Differentiated governance of innovative development in Russian regions

Deep structural imbalances in the innovative development of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation pose significant challenges to ensuring the country’s technological sovereignty and sustainable economic growth. Existing uniform approaches to regional policy fail to account for the depth of interregional differences and demonstrate low effectiveness, necessitating the development of new governance solutions. The study aims to develop differentiated approaches to govern the innovative development of Russian regions based on a comprehensive analysis of structural imbalances and their typology. The research employs a set of methods for comparative spatio-temporal analysis and classification. The empirical base consists of official Rosstat data for 2010−2023. The analysis was conducted in several stages: comparative analysis and ranking of regions using a system of absolute and relative indicators normalized per capita; assessment of differentiation dynamics using coefficients of variation; grouping and classification of regions based on cluster analysis of key indicators of scientific and technical potential, financial support, innovation performance and government participation. Persistent structural imbalances were identified, with the gap between leading regions and outsiders for internal R&D expenditures per capita reaching 57.9 times and 284.5 times for the number of research personnel per 10 000 people. It was established that differentiation is not weakening but intensifying over time. A paradox of mismatch between resource provision and innovation performance was discovered. An original management-oriented typology of regions was developed, comprising four clusters: «innovation leaders», «strong sectoral players», «regions with moderate potential» and «innovation outsiders». The novelty of the study integrates the concepts of regional innovation systems and the «triple helix» with the tools of strategic territorial planning. A system of differentiated managerial solutions is proposed for each type of region, ranging from a global value chain integration strategy for leaders to a human capital development policy for outsiders. The research results provide a scientific basis for revising approaches to regional innovation policy. The proposed targeted solutions can be used by public authorities to form a differentiated policy aimed at reducing innovation inequality and enhancing each region’s contribution to national technological sovereignty. The inefficiency of a uniform policy for innovation development of regions is proven. The necessity of transitioning to targeted strategies that consider the specifics of the identified clusters is substantiated. Implementing the proposed differentiated approach will help overcome spatial imbalances and leverage regional innovation potential more effectively. Further research directions include developing differentiated performance indicator systems for each regional cluster, analyzing the evolutionary trajectories of regional innovation systems under sanction pressure, and conducting a comparative analysis of best practices in innovation development management in federal states.