Resilience as a direction of socio-economic development of regional economic systems

This article examines resilience as a dimension of the socio-economic development of regional economic systems, using the Nizhny Novgorod, Samara, and Saratov regions as case studies. The study is driven by the need to identify mechanisms enabling territories to withstand sanctions pressure, labor shortages, infrastructure deterioration, accumulated environmental damage, and other external and internal challenges. The aim of the work is to identify the regulatory and managerial tools for ensuring the resilience of industrial regions in the Volga area. The methodological framework comprises systems, comparative, and institutional analyses, alongside a synthesis of official Rosstat statistics, regional strategies, legislation, and profiles of innovation sites. The authors compare the industrial, workforce, and environmental challenges faced by the three regions, as well as their respective adaptation practices. It is established that common stressors — such as sanctions, disrupted supply chains, specialist shortages, and environmental pollution — lead to distinct management decisions. The Nizhny Novgorod region demonstrates a transformative type of resilience linked to structural restructuring, the establishment of the Kulibin Special Economic Zone and an eco-industrial park in Dzerzhinsk, and the implementation of the «Dzerzhinsk-100» program. The Samara region leans toward an adaptive model, relying on digitalization, the industrial internet of things, an eco-technopark in Tolyatti, and the Agro-Engineering carbon testing ground. The Saratov region employs cluster-based adaptation and interregional cooperation, developing its oil and gas cluster and focusing on the import substitution of electronic components. Particular attention is paid to environmental laws and strategies extending to 2030, 2035, and 2036. It is shown that tax incentives and preferences for investors are linked to carbon footprint reduction, waste recycling, and lower emissions. The authors conclude that the resilience of regional economic systems depends directly on the flexibility of the regulatory framework, the speed at which new industrial and environmental facilities are launched, and the authorities' ability to balance industrial growth with the minimization of environmental impact. The most sustainable models entail structural transformation, technological adaptation, and interregional cooperation. Their implementation fosters the recovery of the manufacturing sector, stabilizes the labor market, and reduces the future vulnerability of these territories.