Analyzing Competitiveness of the Hospital Sector and its Value Chain in the City of Tbilisi – Using Smart Specialisations Methodology Components

Abstract

The Government of Georgia has prepared several regional development programmes in recent years. However, a development strategy does not currently exist for Tbilisi. The 2018-2021 Regional Development Programme emphasises the role of competitiveness in the development of Georgian regions, and the country as a whole.2 The document states that the growth of individual regions’ competitiveness will have a significant effect on increasing the country’s competitiveness, which, in the long term, will help to achieve the goals stated in the 2018-2021 Regional Development Programme. These goals include increasing the per capita GDP, increasing the shares of product and service exports in the GDP, reducing the proportion of the population living below the poverty line at the national level, and increasing the share of investments in fixed assets at the regional level (as a percentage of the national GDP). The main purpose of this study is to identify and examine competitive economic sectors and subsectors in Tbilisi and the surrounding area, and to devise relevant recommendations for central and local Government, what will promote improving competitiveness of Tbilisi and the surrounding area (hereinafter referred to as sector), which, in turn, will help to increase economic activity and living standards, as well as reduce poverty and unemployment.