Institution of Regional Strategies in The Russian Innovation System

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to identify the features and problems specific to regional innovation strategies in Russia. The regional innovation strategy is to be interpreted as a formal institution designed to intensify innovation activity in the regional economy. The success of the strategy implementation depends on institutional and resource factors, including those at a higher, federal level. But this does not eliminate the issue of the regional innovation strategy optimal design (formulation, construction). The paper presents a brief overview of research on regional innovation development in Russia. Six regions (Kurgan region, city of Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod region, Novosibirsk region, Republic of Tatarstan, Rostov region) were selected for in-depth analysis of the innovation strategies content. The novelty of the proposed approach lies in the comparison of the results of the regional innovation strategies analysis and the results of the analysis of regional innovation activities narratives expressed by the Russian innovation system actors. Regional innovation development strategies are aimed at solving the innovation development problems that have been identified by policy makers. However, these problems are also reflected in the studied before narratives of the Russian innovation system actors. The paper summarizes these problems and identifies some of the features specific to the regional innovation strategies of the selected regions.