Relation “Technology Leadership – Patent Activity-National Digital Competitiveness†– Methodological Overview And Good Examples

Maria Markova
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Maria Markova: niversity of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria

Economic Alternatives, 2026, issue 1, 256-285

Abstract: Based on series of authored articles in the field of competitiveness focused on intellectual property (IP) rights ‘Company competitiveness through intellectual property‘ (Markova, 2018) and „The company digital competitiveness focused on intellectual property rights–concept, assessment and strategy“ (Markova, 2022), published in ‘Economic studies’’, followed by a monograph “Economic dimensions of intellectual property–approach, characteristics and management models†(Markova, 2024), with revealed IP portfolio of a company as elements and characteristics as a complex factor for obtaining and sustaining the company competitiveness, the aim of this article is to present the author’s scientific thesis of relation between technology leadership and national digital competitiveness focused on intellectual property rights (IPR). In this article, the author presents definitions, content and measurement aspects for the terms „technology leadership“ and „national digital competitiveness; the place and the importance of intellectual property rights for obtaining national digital competitiveness based on technology innovations and patent activity, and a method for an assessment the „technology leadership“ and „national digital competitiveness’ focused on intellectual property rights, especially on patent rights is developed. Initially, the author discusses her perspective on the key concepts of „technology leadership“ and „national digital competitiveness,’ examining their direct link to intellectual property rights. She emphasizes the significance of patent rights as a vital element influencing an organization’s digital competitiveness and intellectual property portfolio, focusing on their content, structure, and evaluation methodologies. In the concluding section, the article presents examples of intellectual property rights held by successful companies, regarded as exemplary practices acknowledged globally. The main argument is that technology leadership and national digital competitiveness are interconnected and can be achieved and sustained through a company’s patent rights in leading technological fields.

Keywords: Intellectual property; patents; digital competitiveness; technology leadership (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: K49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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