The impact of Ukraine’s international image on the prospects of its post-war innovative development
Authors:   University of Economics and Humanities, Illiashenko S.M. , Shypulina Yu.S. ,   NTU «KhPI», Illiashenko N.S. ,   Sumy State Pedagogical University named after A.S. Makarenka
Published: January 2024

The aim of the article. Is to determine the impact of the international image of Ukraine (considering changes in its characteristics during the war period) on the prospects of the post-war recovery of the national economy in the concept of innovative development. The results of the analyses. It was established that the international image of the country directly affects the formation of its national brand. The interdependence of the national brands’ positions with indicators of business entities’ innovative activity and network readiness of the respective countries was established. These countries determine the competitiveness of national economies and businesses on international markets in the conditions of the fourth industrial revolution (IR4.0). The positive influence of Ukrainians’ resistance in the war with Russia on the international image of Ukraine was substantiated. The world community perceived Ukraine as a country with a rich history and culture, good natural conditions, a free, democratic, industrial-agrarian state open to cooperation with high technologies and a powerful resource base, a free-spirited, inventive, hardworking, highly educated and tolerant people, a member of the European family. These characteristics are attributes of Ukraine's positive international image, which directly affects the attitude of economic counterparties and contact audiences in international markets, and accordingly, the country's investment attractiveness, the competitiveness of the national economy and business. The positive influence of Ukraine’s international image formed during the war on the prospects of innovative development of its industries and enterprises was determined. The range of problems caused by positive perception of Ukrainians and Ukraine by the world community was outlined. In particular, a huge brain drain and intellectual capital loss necessary for post-war recovery and innovative growth. Activities to prevent these problems were proposed. The prerequisites for the post-war innovative growth of Ukrainian economy are outlined: a positive international image, intellectual capital, institutional support for the innovative process. The competitive advantages and shortcomings of Ukraine from the standpoint of the formation and implementation of its post-war innovative development strategy were determined. Conclusions and direction for further research. The obtained results deepen the principles of innovation marketing in terms of the development of an information and analytical base for managing the international image of the state in the context of the formation of prerequisites for its innovative development in the conditions of IR4.0. They also develop principles of innovation management in terms of improving the marketing support of the innovative development strategies of the state in the conditions of IR4.0. Further research should be aimed at forming the foundations of the organizational and economic management mechanism of the post-war recovery of the state and its innovative growth in the conditions of technological transformations caused by IR4.0 and changes in technological way.