Composite Index of the World Economy Technological Core Development: Methodological Framework

The aim of the study is to develop and test approaches to constructing a composite index of the world economy’s technological core development, represented by the United States of America (USA), the European Union (EU), and China. The research applies general scientific, economic, and econometric methods. The methodological framework is based on principal component analysis, which enables the integration of key indicators of global hypercompetition and the strategic autonomy of national economies. The index incorporates parameters reflecting the state and dynamics of the economy, infrastructure, and technological development. The results assess the degree of self-sufficiency of technological cores in terms of access to critical resources and their dependence on certain goods and export markets. Empirical testing of the composite index demonstrates that in the 21st century, China has significantly narrowed the gap with the EU and the USA, most notably in advanced technologies and access to strategic resources. The EU and the USA hold roughly comparable positions as technological cores; however, since the 2008–2009 global financial crisis, the EU’s global competitiveness has been declining, reflected in its growing dependence on imports of knowledge-intensive information and communication technologies and research and development services. Conclusion . The proposed composite index clarifies theoretical approaches to the formation of a polycentric world economy, highlights the strengthened positions of new economic and technological centres, and provides a practical tool for assessing the maturity of technological cores.