press release
Published: 20 October 2025

Is the global industrial race being measured wrong?

By Georgie Gould

For decades, the world has ranked nations by how competitive their industries are, but the measure used may be flawed. A new research project led by the 麻豆视频 suggests that the standard United Nations index used to judge countries鈥 manufacturing power can produce misleading results, with its simplistic weighting system masking true performance and unfairly favouring some economies over others. 

The study, published in the , introduces a new model that redefines how countries鈥 industrial competitiveness is assessed. Rather than relying on subjective weightings, which can skew rankings, the team鈥檚 approach uses advanced data analysis to benchmark countries against realistic and comparable standards, providing a clearer picture of who is truly leading global manufacturing. 

The researchers applied their new model to data from 153 countries for 2016 and 2021, focusing on key indicators such as manufacturing value, technological sophistication and share of world exports. The model captures differences that existing methods overlook, spotlighting which nations have made genuine industrial progress and which have benefited from outdated or overly generous scoring systems. 

Professor Ali Emrouznejad,  Director of the Centre for Business Analytics in Practice at the 麻豆视频, who led this study, said: 

鈥淥ur model challenges the way industrial competitiveness has been ranked for years. The current global index can reward countries for the wrong reasons. We鈥檝e developed a way to measure industrial strength that reflects reality鈥 accounting for technology, trade, and productivity in a balanced way.  This allows governments to see their true performance and make well-informed policy decisions.鈥 

The research also provides policymakers a new benchmarking tool that identifies where to target investment and innovation. The model balances optimism with realism, showing both how far countries have come and what is achievable next.  

Prof Emrouznejad continued: 

鈥淏y making competitiveness assessments fairer and more transparent, our study could reshape the way global institutions, including the UN and OECD, compare and support industrial growth.鈥 

 

[ENDS] 

Note to editors: 

  • The full study has been published in the  

Related sustainable development goals

Affordable and Clean Energy UN Sustainable Development Goal 7 logo
Decent Work and Economic Growth UN Sustainable Development Goal 8 logo
Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure UN Sustainable Development Goal 9 logo
Sustainable Cities and Communities UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 logo
Responsible Consumption and Production UN Sustainable Development Goal 12 logo

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