Development of Entrepreneurial Competencies in the Economy (Evidence From Digital Entrepreneurship)

Thus, the review of the materials on the topic of the article allows highlighting the essence of the problem: in the emerging digital reality, the requirements for competencies are changing.

The digital entrepreneurship segment is developing against the background of the sectoral transformation of the national and global economy, which requires the possession of competencies relevant to the new economic reality both for hired personnel and self-employed, but first of all — for entrepreneurs who aim at high competitiveness and intense development of their business. Further, using empirical (observation, generalization, inference) and quantitative (statistical analysis, dynamic analysis) research methods, the authors propose to consider the ways, mechanisms, and forms of development of entrepreneurial competencies in the digital entrepreneurship segment.

Results

The World Bank and IMF estimate that the list of the world's largest economies will not change significantly by 2030. Leadership will belong to those countries which are already winning the global competition in technology and innovation and are leaders in research and development of new technologies (Fig. 3)[15].

Figure 3

World leaders in the number of patents granted annually[16]

Digitalization, artificial intelligence (AI), and robotics will become the main drivers of global economic growth until 2030 (Fig. 4).

Figure 4

The proportion of the digital economy in GDP of individual countries, %; Compiled by the authors based on[17]

Economic growth will be associated with full automation of processes, increased labor productivity, and the implementation of fundamentally new business models and technologies, such as digital platforms, digital ecosystems, and Industry 4.0 technologies. Analysts at McKinsey and Accenture estimate that the Internet of things alone will generate between USD 4 and 11 trillion annually by 2025, while Industrial Internet of things will generate USD 14 trillion by 2030. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) forecasts, artificial intelligence will increase world GDP in 2030 by USD 1.57 trillion[18].

It is expected that breakthrough technologies, in particular, artificial intelligence (AI), will be able to solve many social problems associated with meeting basic human needs. The purchasing power of the population will increase. New segments related to creative self-actualization and leisure of people will be created, new types of demand for atypical goods and services will appear. If all the routine work is done by robots, people will be involved in industry sectors, where higher added value is created. Digitalization and new technologies will also influence global competition conditions. As AI and robots become involved in manufacturing processes and services, the cost of labor will become less important in determining a country's competitiveness, while technological competence and infrastructure quality, on the contrary, will be more significant. Technologies, such as Big Data and the Internet of Things (IoT) will help to optimize production processes and reduce operating costs, as well as to develop new products and services. Virtual reality (VR) will be used to expand professional skills, while AI and robotics — to increase productivity.

The volume of each country's economy and the growth of citizens' welfare by 2030 will depend on how much money is invested in innovation over the next 10 years, with what intensity and how it will happen. The implementation of digital technologies is accompanied by challenges that society must overcome for the successful implementation of the digital economy in life. These challenges are as follows:

• insufficient competencies and knowledge, low level of digital literacy of population;

• short-term reduction in labor productivity caused by the implementation of new technologies;

• growing technological unemployment;

• significant changes in the regional structure of productive forces;

• lack of qualified personnel to implement the digital transformation strategy;

• lack of a strategy and regulatory framework for the use of digital technologies for competition and innovation.