Estimating Knowledge Level in Business-Ecosystem

Abstract

The article studies specificities of knowledge as a key factor of shaping and developing of business-ecosystem and puts forward methodology of their estimation. The majority of current approaches to estimation use the notion of intellectual capital identifying it with knowledge. In our opinion knowledge is a wider notion that includes different combinations of new technologies, approaches to training, professional experience, entrepreneurial ideas, motivation and stimulation, readiness for risk, etc. They provide an opportunity for business-ecosystem to generate compound valuable offer to customer, which differentiates this business-model from others. The author shows methodology of index computation of economy of knowledge, proposed by the World Bank for some countries and regions that ignores the level of organizations and business-systems. The article pays special attention to the dual nature of the category ‘knowledge’, which is considered, on the one hand, as a functional aspect and on the other hand, as a tool and result. The present methodology provides computation of index of knowledge level in businessecosystem. It is based on 16 indicators put in four groups: dynamics of business-ecosystem development, system of education and development of personnel, scientific-technical and innovation-technological potential and digitalization and level of information support of business-ecosystem. Finally, recommendations were given aimed at this methodology application and estimation of its development prospects was advanced.