The innovation breakthrough Ukraine needs to compensate for demographic losses cannot be achieved through investments in technology alone. Purchasing equipment or software by itself does not increase productivity, says Andriy Dligach, a professor at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv.
He writes about this in his column for ZN.ua, Humanitarian Media Hub reports.
The scholar stresses that results will come only if technologies are combined with behavioral and cultural changes within companies. Ukrainian businesses must move away from reactive management models, fear of mistakes, micromanagement, and excessive hierarchy.
A key challenge remains the transition from a “cult of heroism,” where systems rely on individual people, to a human-centered and innovation-driven culture. Such a model is built on trust, psychological safety, and team accountability.
According to the academic, creating an environment for distributed leadership and a culture of experimentation can help businesses adapt to demographic decline and lay the groundwork for sustainable economic growth under new conditions.
Read also: Fear of Mistakes and Hierarchy Are Holding Back Innovation: Why Ukrainian Business Is Stalling