THE IMPACT OF INNOVATION MANAGEMENT ON ENHANCING EXPORT COMPETITIVENESS IN UZBEKISTAN, FOCUSING ON THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES WITHIN THE HIGH-TECH EXPORT SECTOR.

This study explores how effective innovation management can boost Uzbekistan's export competitiveness, especially in the high-tech sector. Drawing on data from the Global Innovation Index (GII) and a range of academic sources, it evaluates Uzbekistan's strengths in innovation inputs, such as education and labor productivity, and highlights the challenges of converting these inputs into competitive outputs. Despite ranking 82nd globally, Uzbekistan struggles to scale high-tech exports, which account for just 0.1% of total trade1. The research suggests that closing the gap between innovation inputs and outputs through better policies, increased venture capital support, and stronger industry-academia collaboration is essential for Uzbekistan's economic future.