The basic competitiveness factors shaping the innovation performance of countries

The goal of this research is to use Bayesian Networks to discover the relations among the components of competitiveness and the innovation level of countries.For this purpose, initially the competitiveness performance of 148 countries is analyzed using an integrated cluster analysis and factor analysis framework. This facilitates the basic areas where each cluster group demonstrates a good performance and those where they need improvements relative to the othergroups in order to increase their competition level. Subsequently; a Bayesian Network is constructed using WinMine software based on competitiveness indicators drawn from WEF pillars and sub-pillars. This analysis, in its turn,investigates whether the competitiveness stage to which a country belongs has an important impact on its innovation performance and highlights, which of the basic competitiveness variables has a significant impact in shaping its innovation level.