Technical gazette, Vol. 26 No. 2, 2019.
Preliminary communication
https://doi.org/10.17559/TV-20180516222030
Croatian High-Tech Industry: Current State and Prospects
Gordana Dukić
orcid.org/0000-0002-1166-6807
; Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Department of Information Sciences, Lorenza Jägera 9, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
Goran Kozina
; University North in Varaždin, 104. brigade 3, 42000 Varaždin, Croatia
Darko Dukić
orcid.org/0000-0002-9131-232X
; Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Department of Physics, Trg Ljudevita Gaja 6, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
Abstract
The goal of this study is to investigate the current state of Croatian high-tech sector and to evaluate its prospects. The growth of the high-tech sector was greatly impeded by the economic crisis. Despite some progress in recent years, the analysed data suggest that the potential of Croatian high-tech industry has not been sufficiently exploited. The share of high-tech products in Croatian international trades is still low, with imports significantly exceeding exports. For years, the electronics and telecommunications industries have been Croatia’s largest high-tech export and import sectors. Lately, the leading high-tech exporter has been the pharmaceutical industry, while the imports and exports of computers and office machines have shown a downward trend. The data also indicate that research and development expenditures have increased substantially over the past several years. However, this is just one of the prerequisites for high-tech industry development. So far, Croatia has not provided an environment that encourages high-tech investments. There are many areas that need improvement for Croatian high-tech sector to become a generator of economic growth, such as creating a positive business and investment climate, stimulating flexible and innovative entrepreneurship, and building an education system capable of meeting the needs of the high-tech industry.
Keywords
computers and office machines; Croatian high-tech industry; economic crisis; electronics and telecommunications; research and development
Hrčak ID:
219549
URI
Publication date:
24.4.2019.
Visits: 3.007 *