Maksymchuk Oleksandr

Oles’ Honchar Dnipropetrovsk National University, Ukraine

PROSPECTS OF INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT IN TRANSPORT INDUSTRY

Nowadays the role of the service sector in the overall development of the economy is increasing significantly. Services are one of the driving forces of the economy and a major factor of productivity growth, but the state of the Ukrainian service sector in is not highly developed.

Ukraine has large space for innovation with many resources, its human potential, potential capacity of the domestic market. In particular, special attention should be given to the prospects for implementation of innovation processes in services sector, since they determine the strengthening of the competitive position and achievement of international standards. The experience of recent years has shown a low level of controlled financial flows and imbalances in their structure, the foreign investments did not make the expected impact on the economy and were mostly focused on low-tech industries.

A significant contribution to the study of the above problem was made by such scholars as G. Bashnyanyna, T. Burmenko, G. Vostrov, N. Danilenko, B. Danilishin, V. Hrosul, A. Gritsay, V. Heyts, V. Kozik, I. Kryuchkov, V. Kutsenko, O. Morhulets, P. Mykytyuk, M. Manylich, G. Maksymenko, V. Oparin, Y. Ostafiychuk, S. Onishko, I. Sovershenna, V. Fedosov, A. Filippenko, L. Harsun and others.

Nowadays the service sector forms the core of the post-industrial economy and in many ways defines its basic macroeconomic parameters, so it can be argued that a precondition for successful and effective development of any country is the development of services.

Services sphere as a special and separate economic activity appeared in the early stages of human development. Services were considered as a secondary economic activity until the mid-twentieth century, but the turning point occurred in the era of science and technology.

According to IMF, all services add up to 1500 billion $ US by the beginning of the XXI century (this is about 70 % of the total output of world production), international trade in services is a sector of the world economy that is growing very rapidly [1, p. 56]. It is the service sector in national economies of developed countries that occupies a leading position because of its significance; it employs more than half of the working population in the world. In Germany about 41 % of the workforce is employed in the service sector, in Italy – 38%, in the Netherlands – almost 50%, USA – 73 %, in Ukraine – less than 30%.

The level of country’s development and its economic potentials accurately reflect the level of service. Investigation of the structure, peculiar features of the service sector is an urgent focus of many research works, as today there are no people who haven’t taken advantage of any kind of services at least once in a life. The results of these studies are necessary for improving the vital functions of the entire population and each individual. In the leading countries the share of service sector dominates in economic activity structure.

Building “service economy” in Ukraine is an inevitable process, which is typical for all countries of the world due to the development of productive forces, the efficiency of material production increasing and changes in the system of social needs.

Innovative activity today is becoming one of crucial systemic factors of economic growth and competitiveness of domestic products, country’s security. One of the most effective and relevant types of innovation is the innovation in services. One of the components of this activity is the innovative process, which is the kind of a process that combines science, technology, economics and management. Its peculiarity lies in getting innovations and lasts from the birth of an idea to its commercial release. The implementation of innovative processes is significantly affected by distribution in time and space of innovation developed and used before, but in a new capacity and place.

Organization of innovation activity in services must be provided by common vision of service offered in the consumer market, establishing strategic priorities in this sector transformation, the development of strategy for the business in the long run, the creation of communications services focused on s providing services, the formation of innovative personnel, implementation of systemic controlling of the development services processes in the consumer market. This will help strengthen the competitive position and create conditions for services market expansion and creating the advantages for companies-participants in this field.

In Ukraine innovation processes haven’t gained the significant scale in the economy yet, the number of companies implementing innovative processes decreases and is currently 12–14 %, which is 3–4 times less than in innovation developed countries. Almost one third of funds spent on innovation, accounts for the purchase of equipment, while the acquisition of rights to new intellectual property or to conduct research and development costs much less.

For example, at present in the transport sector there are many problems that hinder its strategic development and expansion of economic sectors and the provision of high quality public transport services. Not only the transport industry loses, but also many other industries can’t stimulate the post-crisis growth.

National transport services sector, despite the existing difficulties, has all chances to become an important factor in increasing and consolidate the competitive position in the market of transport services, promoting the participation of Ukrainian carriers in international value chains and increasing source of revenue from the sale of transport services for freight and passengers. But it could be possible due to enhancing the processes of modernization and innovation in the transport sector, funding of research and research processes, conducting targeted investment policy and providing the state support for domestic enterprises transportation industry.

The prospects of the innovative processes introduction in the service sector can be explained with the fact that they can help reach a new level, to position itself as a developed country that is able to prove itself as one which favours international standards of quality of service, is able to “face off” with competitors.

Thus, through the introduction of innovative solutions, new information technologies and transportation vehicles, as well as technical upgrading of the industry will gradually provide effective transformation and modernization of the transport system of Ukraine and innovative structural changes will form a progressive organizational and legislative model of the Ukrainian transport system [2]. However, innovative processes occur mainly in large transport companies that are either natural monopolies (“Ukrzaliznytsia”), or have some signs of monopoly (airports), and are able to accumulate financial resources for innovation. Introduction of innovations in Ukrainian transport industry enterprises is not widespread and systematic yet, it is not caused by a deliberate policy of management companies and is not supported by appropriate state policies [2].

Innovations in transport infrastructure are possible on the basis of professional knowledge, basic science, applied science, the will of the state and business. The fragmentation of knowledge, specialization of science and production fields must be supplemented with their integration, consolidation around the ultimate goal of development of transport infrastructure in innovation economy. Innovations in transport infrastructure can not take place without the patronage of the state, they require significant cost, the introduction of costly processes, using the latest scientific achievements. It is necessary to create the conditions for investment because innovation and investment are “Siamese twins”. Development and practical implementation of innovative technologies in the transport sector are carried out within the implementation of measures for the development and structural reforms in sub-industries of all kinds of transport, and also through application of new technologies in the transportation process, leading to inter-industry structural shifts, effective results and modernization of the transport sector in Ukraine.

Thus, the usage of innovative processes in enterprises of transport sector is one of the main factors that can create an effective industry of the economy. Organization of innovation activity, increasing innovation activity of enterprises, providing them with government support should be the main focus of Ukraine in the nearest future. National sector of transport services, due to enhancing the processes of modernization and innovation in the transport sector, has the opportunity to become an important factor securing a competitive position in the market of transport services, promoting the participation of Ukrainian carriers in international value chains and increasing source of revenue from the sale of transport services cargo and passengers.

The prospects of the innovative processes introduction in the service sector can be explained with the fact that they can help reach a new level, to position itself as a developed country that is able to prove itself as one which favours international standards of quality of service, is able to “face off” with competitors.

The list of references:

1. Бурменко Т. Д. Сфера услуг: экономика : учеб. пособ. / Т. Д. Бурменко, Н. Н. Даниленко, Т. А. Туренко. – М. : КНОРУС, 2008. – 328 с.

2. Транспортна стратегія України на період до 2020 року. Схвалена Розпорядженням КМУ від 20.10.2010 №174-р. [Electronic resource]. – Access mode : http://search.ligazakon.ua/