Building Capacity for AI Adoption through Strategic Decision-Making and Policy

The twin transition in post-Soviet innovation systems is often constrained by foundational inhibitors that dictate structural growth. This research utilises ISM and Fuzzy-MICMAC to identify leverage points within the Lithuanian ecosystem based on expert interviews. The results reveal a three-level hierarchy, with Bureaucratic Friction as the foundational “gatekeeper.” However, as the system stabilises, Resource and Talent Gaps become the dominant “silent driver” of long-term success, while Strategic Market Agility emerges as a symptomatic outcome dependent on resolving these underlying inhibitors. Policymakers must first “unlock the gate” of bureaucracy before addressing the resource gaps that truly sustain the ecosystem. Addressing these gaps is crucial for fostering innovation and ensuring sustainable economic development in the Lithuanian context.