The correlation between the regional innovation system and region's competitiveness: assessment methods (through the example of the regions of Volga federal district)

The article considers the most urgent issues of regional development connected with the formation of a regional innovation system and competitiveness of regional development. A structure of the integral index of a regional innovation system including clusters is proposed, though they have not been traditionally included into the system. The author analyzes various approaches to the component structure of a regional innovation system and proposes their own system of its components and indicators. In addition to the indicators related to the production and dissemination of knowledge, the indicator of cluster potential is proposed. Clusters are included into the regional innovation system as centers of formation of a region's competitive advantages. The concept of a region's competitiveness is studied in the article from the standpoint of innovation development. The author proposes their own approach to assess the competitiveness of regions via the integral index of competitiveness, which reflects the social and external-economic development, as well as institutional and innovation advantages of the territory. The hypothesis about the correlation between regional innovation systems and a region's competitiveness is tested in the article through calculating the integral index by simple average method based on the normalized base values. The test of the hypothesis is performed for the data obtained in 14 regions of Volga Federal district. The results of calculations of the integral index of the regional innovation system and competitiveness are listed in pivot tables, and clearly confirm the assumption about the existence of a correlation between a regional innovation system and competitiveness. In the conclusion some recommendations are made regarding complex approach to improving regional competitiveness, which should imply development of regional innovation system.