Innovative component of the transformation of resource-based regions

Abstract

Abstract The problem of changing the extensive model of economic development in Russia is directly related to the willingness of resource regions to move to the trajectory of balanced development. Therefore, the question of developing approaches and algorithms for assessing the readiness of resource regions for the development of technologically interconnected industries focused on the production of products with high added value is relevant. The solution to this issue is connected both with the selection of the most informative indicators, on the basis of which an assessment of this readiness can be made, and with a strong differentiation of resource regions. The purpose of the article is to study the possibility of a comprehensive assessment of the readiness of resource regions for the development of technologically interconnected industries focused on the production of products with high added value based on their investment and innovative activity. To solve the problem, the article presents and analyzes statistical information on investment and innovation activity of the studied group of regions for the period 2010-2017. The performed analysis allows us to conclude that the studied group of regions has significant heterogeneity. As an explanation of the causal mechanism, there are two main versions of the resource curse theory. They can be conditionally called “economic” and “political” resource curse. In the first, the so-called crowding-out effect has a negative impact on economic growth (or, in our case, innovation)-a high return on investment in the extractive sector leads to a reduction in investment in other sectors. Within the second framework, resource rent causes a drop in the quality of public administration, which, in turn, negatively affects economic growth. Within the framework of our study, it is difficult to unambiguously draw a conclusion about the causal mechanism that determines a lower indicator of the “innovative activity” component with an increase in the resource dependence of the region, however, the effect of the “crowding out effect” is more likely.