Innovative Development of Russian Regions: Assessment and Dynamics in the Context of Sustainable Development

Abstract

Innovative development of regions is a key factor that determines the level of competitiveness of the economies of all countries in the world. This article uses statistical tools to assess the level of innovative development of the regions of the Russian Federation. The purpose of the work is to assess the innovative development of the subjects of Russia for the period 2010–2020. Objectives of the study: (1) to study the main parameters of innovative development of the subjects of the Russian Federation; (2) to conduct a typology of Russian regions by the level of innovative development on the basis of cluster analysis. The selected time interval (2010–2020) was a period of increasing turbulent flows of development of socio-economic processes at the global, national and regional levels. Cluster analysis was used to identify spatial and functional features of innovative development of Russian regions. The obtained analytical calculations confirm a high degree of differentiation between the Russian regions by all key indicators of innovative development. The results of grouping regions on the basis of cluster analysis showed that there are four clusters based on the sum of normalized indicators, reflecting different levels of innovative development in Russian regions. The analysis revealed that most of the regions belong to the groups with moderate and low levels of innovative development. The regions of the Central and Volga Federal Districts have the highest level of innovative development, while the regions located in the north of the European part of Russia, the North Caucasus, the south of eastern Siberia and the Far East, as well as “new” regions, have a low level. The results of the study can be implemented by regional authorities for systematic monitoring of the level of innovative development of regions, making managerial decisions and developing mechanisms to ensure innovation activity in the regions.