Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The presented scientific article is devoted to a comprehensive study of the role of innovation in the formation and sustainable development of regional industrial clusters in the Russian Federation. The relevance of the work is determined by the need to find effective mechanisms for technological modernization of territories in the context of macroeconomic turbulence and the increasing importance of knowledge-intensive industries as key drivers of gross domestic product growth. The text discusses in detail the theoretical and methodological foundations of the cluster approach, provides a comparative analysis of traditional and cluster models of regional development, and provides a quantitative and qualitative assessment of the current state of clustering in the leading regions of the country. The main purpose of the study is to identify the correlation between the intensity of innovation processes and the effectiveness of the functioning of industrial associations. The authors propose and test the hypothesis that regions with a developed cluster infrastructure demonstrate higher rates of innovation progress due to network effects, reduced transaction costs and accelerated diffusion of knowledge. The analysis of empirical data covering the period from 2021 to 2025 shows a significant increase in the number of industrial clusters and participating enterprises, especially in the Volga and Central Federal Districts. Special attention is paid to the specialization of cluster formations, among which mechanical engineering, the chemical industry and the production of automotive components are leading. The key scientific result of the article is the identification of a specific pattern, which the authors characterize as the nonlinear nature of the relationship between production volume and innovation activity. Statistical analysis of the indicators showed that, despite the leadership in terms of shipped products, there is a negative trend in the share of innovatively active organizations in some regions. This phenomenon is explained by the effect of the innovation inertia of mature clusters focused on the exploitation of existing capacities within the established technological structures. On the contrary, regions with smaller production scales demonstrate flexibility and high rates of implementation of organizational and marketing innovations. The final part of the study substantiates the conclusion that innovation is the foundation of the long-term competitiveness of regional systems. The authors emphasize that the strategic success of cluster policy depends not on the quantitative growth of participants, but on the institutional maturity of the environment and the ability of participants to transform production cycles qualitatively. The work is of theoretical and practical importance for government agencies in adjusting strategies for scientific and technological development of regions and improving tools to support industrial cooperation. The study confirms the need to move to a model of «smart specialization» that ensures the synergy of interests of science, business and the state.
Author: Alexey A. Milyukov
Institution: Togliatti State University
Language: English
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7204222208