"Better Exports" – Technology, Quality Aspects and Innovation of Austrian Foreign Trade in the Context of Digitalisation

The study presents a long-term analysis of Austrian goods exports since the year 2000. The results show that after a strongly expansive phase between 2000 and 2008, Austria's exports have lost momentum. Export market shares have been lost since the financial and economic crisis of 2008-09. The intensity of competition has increased whilst at the same time Austrian exports have to some extent lost also their unique attributes. Austrian exporters have reacted by increasingly focusing on the export of goods in which there are strong specialisation advantages. Based on this observation, the study identifies and discusses challenges for foreign trade policy and economic policy approaches in the context of Austrian foreign trade strategy.