76. https://doi.org/10.21003/ea.V188-08

Shvindina (2020). Economic competitiveness: An overview of multilevel concept. In W. Leal Filho, A. M. Azul, L. Brandli, P. G. Özuyar, & T. Wall (Eds.), Responsible consumption and production. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95726-5_63

Stellian, R., & Danna-Buitrago, J. P. (2022). Revealed comparative advantage and contribution-to-the-trade-balance indexes. International Economics, 170, 129–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.inteco.2022.02.007

Trishch, R. M., Sichinava, A., Bartoš, V., Stasiukynas, A., & Schieg, M. (2023). Comparative assessment of economic development in the countries of the European Union. Journal of Business Economics and Management, 24(1), 20–36. https://doi.org/10.3846/jbem.2023.18320

UNESCO Institute for Statistics. (2022). UIS Stat [database]. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from http://data.uis.unesco.org

United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. (2022). UNCTADSTAT database. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://unctadstat.unctad.org/

Uskokovic, V., Ševkušic, M., & Uskokovic, D. P. (2010). Strategies for the scientific progress of the developing countries in the new millennium. STI Studies, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.17877/DE290R-452

Vo, D. H., & Tran, N. P. (2022a). Measuring national intellectual capital and its effect on country’s competitiveness. Competitiveness Review, 33(4), 820–839. https://doi.org/10.1108/CR-08-2021-0110

Vo, D. H., & Tran, N. P. (2022b). Measuring national intellectual capital: A novel approach. Journal of Intellectual Capital, 23(4), 799–815. https://doi.org/10.1108/JIC-06-2020-0183

Clarivate. (2022). Web of Science [scientific database]. Retrieved October 24, 2022, from https://www.webofscience.com

Clarivate. (2023). Web of Science [search query on (TS=”competitiveness” AND “economy”)]. Retrieved March 15, 2023, from https://www.webofscience.com/wos/woscc/summary/d77ace05-9fbc-4f8c-9441-66b7ec356f14-7f164668/relevance/1

Wei, S., Xie, Z., & Zhang, X. (2017). From “Made in China” to “Innovated in China”: Necessity, Prospect, and Challenges. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 31(1), 49–70. https://doi.org/10.1257/jep.31.1.49

Wilczyński, P. (2013). The military industry as the development factor of a knowledge-based economy. Studies of the Industrial Geography Commission of the Polish Geographical Society, 21, 133–156. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.24917/20801653.21.8

World Bank. (2019). Innovative China: New Drivers of Growth. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-1-4648-1335-1

World Economic Forum. (2004–2020). The Global Competitiveness Report. Retrieved December 11, 2022, from www.weforum.org

World Intellectual Property Organization. (2011–2020). The Global Innovation Index. Retrieved December 27, 2022, from https://www.globalinnovationindex.org/about-gii#reports

World Intellectual Property Organization. (2022). WIPO Intellectual Property Statistics Data Center. Retrieved October 16, 2022, from https://www3.wipo.int/ipstats/

Wosiek, R. (2019). Konkurencyjność technologiczna polskiej gospodarki. Stan obecny i perspektywy zmian. Nierówności społeczne a wzrost gospodarczy, 57(1), 230–242. https://doi.org/10.15584/nsawg.2019.1.15

Yglesias, E. (2003). Porter vs. porter: Modeling the technological competitiveness of nations. Scientometrics, 57(2), 281–293. https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1024193803372

Zamora-Torres, A. (2014). Countires’ competitiveness on innovation and technology. Global Journal of Business Research, 8(5), 78–83. https://doi.org/10.7206/jmba.ce.2450-7814.204

Żmuda, M. (2017). Towards a taxonomy of international competitiveness. Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, 25(3), 97–116. https://doi.org/10.7206/jmba.ce.2450-7814.204