Assessing regional innovative development: A methodological approach based on an integral index
-
DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.21511/ppm.24(2).2026.15
-
Article InfoVolume 24 2026, Issue #2, pp. 205-225
- 95 Views
-
13 Downloads
This work is licensed under a
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
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.
- Keywords
-
JEL Classification (Paper profile tab)O31, O38, R11, C38
-
References63
-
Tables8
-
Figures4
-
- 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
-
- Adamowicz, M. (2021). The potential for innovative and smart rural development in the peripheral regions of Eastern Poland. Agriculture (Switzerland), 11(3), Article 188.
- Alfeo, A. L., Appio, F. P., Cimino, M. G. C. A., Lazzeri, A., Martini, A., & Vaglini, G. (2019). An adaptive stigmergy-based system for evaluating technological indicator dynamics in the context of smart specialization. arXiv.
- Andriushchenko, K., Liezina, A., Vasylchak, S., Manylich, M., Shterma, T., & Petrynyak, U. (2022). Management of the development of the innovative potential of the region. TEM Journal, 11(1), 339-347.
- Andrusiv, U., Popadynets, N., Zelinska, H., Krasnorutskyy, O., Yakubiv, V., Maksymiv, Y., Hryhoruk, I., Shchur, R., & Lapchuk, Y. (2023). Efficiency of use of fuel and energy resources of Ukraine: Assessment, simulation and forecasting. Energy Policy Journal, 26(4), 63-80.
- Ardila, R. S., & Valencia, J. W. A. (2021). Future perspectives of sustainable development: An innovative planning approach to water in the eastern Colombian region. In Conflicts over use of urban and regional spaces in the time of climate changes. Good management and planning practices. University of Manizales.
- Asheim, B., Grillitsch, M., & Trippl, M. (2019). Regional innovation systems: Past, present and future. Galician Journal of Economics, 28(2), 4-22.
- Azimov, B. F. (2025). Methods and models for assessing the socio-economic efficiency of regional innovation infrastructure. International Journal of Artificial Intelligence, 5(04), 685-691.
- Baidybekova, S., Sauranbai, S., Yermekbayeva, D., & Bayetova, M. (2025). Current state and innovative development of the agrarian sector: Comparative analysis of trends in different regions. CAB Reviews: Perspectives in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Nutrition and Natural Resources.
- Bezzubko, L., & Bezzubko, B. (2017). Osnovni derzhavni mekhanizmy vidnovlennia Donbasu [The main state recovery mechanism of Donbas]. Derzhavne Upravlinnia ta Mistseve Samovriaduvannia – State Administration and Local Self-Government, 2(33), 42-47. (In Ukrainian).
- Bischof, M., & Hartl, A. (2023). KPI for data-driven assessment of innovative development paths for nature-based health tourism in the Alpine region. In D. Spoladore, E. Pessot, & M. Sacco (Eds.), Springer Briefs in Applied Sciences and Technology (pp. 31-48). Cham: Springer.
- Buiak, L., Hryhorkiv, M., Hryhorkiv, V., Bashutska, O., & Pryshliak, K. (2023). Computer modeling of the economy dynamics of Ukraine, taking into account the socio-economic clustering of society. Journal of Information Technology Management, 15(4), 64-79.
- Chornyi, R., Venger, V., Kushnirenko, O., & Chorna, N. (2025). Innovatsiino-promyslovyi rozvytok rehioniv Ukrainy: Perspektyvy ta obmezhennia [Innovation-driven and industrial development of Ukrainian regions: Prospects and limitations]. Ekonomika Ukrainy – Economy of Ukraine, 68(2), 3-27. (In Ukrainian).
- Danylyshyn, B., Dubyna, M., Zabashtanskyi, M., Ostrovska, N., Blishchuk, K., & Kozak, I. (2021). Innovative instruments of monetary and fiscal policy. Universal Journal of Accounting and Finance, 9(6), 1213-1221.
- Doloreux, D., & Parto, S. (2005). Regional innovation systems: Current discourse and unresolved issues. Technology in Society, 27(2), 133-153.
- Doschanov, T., Chuponov, S., Ataev, J., Aliyeva, G., & Sapayeva, N. (2023). Role of educational services in innovative and sustainable development of region. E3S Web of Conferences, 449.
- European Commission. (n.d.). European innovation scoreboard.
- Global Startup Ecosystems Index. (2025). The Global Startup Ecosystem Report 2025.
- Gumenna, O. V., & Korotka, M. A. (2012). Rozrobka stratehii rehionalnoho innovatsiinoho rozvytku v Ukraini: Reformuvannia osvitnoi sfery odeskoho rehionu [Development of the innovative regional strategy in Ukraine: Reforming educational sphere in Odessa region]. Naukovi Zapysky NaUKMA – Scientific Notes of NaUKMA, 133, 39-43. (In Ukrainian).
- Horoshkova, L., Khlobystov, I., Kozmenko, S., & Trofymchuk, V. (2020). Econometric analysis of the national economy sustainable development based on environmental Kuznets curve. International Journal of Global Environmental Issues, 19(1-3), 143-157.
- Hrubliak, O., Zhavoronok, A., Popelo, O., Kharabara, V., Dubyna, M., & Lopashchuk, I. (2025). The impact of financial globalization on the economic growth of countries: A case for Ukraine. Investment Management and Financial Innovations, 22(4), 209-226.
- Huang, Z. (2022). Research on innovation capability of regional innovation system based on fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis: Evidence from China. Systems, 10(6), Article 220.
- Irtyshcheva, I. O., & Nosar, A. A. (2021). Innovatsiini trendy u sferi skladskoi lohistyky ta yikh vplyv na rozvytok rehionalnykh ekonomichnykh system [Innovative trends in the field of warehousing logistics and their impact on the development of regional economic systems]. Visnyk KhNAU im. V.V. Dokuchaieva. Seriia „Ekonomichni nauky” – Bulletin of the KhNAU. Series: Economic Sciences, 1(2), 12-22. (In Ukrainian).
- Irtyshcheva, I. O., Stehnei, M.I., & Mykhailov, M.S. (2018). Metodychni pidkhody do otsinky rivnia innovatsiinoho rozvytku rehionu [Methodological approaches to assess the level of innovative development in the region]. Ekonomika i Suspilstvo – Economy and Society, 16. (In Ukrainian).
- Kanellopoulos, V. (2026).The relationship between R&D spillovers and regional innovation: Licensing patents through royalties and the Stackelberg duopoly with subgame perfect Nash equilibrium. arXiv.
- Kharazishvili, Y., Bugayko, D., Yashchyshyna, I., Butorina, V., Androshchuk, I., & Sribnyi, O. (2023). Strategic scenarios of post-war recovery of sustainable development of Poltava region of Ukraine: Innovative and environmental aspects. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1126(1), Article 012007.
- Khodakivska, O., Kobets, S., Bachkir, I., Martynova, L., Klochan, V., Klochan, I., & Hnatenko, I. (2022). Sustainable development of regions: Modeling the management of economic security of innovative entrepreneurship. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 9(3), 31-38.
- Ključnikov, A., Civelek, M., Krajčík, V., & Ondrejmišková, I. (2020). Innovative regional development of the structurally disadvantaged industrial region by means of the local currency. Acta Montanistica Slovaca, 25(2), 224-235.
- Korenyako, G. I., & Maltsev, V. S. (2021). Innovation efficiency of European countries and Ukraine as assessed by the European Innovation Scoreboard. Science, Technology, Innovation, 4.
- Krasnostanova, N., Yatskevych, I., Maidaniuk, S., Palamarchuk, V., & Pryvalova, N. (2021). Strategic management tools for innovative development of the region. Estudios de Economia Aplicada, 39(5).
- Kurmanov, N. A., Uskelenova, A. T., Kabdullina, G. K., Mukhiyayeva, D. M., & Utarbayeva, G. K. (2023). Multifactor model of empirical analysis of innovative development of Kazakhstan’s regions. Economy: Strategy and Practice, 2, 74-93.
- Kurmanov, N., Beisengaliyev, Y., Bayandin, M., Syzdykova, E., & Tolysbayeva, M. (2022). Innovative development of Kazakhstan’s raw material (oil and gas) regions: Multifactorial model for empirical analysis. International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, 12(4), 131-140.
- Liu, W., Gao, Y., Tang, O., & Cheng, Y. (2024). Comprehensive performance analysis of deep integration and innovative development of logistics and manufacturing industries: A comparison analysis between coastal and inland regions in China. Ocean and Coastal Management, 257.
- López-Rubio, P., Roig-Tierno, N., & Mas-Tur, A. (2020). Regional innovation system research trends: Toward knowledge management and entrepreneurial ecosystems. International Journal of Quality Innovation, 6, Article 4.
- Matricano, D. (2022). Economic and social development generated by innovative startups: Does heterogeneity persist across Italian macro-regions? Economics of Innovation and New Technology.
- McCann, P., & Ortega-Argilés, R. (2011). Smart specialisation, regional growth and applications to EU cohesion policy. Regional Studies, 49(8).
- Melnykova, O. A. (2017). Vyznachennia peredumov innovatsiinoho rozvytku industrialnoho sektora rehionu [Determining the prerequisites for the innovative development of the industrial sector of the region]. Bulletin of Mariupol State University, 13, 64-77. (In Ukrainian).
- Mordovtsev, O., Dmytriieva, O., Shevchenko, I., Kholodov, A., & Nugman, Y. (2025). Implementation of innovative mechanisms to ensuring economic growth of regions based on the development of transport infrastructure. In Strategic-oriented management of the transport industry: Logistics approaches, innovative solutions and management models (p. 30-41). Kharkiv: TECHNOLOGY CENTER PC.
- Mushenyk, I. (2021). Stratehiia rozvytku i formuvannia innovatsiino-investytsiinoi systemy rehionu [Development strategy and formation of the innovation and investment system of the region]. Ekonomika ta Suspilstvo – Economy and Society, 25. (In Ukrainian).
- Pidorycheva, I., Shevtsova, H., Antonyuk, V., Shvets, N., & Pchelynska, H. (2020). A conceptual framework for developing of regional innovation ecosystems. European Journal of Sustainable Development, 9(3).
- Pilko, A., Shchur, R., Chepyha, B., Sakun, O., & Matskiv, V. (2024). Analysis of the influence of monetary instruments on the size of the domestic public debt. Financial and Credit Activity Problems of Theory and Practice, 5(58), 49-60.
- Pino, R. M., & Ortega, A. M. (2018). Regional innovation systems: Systematic literature review and recommendations for future research. Cogent Business & Management, 5(1).
- Ponsiglione, C., Quinto, I., & Zollo, G. (2018). Regional innovation systems as complex adaptive systems: The case of lagging European regions. Sustainability, 10(8), Article 2862.
- Popadynets, N., Yakymchuk, O., Yakymchuk, A., Bilyk, R., Irtyshcheva, I., Hryhoruk, I., Blishchuk, K., Boiko, Y., Hryshyna, N., Sirenko, I., Yakymchuk, Y., & Serhiychuk, S. (2021). Increasing competitiveness of economic regions: Prospects for innovative development. In D. Russo, T. Ahram, W. Karwowski, G. Di Bucchianico, & R. Taiar (Eds.), Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing (pp. 496-502). Cham: Springer.
- Qiu, J., Liu, W., & Ning, N. (2018). Evolution of regional innovation with spatial knowledge spillovers: Convergence or divergence? arXiv.
- Samara, E., Kilintzis, P., Katsoras, E., Martnidis, D., & Kosti, P. (2024). A system dynamics approach for the development of a regional innovation system. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 13, Article 26.
- Semenov, S. R., & Semenov, N. S. (2024). Development of innovative potential of agriculture in the southern regions of the Kyrgyz Republic. BIO Web of Conferences, 108.
- Serohina, D., Matvieieva, N., & Pushkar, T. (2023). Innovatsiinyi rozvytok v ramkakh staloho rozvytku: Poshuk balansu mizh ekonomichnoiu efektyvnistiu ta ekolohichnoiu stiikistiu [Innovative development within the framework of sustainable development: Finding a balance between economic efficiency and environmental sustainability]. Acta Academiae Beregsasiensis. Economics, 1(4), 653-665. (In Ukrainian).
- Shan, C., Liang, X., Zhang, Z., Luo, Y., Peng, L., Yuan, X., Fei, Y., Fan, X., Yu, B., Zhang, Y., & Dang, W. (2025). Key technologies and innovative practices for exploration and development of thin interbedded coalbed methane in the shallow transformation zone of Junlian complex mountainous region, southern Sichuan Basin. Acta Petrolei Sinica, 46(6), 1125, 1056-1073.
- Shkarlet, S., Kholiavko, N., & Dubyna, M. (2015). Territorial reform in the system of strategic management of energy-economic and information spheres of the state. Economic Annals-XXI, 5-6, 103-107.
- Shmygol, N., Galtsova, O., Shaposhnykov, K., & Bazarbayeva, S. (2021). The environmental management policy: Assessment of ecological and energy indicators and effective regional management (On the example of Ukraine). Polityka Energetyczna, 24(4), 43-60.
- Shvydkyi, D., Shvets, V., Sokolenko, K., Rudniev, Y., & Sokolenko, V. (2026). Urban planning principles and models of reconstructive restoration of urbanized territories of Luhansk region destroyed by hostilities, based on innovative development. In A. Semenov, I. Yepifanova, & J. Kajanová (Eds.), Lecture Notes on Data Engineering and Communications Technologies (pp. 33-57). Cham: Springer.
- Sokira, T., Belgibayeva, Z., & Dzhulaeva, A. (2021). Innovative factors of sustainable development of regions of Kazakhstan. E3S Web of Conferences, 295.
- Štefenberga, D., Sloka, B., & Rivža, B. (2023). Information sources on innovations and innovative activities for entrepreneurship development – Views of entrepreneurs in Kurzeme region. Research for Rural Development, 37.
- Stepanenko, N., Lytvynenko, A., & Pyvavar, I. (2025). Innovatsiinyi rozvytok natsionalnoi ekonomiky v konteksti hlobalnykh ekonomichnykh tendentsii [Innovative development of the national economy in the context of global economic trends]. Ekonomika I Rehion – Economics and Region, 2(97), 13-20. (In Ukrainian).
- Tkachuk, І., Kobelia, М., Popelo, О., Zhavoronok, А., & Vinnychuk, О. (2023). Modelling financial influence of political and oligarchic interests of the governedsponsored enterprises on the creation and implementation of the financial policy in the state. Journal of Hygienic Engineering and Design, 42, 271-279.
- Trusova, N. V., Hryvkivska, O. V., Yavorska, T. I., Prystemskyi, O. S., Kepko, V. N., & Prus, Yu. (2020). Innovative development and competitiveness of agribusiness subjects in the system of ensuring of economic security of the regions of Ukraine. Rivista di Studi Sulla Sostenibilita, 2.
- Tsonkov, N., & Zlatev, M. (2025). An attempt to assess the impact of AI as a modern tool for regional policy in the process of innovative and economic development of European regions. Smart Cities, 8(6), Article 210.
- Uzlov, K., & Li-chun, T. (2017). Indicator evaluation of regional innovation system according to the cluster approach. International Journal of Engineering Management, 1(1), 27-30.
- Vakhovych, I., Satyvaldieva, B., Dooranov, A., Slynko, M., Marchenko, O., & Salivonchyk, I. (2021). Smart specialization of the region as a tool for modernizing innovative development. Estudios de Economia Aplicada, 39(5).
- Virchenko, Vo., & Virchenko, Vi. (2022). Priorytety rozvytku innovatsiinoi diialnosti v konteksti reindustrializatsii ekonomiky Ukrainy [Priorities for the development of innovation activity in the context of reindustrialization of Ukrainian economy]. Ekonomika ta Suspilstvo – Economy and Society, (38). (In Ukrainian).
- WIPO. (2025). Global Innovation Index 2025.
- World Bank, the Government of Ukraine, the European Union, & the United Nations. (2026). Ukraine. Fifth Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment.
- Zhytar, M., Sosnovska, O., Shchur, R., Lisnichuk, O., & Navolokina, A. (2022). Scientific and methodical approach to the assessment of diagnostics of the economic security of economic. Financial and Credit Activity Problems of Theory and Practice, 5(46), 209-221.


