Cross-group analysis of knowledge-based economy indicators

Abstract

Some research institutes and countries have proposed knowledge-based economy (KBE) indicators in recent years, but these indicators often differ from one another. Notably, it is not clear whether an integrated construct model of the KBE indicators is available and can be applied to different countries of economic development. For these purposes, this work used the exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis to propose an overall construct model of the KBE indicators, and conducted cross-group factorial invariance and mean structure analysis. Overall, the results found that the information infrastructure, business environment, and human resources were important to the KBE development. Moreover, assessing different knowledge-intensive groups by the proposed construct model is an acceptable approach. Thus, this work suggests that every country should recognize that the powerful economic environment, excellent national innovation system, and effective information infrastructure were the keys to national KBE development. Put differently, these endowments help transform knowledge into national competitiveness.

Keywords:

• Factorial invariance
• knowledge-based economy
• mean structure