OVERCOMING THE CONSEQUENCES OF UKRAINIAN MANUFACTURING DEINDUSTRIALIZATION IN THE CONTEXT OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

Abstract

In the paper, we investigate the main causes and consequences of de-industrialization manufacturing and identify important factors influencing the structural transformation of the industrial sector through the prism of global technological challenges. Important challenges identified include environmental challenges of the threatening impact of climate change, digitalization in all spheres of public life, the technological leadership of developed countries in context field of Industry 4.0, changes in the geopolitical landscape and trade conflicts between countries; migration and population aging; changes in competencies and retraining of employees to acquire digital skills; cybersecurity and volatility threats; quarantine amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The current structural imbalances of Ukrainian industrial development are considered and the current state and dynamics of structural changes in the Ukrainian economy in technological, reproduction, sectoral and foreign economic dimensions are analyzed. Crisis trends in the Ukrainian industry developed long before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic: comparing the structure of Ukrainian industry by type of economic activity, a decrease in the share of the manufacturing industry, a loss of production potential for a number of high-tech industries (automotive industry, instrument making, shipbuilding) and a decrease in added value in manufacturing industry with Ukraine's establishment as an independent state in which profound political, social and economic reforms have begun to take place. The analysis made it possible to determine further opportunities for industrial development, taking into account harmonization with European trends in digital and green transformations in industry. Based on the research results, complex directions for solving structural imbalances in industry at interrelated levels are proposed: state, regional and local levels. Overcoming the consequences of Ukrainian manufacturing deindustrialization in the context of European integration is dependent on developing and implementing relevant policy of manufacturing modernization and principles of the "circular economy"; integration into strategic value chains; creating conditions for training personnel with digital competencies; development of an innovative infrastructure – scientific, industrial, technological parks, innovation clusters and business-incubators. This will lead to the development and introduction of domestic innovation in production, which in turn should inspire further progress in the innovation structural transformation in Ukrainian economy and help to enhance national competitiveness and achieve sustained economic growth.