Interdependence of innovative economy and social inequality in the conditions of digital transformation: a globalization aspect

In the time of widespread digital transformation and innovation, economic relations are becoming more and more globalized, progressive and efficient. This is due to the automation of production and business processes, governance and various spheres of social life, accelerated development of ICT and digital technologies. The latter significantly change the market and transform the outlook of its economic agents, influence the change in behavior and thinking of buyers / clients, create a new type of business landscape based on the cluster approach, give impetus to the emergence of new business models, stimulate the production of innovations and the search for effective economic solutions, lay the foundations for sectoral, regional and national transformations. Today, more than ever before, the competitiveness and leading positions of countries in terms of economic innovation on the world map are determined by innovative and institutional structural transformations at all levels of economic aggregation. The implementation of advanced digital technologies for the purpose of increasing the economic and social well-being of mankind, modernization, and automation of production and business processes, transparency and availability of administrative services, creation of a digital space for quality life, determines the leadership in innovativeness of companies, territories (regions, agglomerations), countries, is important condition for sustainable economic development. In the Global Innovation Index of 2023, among 132 economies of the world, the leadership belongs to the economies of European countries (Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, United Kingdom) and the USA. It is noteworthy that these countries fall into the group of countries with a high level of income, which confirms the direct relationship between the rating of innovativeness of the economy and the level of income in the country. A visualization of the spatial-geographic location of centers of innovation and digital development of the economies of individual countries of the world is presented, where the predominance of European and North American countries in the GII 2023 ranking can be traced. Established network connections and international cooperation, trust and mutual assistance, especially among the leading countries in terms of economic innovation, is what will help make the world a safe, comfortable, harmonious and balanced place for the life of every person, with a high level of economic and social well-being, environmental and information security.