Methods and indices of evaluation of the development and competitiveness of services in a knowledge - based society
Author:Prof. univ. dr. Maria Ioncică, Lect. univ. dr. Eva-Cristina Petrescu , Asist. univ. drd. Diana Ioncică, Asist. univ. drd. Mihaela Drăghici
JEL:
DOI:
Keywords:Knowledge-based Society; Services Economy; Tertiary Sector Development
Index; Global Competitiveness Index;
UE Competitiveness Index
Abstract:
The present study deals with methods and
indices used to assess the degree of development and
competitiveness in the services sector in the modern
economy (a knowledge-based society). Methods and
indices that evaluate the development and competitiveness
of services are presented in the context of
new ideas referring to the contents and features of the
modern economy, defined by specialists as an economy
(and society) with the following characteristics:
knowledge-based, new economy, services economy.
The study presents different methods and indices used
to assess the degree of development and competitiveness
in the tertiary sector - of modern services and in
some of the services' branches, an evaluation that is
of crucial importance for setting the scientific bases
of policies and development strategies in the tertiary
sector. Regarding the overall development of the tertiary
sector, the study highlights the relevance of
indices that show, on the one hand, the amount and
share of the resources used in the sector, and on the
other hand, the volume and structure of the effects
services have on reaching the objectives of the knowledge-
based society. In this respect, we suggest the
creation of global indices to measure the overall
development of services as well as the development of
advanced services that characterize a knowledgebased
society. Extremely useful comparisons regarding
the degree of competitiveness of different countries
- on the whole economy or on certain services
sectors that contribute to meeting the main objectives
of the knowledge-based society - can be drawn on the
basis of the analyses of competitiveness indices, such
as: The Global Competitiveness Index, The UE Competitiveness
Index. The analysis of the values of the
respective indices for Romania reveals the necessity of
setting and implementing strategies to bridge the gap
existant in our country in the development of services
characteristic to the knowledge-based society.