Assessing regional innovative development: A methodological approach based on an integral index

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Type of the article: Research Article

Abstract
The innovative development of Ukraine’s regions requires advanced assessment approaches that account for regional specificities and ensure the effective use of existing potential. This study aims to evaluate the level of innovative development of Ukrainian regions under current socio-economic and wartime challenges. Innovative development is conceptualized as a process of transforming regional economic systems through the generation and implementation of new knowledge, technologies, and managerial solutions, ensuring both qualitative and quantitative changes, sustainable development, post-war recovery, improved resource efficiency, and enhanced competitiveness. The methodological framework is based on a comprehensive multi-stage analytical model for determining an integral indicator. The approach involves a system of input indicators reflecting innovation activity in wartime conditions, followed by correlation analysis to detect multicollinearity among variables. To increase analytical accuracy, regions are clustered by their contribution to gross value added using the interval multiplicity method. The results showed that the Integral Innovation Index of Ukraine for 2018–2024 was characterized by unstable dynamics, a significant decrease in 2022 (0.608), and the absence of a trend. This indicates the sensitivity of innovative development to adverse transformational factors, particularly the challenges posed by war. However, despite the significant deterioration in the value of the Integral Innovation Index during the period of the beginning of large-scale war operations on the territory of Ukraine, the situation improved in the following period (2023 – 0.840, 2024 – 0.952).

Acknowledgments
This research is carried out within the framework of the ERASMUS+ SUSTED project “Education for sustainable development: synergy of competencies for the recovery of Ukraine” (Project number: 101178414). The project is funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.

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    • Figure 1. Model of complex analysis of the IIIRD as a step-by-step system process
    • Figure 2. Dynamics of the average values of the IIIRD in the context of clusters
    • Figure 3. Dynamics of the average values of integral indices of innovative development by clusters of regions
    • Figure 4. Dynamics of the average value of the weighted integral index of innovative development of Ukraine
    • Table 1. Z-score normalization of data for the analysis of an intelligent indicator
    • Table 2. Integral indices of innovative development of regions, 2018–2024
    • Table 3. The share of the regions’ contribution to the “value added” indicator, 2018–2024
    • Table 4. Clustering of regions by the indicator of the average share of contribution to the resulting sign Y of value added, 2018–2024
    • Table 5. Dynamics of integral index of innovative development by regional clusters
    • Table 6. Input data for factor economic and mathematical modeling of the IIIRD from natural variables of indicators of innovative development of regions for cluster 1
    • Table 7. Determination of the weights of integral indices of innovative development by clusters
    • Table 8. Weighted integral index of innovative development of Ukraine, 2018–2024
    • Conceptualization
      Svitlana Tulchynska, Olha Popelo, Artur Zhavoronok, Marta Derhaliuk, Anna Pohrebniak, Olena Kostiunik
    • Data curation
      Svitlana Tulchynska, Olha Popelo, Artur Zhavoronok
    • Formal Analysis
      Svitlana Tulchynska, Olha Popelo, Artur Zhavoronok, Marta Derhaliuk, Anna Pohrebniak, Olena Kostiunik
    • Methodology
      Svitlana Tulchynska, Olha Popelo, Artur Zhavoronok, Marta Derhaliuk, Anna Pohrebniak, Olena Kostiunik
    • Resources
      Svitlana Tulchynska, Olha Popelo, Artur Zhavoronok
    • Validation
      Svitlana Tulchynska, Marta Derhaliuk, Anna Pohrebniak, Olena Kostiunik
    • Visualization
      Svitlana Tulchynska, Olha Popelo, Artur Zhavoronok, Marta Derhaliuk, Anna Pohrebniak, Olena Kostiunik
    • Writing – original draft
      Svitlana Tulchynska, Olha Popelo, Artur Zhavoronok, Marta Derhaliuk, Anna Pohrebniak, Olena Kostiunik
    • Writing – review & editing
      Svitlana Tulchynska, Olha Popelo, Artur Zhavoronok
    • Supervision
      Olha Popelo, Artur Zhavoronok
    • Project administration
      Artur Zhavoronok
    • Investigation
      Marta Derhaliuk, Anna Pohrebniak, Olena Kostiunik