ASSESSMENT OF THE DIGITAL ECONOMY'S LEVEL AMONG THE EU COUNTRIES - AN EMPIRICAL STUDY

The development of new technologies brings a boom in global business and trade and increases demands on knowledge and skills, which is reflected positively in economic growth. The aim of the research is to investigate the best EU countries in the digital economy, using two representative approaches. The attention is focused on the DESI index in 20142021 and the Global Digital Competitiveness Index. Using multidimensional approach and multi-criteria methods, the best countries were identified as Denmark, Finland and the Netherlands and also driving forces, both significant in statistical and economic contexts. The significant correlations between the dimensions of the DESI index were also demonstrated. The identified key factors for managerial implications in the strategy of digital transformation of the EU are human capital, integration of digital technology and digital skills, based on the best practices from the best EU countries.