Introduction
Innovation is a global trend that has become
a key strategy for many countries to
seek competitive advantage. Innovation processes
are the result of a large number of interactions
between various participants and
institutions that form the national innovation
system as a whole.
The innovation system consists of relationships
and exchanges with enterprises,
governments and academia on science and
technology development.
The theory and practical aspects of innovative
development have been a relevant
area for researchers for many years. Almost
all research on innovation was based on results
previously obtained by J. Schumpeter
(Theory of Dynamic Economics), F. Hayek
(Diffused Knowledge Concept), D. North (Institutional
Theory), R. Solow (role of scientific
and technological progress in economic
growth), P. Romer and R. Lucas (Endogenous
Growth Theory).
In the 21st century, the role of innovation
in the economy has significantly increased,
and the scientific and innovation potential
of countries has become a vital aspect
of competitiveness, both within countries and
within regions.
Research objective is to study the innovation
activity of the Russian regions of the
Central Federal District, in particular Belgorod
Region, Ivanovo Region, and Tula Region.
The regions in question are currently
characterized by a high level of innovation
activity among the subjects of the Russian
Federation.
The methodological basis for studying
the innovation activity of regions is the system
approach that allows generalization and
synthesis of the studied material.
The analysis of a number of indicators
of innovation activity in the Russian regions
makes it possible to underscore the vector of
their innovative development.
Main part
In 2020, there were 4,175 scientific research
and development organizations in the
Russian Federation. Most of them was concentrated
in the Central Federal District (1579
organizations or 37.8%) and the Volga Federal
District (690 organizations or 16.5%).
Compared to 2019, the number of relevant
organizations increased by 3.1%. 11,386 organizations
in the Russian Federation carried
out innovation activities in 2020, which is
15.7% more over 2019[ On Innovation Activities…,
2009].
To assess the success of the implementation
of certain aspects of innovative development
in the Russian Federation, we will
conduct a comparative analysis of the state of
the innovation sphere in a number of regions
(limited to the territory of the Central Federal
District).

Some regions of the Central Federal
District have drawn our attention, namely,
those with the most significant results in this
sphere: Belgorod Region, Ivanovo Region,
Tula Region. These regions are the leaders
(TOP-3) in 2020 in the level of innovation
activity of organizations among the subjects
of the Russian Federation.
It should be noted that, in general, this
district has results above the average. This
clearly indicates that the regions of the Central
Federal District are most successful in
implementing the main objectives of the innovative
development strategy.
Let us analyze the innovation potential
of the selected regions.
Belgorod Region. To date, the region is
actively working to formulate an updated
Strategy for the Socio-Economic Development
of Belgorod Region up to 2030. The key
direction of development in the strategy being
developed is “Innovative Belgorod Region”.
The goal of this priority area is to ensure a
scientific and technological breakthrough in
key sectors of the Belgorod and Russian
economy, and to increase the share of innovative
products in the shipment due to comprehensive
support of researchers and developers.
The main strategic objectives of the innovative
Belgorod Region up to 2030 are:
− developing the region as a point of attraction
for researchers;
− introducing Belgorod technologies to
the Russian and world markets;
− creating a closed-loop economy;
− reducing ecological footprint;
− increasing cooperation between science
and business.
On the territory of Belgorod Region, the
Law of Belgorod Region dated October 1,
2009 No. 296 “On Innovation Activities and
Innovation Policy in the Belgorod Region” is
in force [On Innovation…, 2009].
With regard to innovation infrastructure,
institutions include:
− Department of Investment and Innovation
(part of the Ministry of Economic Development
and Industry of Belgorod Region),
which ensures the implementation of public

innovation policies at the regional level,
providing a maximum enabling environment
for the implementation of the innovative scenario
for the development of the region;
− Belgorod Regional Resource Innovation
Center (Business Incubator), which is the
regional representative of the Foundation for
Assistance to Small Innovative Enterprises in
Science and Technology (Innovation Assistance
Fund) since 2016. The Center implements
innovation development programs
aimed at creating new and developing existing
high-tech companies, as well as commercializing
the results of scientific and technical
activities;
− World-class Scientific and Educational
Center “Innovative Solutions in the Agro-
Industrial Complex”, which is considered a
connecting element for the development of
innovations in Belgorod Region and through
which trending scientific technologies are
transferred to real business. The Center was
established in 2019 as part of the implementation
of the “Science” National Project. The
activities of the Center are aimed at actively
participating in ensuring the competitiveness
of the Russian Federation as a world scientific
power and leader in the field of agrarian science;
strengthening food security and the independence
of the country; expanding Russia’s
presence in world food markets; improving
the well-being and quality of life of citizens
of Russia and Belgorod Region.
Also, the regional innovation infrastructure
of Belgorod Region includes Belgorod
Regional Fund for the Support of Small and
Medium Enterprises, Belgorod Intellectual
and Innovation System Development Fund,
“Severny” Industrial Park, Patent and Information
Center of the Belgorod State Universal
Scientific Library, Regional Center for
Intellectual Property at Belgorod State National
Research University (NRU BelSU),
Technological Park “High-Tech” of NRU
BelSU, Center of High Technologies of Shukhov
Belgorod State Technological University
(BSTU), Business incubator of Shukhov
BSTU, Innovation and Technology Center of
Shukhov BSTU, Educational and Scientific
Innovation Center “Agrotechnopark” of Gorin
Belgorod State Agrarian University, Biryuch
Innovation Center, Centers for Youth Innovative
Creativity “CLUSTER” and “Metamorphosis”.
Ivanovo Region. Decree of the Government
of Ivanovo Region dated April 27, 2021
approved the Strategy for Social and Economic
Development of Ivanovo Region until
2024, within which the block “Innovation
Development Strategy of the Region” was
identified. The objective of the innovation
strategy of development of the region is “formation
of an innovative-oriented structure of
the economy, a comfortable economic environment
and institutional conditions for enhancing
the innovative development of the
region”.
Among the priorities for innovative development
in the region are:
− technological upgrading and modernization
of industrial enterprises;
− development of science and innovation
activity.
The main areas of innovation and scientific
activity of Ivanovo Region, which generally
determine the specialization of the region,
are developments in the textile industry, in the
sphere of manufacturing of industrial machinery
and equipment, special and construction
equipment, in energy-saving technologies, as
well as fashion and design.
From 2014 to 2024, the Ivanovo Region
State Program “Economic Development and
Innovative Economy of Ivanovo Region”
(with changes of 01/20/2022) is being implemented.
Under the State Program, such subprograms
as the development of small and
medium-sized enterprises, fundamental scientific
research, human resources for the innovative
economy, and the creation of a favorable
investment environment operate.
The region’s innovation infrastructure is
quite extensive. It includes Industrial Park
“Rodniki”, Educational and Scientific Center
for Technological and Ecological Safety in
Energy, Center for Design and Improvement
of Reliability of Electrical Equipment, Center
for Energy Efficient Technologies, Research

Center and Experimental Biomedical Clinic
with Vivarium, Research Institute for Macro-
Heterocyclic Compounds, Regional Center
for Nano Industry, etc [Lukasheva, N.A.,
2015].
Tula Region. According to the Program
for Social and Economic Development of Tula
Region (2021-2026), one of the strategic
objectives of the region (there are 7 in total) is
“building a highly efficient and sustainable
scientific ecosystem of the region with the
volume of 100 billion rubles per year of
shipped innovative domestically produced
goods by 2030” [Program of Social…, 2022 ].
In general, the priority direction of the
region's development is its innovation activity
(“Knowledge: Innovation Activity”), focused
on improvement and development of higher
education, general innovation development
and creation of breakthrough technologies.
Regional priority projects within the
strategic direction of development
“Knowledge: Innovation Activity” by 2026
are: active operation of the Scientific and educational
center of the world level “TulaTECH”;
formation of research and innovation
infrastructure of the innovative scientific
and technological center “Composite Valley”;
increased share of new advanced high-tech
products; formation of the Center of Technological
Excellence of the Tula Region; creation
of an ecosystem of personnel training at
the request of enterprises for their research
and production activities; implementation of
new approaches in the design, production and
testing of prototypes; enhancement of technological
and digital maturity of industrial production
[On Approval…, 2021]; transformation
of educational space in the field of
general, secondary vocational and higher education,
and formation of a single educational
ecosystem of the region, including development
of student technological entrepreneurship.
The region has a Strategy for the Development
of Science, Technology and Innovation
in Tula Region until 2030 (approved
by Decree of the Government of Tula Region
No. 539 dated August 27, 2021).
The existence of this strategic document
is a certain competitive advantage of Tula
Region in innovation activity.
The Strategy contains an assessment of
regional innovation policies, including the
innovation activity of organizations, the performance
of higher education organizations,
activities of regional authorities to develop
innovative infrastructure and measures to
support innovation projects.
As for the innovation infrastructure of
Tula Region, it includes the Committee of
Tula Region on Science and Innovation
(which forms and implements the regional
policy in the field of science and innovation
in the Tula Region); Autonomous Non-Profit
Organization ”Scientific and educational center
of the world level “TulaTECH” (association
of universities, scientific organizations
and organizations operating in the economic
sector); innovative scientific and technological
center “Composite Valley” on the basis of
Tula State University.
In 2022, eleven scientific laboratories
began their operation in the region at Tula
State University, Tolstoy Tula State Pedagogical
University (TSPU), and Novomoskovsk
Institute of the Mendeleev Russian Chemical-
Technological University. The main activities
of the new laboratories are developments in
the areas of defense and weapons, the creation
of new materials and technologies for their
production, environmental safety, and medicine.
After analyzing the current state of innovation
activity in the selected regions, we
address to recent statistics that illustrate the
increase in innovation capacity in the abovementioned
regions (Table 2).
Our main indicator for evaluating success
has been the level of innovation activity,
which is defined in the guidelines as the ratio
of the number of organizations that have implemented
technological, organizational, or
marketing innovations to the total number of
organizations surveyed in the country, industry,
and region over time.

Although these regions have shown the
most successful performance in recent years,
the data in Table 1 indicate a decline in innovation
activity in 2019 compared to 2018 in
the following regions: Belgorod Region by
17% and Tula Region by 24%. In 2020, there
was no negative dynamics, a-nd the largest
increase was in the Ivanovo Region by 62%.
This indicator can be considered as the
resulting value (final outcome) that correlates
with the costs of innovation activity of organizations
in the region. The dynamics of costs
for innovation activity in the analyzed territories
is presented in Table 3.

As can be seen from Table 3, the dynamics
of the costs of innovation activity is
different. In 2020, the decline was in Belgorod
Region (by 29.7%) and Tula Region (by
53.1%). Against this background, in Ivanovo
Region in 2020 there was a significant increase
in the costs of innovation activity of
organizations, the figure in 2020 exceeded the
level of 2019 by more than 7 times. This explains
the significant increase in innovation
activity.
To objectively substantiate the correlation
between the level of innovation activity
and the costs of innovative activity, a correla

tion and regression analysis based on the
growth rates of these indicators is conducted.
We have to use relative indicators, since in
2017 some adjustments were made to the calculation
of the level of innovation activity
(Oslo Manual). The growth rates allows for a
convergence of the series and a review of the
period from 2015 to 2020 (Table 4).

Moreover, by constructing histograms
for the growth rates of the selected indicators
we present their comparative analysis in the
territorial comparison of data (Fig. 1).

A graphic representation of the temporal
characteristics of the level of innovation
activity and the costs of innovation activity
(Fig. 1) does not show a clear correlation between
the growth rates of the indicators considered.
This can be explained by the lack of
synchrony in the influence of factor magnitude
and the responsiveness of the result. The
results of the construction of the regression
equations are presented in Fig. 2 and Fig. 3.

As we can see, the dependence under
study is not strongly related, as evidenced by
factor and residual dispersion values. For
some regions, the value of the factor dispersion
is less than the residual. Therefore, the
resulting regression equations do not have
practical value, but they can be applied as
theoretical models.
Thus, the tested hypothesis of a direct
correlation between the observed temporal
indicators is confirmed in the models of Belgorod
Region and Ivanovo Region, where the
coefficient for the variable X1 is positive. In
practice, these are the subjects that most successfully
implement the strategic tasks in the
innovation sphere facing the regions. In other
models, the coefficients are negative. However,
if we take into account the lag in the dynamics
of changes in factor and output variables,
then in all models the coefficient will be
positive.
Conclusion
In summary, it is possible to say that the
impact of innovation policies can be assessed
by the timeliness of their implementation in
economic activity. In other words, the longer
the pace at which innovation activity lags
from the cost of innovation, the less effectively
the strategy of innovative development of
the region is implemented.