Antecedents of technological innovation and economic growth: evidence from top EU innovative economies

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the long-standing policy objective of achieving and sustaining economic growth in countries across the globe. This has prompted policymakers and researchers alike to appraise a broad spectrum of interactions among economic growth indicators. Design/methodology/approach This study uses fixed and random effects methods to examine the relationship among business-science interactions, human capital, digital transformation, technological readiness (TR), economic growth and technological innovations across 11 most innovative European Union (EU) countries. Findings The results revealed that the level of economic growth, TR, business-science interactions and research and development positively influence technological innovations. Moreover, the results showed that economic growth was influenced and sustained by human capital, TR (digitalization) and access to capital. Originality/value These findings have potentially important implications for economic growth and innovation policies in these EU countries.