Service management at the regional level: the cluster approach

The article discusses the possibility and expediency of development management services in the region, based on the cluster approach. For this purpose, the author describes theoretical approaches to the determination of the service cluster as an economic category, as well as to the classification of service clusters. A distinction between the term "regional service cluster" and "sphere of service in the region" is explained on the basis of comparison of the following characteristics: territorial boundaries, forms of interaction between participants, the economic interests of participants, innovative development opportunities for the participants and the region, information flows, corporate culture, the terms of cooperation. The article also identifies three components of the scope of the service industry, capable of developing in the cluster form in the Russian Economy - tourism, educational services, scientific services. On the example of tourism clusters, as clusters of service, suggested a methodical approach to the calculation of aggregate investment attractiveness in the Russian regions. This methodology takes into consideration quantitative and qualitative indicators of the resource potential of the cluster core, infrastructure component, the predictive efficiency of the investment project implementation, and assessment of possible risks in three areas - sectoral, regional and general. For comparison of quantitative and qualitative indicators and using them in calculations the author proposes to use a scale where each indicator is assigned a weighting factor on the basis of priorities. This approach proposes to develop a standard methodology for assessing the investment attractiveness of the service cluster, that is to create a tool for management decisions on the application of the cluster approach to the development of servicemanagement in the region.