INNOVATION AND TECHNOLOGICAL MODERNIZATION AS KEY DRIVERS OF COMPETITIVENESS IN ELECTRICAL MANUFACTURING ENTERPRISES

This thesis examines innovation and technological modernization as primary drivers of competitiveness in electrical manufacturing enterprises. Using OLS regression on survey data from 200 Uzbek firms and benchmarking against China, Turkey, Germany, and South Korea, the study finds that automation level (β = 0.612) and R&D intensity (β = 0.481) are the strongest predictors of firm-level competitiveness (R² = 0.861). Policy recommendations and a 2030 scenario forecast are presented.