Abstract

The Strategy of Spatial Development of the Russian Federation through 2025 failed to realize the potential of interregional and intermunicipal interaction, which makes it a key problem of the country’s spatial development. Spatial integration implies a scientific approach to the priorities and tools that would consolidate the potential of stakeholders and regions. This issue is especially relevant for the Northern territories, which make up two-thirds of Russia’s total area. To substantiate strategic priorities and tools of spatial integration, the author identified the essence and prerequisites for spatial integration of Russia’s European North, as well as analyzed the institutional, legal, and instrumental support for strategizing its spatial integration. The strategic priorities and tools in question are aimed at revealing the competitive advantages of each region and restoring the bond between urban and rural areas. The study relied on the theory and methodology of strategizing developed by Professor Vladimir L. Kvint. Using the monographic and comparative methods, the author analyzed strategic planning documents, regulatory legal acts, and reports made by development institutions. The spatial integration is currently provided by deepening the socio-economic unity of the regions. Russia’s European North has obvious prerequisites for integration, but the poor institutional, legal, and instrumental support remains the key obstacle. A vertical integration design center should be organized to develop the interregional value chains. Cities are the nods in these integration chain: their regional and industrial priorities are to be identified and strategized. A stronger inter-municipal cooperation between rural and urban areas will make it possible to activate the potential of remote territories. These measures and priorities should be implemented in the federal and macroregional strategy systems.

Keywords

spatial integration, strategizing, interregional cooperation, northern regions, competitive advantages, polycentrism

REFERENCES

1. Alimuradov MK, Goryacheva AS, Kurbatskiy AN. Strategic priorities for the Russian seaports cargo turnover structure development. Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast. 2021;14(4):97–112. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.15838/esc.2021.4.76.6
2. Bogomolova AA. Horizontal interbudgetary transfers as an in-strument of financial interaction between regions and municipalities. Economics and Management. 2022;1(40):12–18. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21777/2587-554X-2022-1-12-18
3. Frolov DP, Mirzoev RS. Institutsionalizatsiya mezhregionalʹnykh vzaimodeystviy v kontekste prostranstvennykh transformatsiy ehkonomiki [Institutionalization of interregional interactions in the context of spatial transformations of the economy]. National Interests: Priorities and Security. 2011;7(8):28–36. (In Russ.)
4. Gløersen E, Wergles N, Corbineau C, Hans S, Haxhija S, Foresight S. [et al.] ESPON ACTAREA: Thinking and planning in areas of territorial cooperation European Atlas of Soft Territorial Cooperation. 2017.
5. Gnezdova JuV. Soft territorial cooperation: principles and characteristics. Digital space: economy, management, and society: Proceedings of the IV All-Russian Scientific Conference (June 21, 2022). Smolensk: Smolensk State University; 2022. P. 36–41.
6. Kozhevnikov SA. Peculiarities of the development of the Northern territories of the North-Western federal district and the problems of ensuring the integration of the macro-region space. Economy of the North-West: Problems and Prospects of Development. 2022;3(70):23–36. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.52897/2411-4588-2022-3-23-36
7. Kozhevnikov SA. Problems of the European North of Russia And The Possibilities of its participation in the development of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation. Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast. 2019;12(1):87–107. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.15838/esc.2019.1.61.5
8. Kozhevnikov SA. Spatial integration of the economy: theoretical concepts and problems of implementation at the regional level. ECO. 2022;3:84–107. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.30680/ECO0131-7652-2022-3-84-107
9. Kuptsova IV, Laktaeva NE. Prospects for the implementation of foreign experience in the formation of ecosystems of world-class scientific and educational centers prospects for the implementation of foreign experience in the formation of ecosystems of world-class scientific and educational centers. State and Municipal Management. Scholar Notes. 2021;2:18–27. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22394/2079-1690-2021-1-2-18-27
10. Kvint VL, Alimuradov MK, Astapov KL, Alekseev GF, Bagaev DV, Boksgorn AA [et al.] Strategizing of Kuzbass region economic and investing development. Kemerovo: Kemerovo State University; 2021. 364 p. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21603/978-5-8353-2724-9
11. Kvint VL, Novikova IV, Alimuradov MK, Arshinova AI [et al.]. Economic and financial strategy; ed. VL Kvint. Moscow: Publishing House of the Moscow University; 2024. 247 p. (In Russ.)
12. Kvint VL, Novikova IV, Alimuradov MK. Alignment of global and national interest with regional strategic priorities. Economics and Management. 2021;27(11):900–909. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.35854/1998-1627-2021-11-900-909
13. Kvint VL. Development of strategy: Scanning and forecasting of external and internal environments. Administrative Consulting. 2015;79(7):6–11. (In Russ.)
14. Kvint VL. The Concept of Strategizing. Kemerovo: Kemerovo State University; 2022. 170 p. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21603/978-5-8353-2562-7
15. Kvint VL. To the analysis of the formation of a strategy as a science. Vestnik TSEHMI [Bulletin of the Central Institute of Economics and Mathematics]. 2018;(1). (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.33276/S0000121-6-1
16. Lazhentsev VN. The Arctic and the North: A Russian Spatial Development Context. Economy of region. 2021;17(3):737–754. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17059/ekon.reg.2021–3-2
17. Lazhentsev VN. The North and the integration of socio-economic spaces: an example in the Russian Northwest. Studies on Russian Economic Development. 2020;31(3):277–283. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.1134/S1075700720030107
18. Meijers E, Waterhout B, Zonneveld W. Polycentric development policies in European countries: an introduction. Built Environment. 2005;31:97–102. https://doi.org/10.2148/benv.31.2.97.66255
19. Mingaleva Z, Sheresheva M, Oborin M, Gvarliani T. Networking of small cities to gain sustainability. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability. 2017;5(1):140–156. https://doi.org/10.9770/jesi.2017.5.1(12)
20. Novikova IV. The main mistakes in applying the theory of strategy and methodology of strategizing of Vladimir L. Kvint in scientific research. Strategizing: Theory and Practice: V International Research-to-Practice Conference (February 17–18, 2022). Moscow Strategic Universitarium: 2-book collection of selected research articles. Book I. Moscow: Moscow University Press; 2022. P. 40–43. (In Russ.)
21. Panagiotopoulos G, Kaliampakos D. Accessibility and spatial inequalities in Greece. Applied Spatial Analysis and Policy. 2019;12(3):1–20. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12061-018-9256-8
22. Samylina VG, Gitel'man EB. Sovremennoe sostoyanie prirodnyh resursov Evropejskogo Severa Rossii [Current state of natural resources of the European North of Russia]. Innovacionnaya ekonomika: perspektivy razvitiya i sovershenstvovaniya [Innovative economy: Prospects for development and improvement]. 2015;1(6):175–184. (In Russ.)
23. Sasaev NI, Kvint VL. Strategizing the industrial core of the national economy. Russian Journal of Industrial Economics. 2024;17(3):245–260. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.17073/2072- 1633-2024-3-1349
24. Tsivilev SE. Strategizing Directions for Agglomeration Effects. Strategizing: Theory and Practice. 2024;4(3):284–297. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.21603/2782-2435-2024-4-3-284-297
25. Wirth P, Elis V, Müller B, Yamamoto K. Peripheralisation of small towns in Germany and Japan – dealing with economic decline and population loss. Journal of Rural Studies. 2016;47:62–75. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2016.07.021
26. Yongqiang L, Zongmin L, Changcheng K, Xinqi Z. Polycentric urban development and its determinants in China: a geospatial big data perspective. Geographical Analysis. 2021;53:520–542. https://doi.org/10.1111/gean.12236
27. Živanović V, Pavlović M, Kovjanić A, Tošić D, Krstić F. Concept of polycentricity-the differences between development policies and spatial reality. Journal of the Geographical Institute “Jovan Cvijić” SASA. 2021;71(1):75–90. https://doi.org/10.2298/IJGI2101075Z