Vol. 26 No. 6 (2024)

The article demonstrates how the state’s role in society is objectively growing in the face of new social, political, technological, economic, environmental, and other challenges. This, in turn, imposes qualitatively new requirements for selecting and promoting leaders in the public administration system. This issue can be resolved using the meritocracy principle; however, because of several drawbacks noted in numerous studies, this principle cannot be used as the sole criterion for problem-solving. It is suggested that these criteria, which can be highly representative given the current procedures for professional diagnostics of civil servants and the identification of their leadership attributes, consist of the presence of strategic vision and the ability to make managerial decisions based on the harmonization of long-term interests of the state, business and civil society; the ability to solve complicated economic, social, and environmental problems in a complex; the capability to recognize and solve emerging challenges before they are transformed into emergencies; the presence of skills of effective management and moral authority.

The article details the Republic of Azerbaijan’s experience ensuring energy transformation as a factor in forming a sustainable, inclusive society and reducing impacts on global climate change. According to data released by international development organizations at the end of 2023, the Republic of Azerbaijan’s Energy Transformation Index (ETI) is 62, placing it in 32nd place in the world. The comparative analysis shows that the Republic of Azerbaijan’s ETI indicators are higher than those of several countries that are members of the European Union and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). With 2.62 ETI units per unit of GDP (1,000 USD in purchasing power parity terms), the nation is also a leader in utilizing human and material resources for the energy transition. The high efficiency of energy transition activities results from long-term strategic planning, the development of appropriate human resources, and the application of innovative technologies in public administration.

The article reveals a set of factors that allow to fill the decisions of the state bodies of public administration with objectivity and evidence of scientific provisions. It emphasizes the need for a well-founded choice of key directions and mechanisms for the implementation of public policy; extensive use of contemporary instruments for planning, forecasting and analysis; emphasis on innovation and sustainable development; guaranteeing citizen participation in decision-making at the state level, which is a necessary condition to fostering an atmosphere of trust between the state and society; utilizing an interdisciplinary approach that allows for a comprehensive solution to economic, social, and environmental problems facing the state. The interdisciplinary approach makes it easier for various institutions, scientific associations, and governmental bodies to establish cooperative networks. The main directions of such cooperation include the elaboration of strategies for developing priority industries and inter-sectoral complexes based on the application of scientific achievements and innovations; increase of intellectual and technological potential of regions; formation of modern infrastructure for the development of scientific and innovative activity; design, approval and execution of state programs on scientific activity, supervision over their implementation; coordinating the system for training scientific and pedagogical personnel of higher qualification, etc.

The article highlights how the current economic model prioritizes attaining social and economic outcomes and risks the development of present and future generations by neglecting to consider environmental issues. The national initiatives «Ecology» and «Environmental Well-Being» are recognized to play a significant role in resolving the accumulated socio-environmental issues. Analyzing the national projects’ strengths and weaknesses showed that achieving the projects’ target indicators is associated with high risks. The author offers strategies for developing methods to produce the documents, such as reducing the technogenic load on atmospheric air, water, and land resources (caused by technology) and resolving issues related to optimizing the spatial structure of land use through extensive system analysis. Environmental well-being is one of the Russian Federation’s national goals, and such strategies will contribute to its realization.

The article uses the gross regional product (GRP) to examine the region’s economic development. The authors discuss the development strategy of the industrial sector in the Voronezh Oblast, which aims to establish the best environment for attracting investments and growing the region’s manufacturing sector. The authors evaluate economic potential using contemporary metrics and consider the significance of funding knowledge-intensive sectors for successful development. Particular focus is placed on establishing a regional marketing funnel, identifying key performance metrics, and calculating how many investment proposals are needed for promising regions. The work also stresses the significance of interagency cooperation in implementing an active investment policy and highlights the priority strategic project «New Industrialization of the Region». The proposed approach is helpful for forecasting and optimizing the industrial growth of the Voronezh region.

The article explains the core idea behind the recentralization of regional and sectoral production complex development, which lies in restoring the controllability of interdependent production units as a system with a defined purpose. Regardless of the strategies used, decentralization should benefit the majority of regional stakeholders, including the state and the territorial populace. Production structures may interact differently throughout decentralization, typically through vertical or horizontal integration. If the reintegration process aligns with the overall goals of recentralization, new (previously non-interacting or newly created) companies may be involved. However, obtaining a monopoly or controlling market power for specific stakeholders or their organizations cannot be the aim of recentralization. The exception includes foreign markets and/or measures taken in the Russian Federation’s best interests to guarantee the nation’s defense capabilities and/or assert its dominant position on international markets. Recentralization can be applied in interregional interaction or within a single region. The author discloses the process for creating a decentralization strategy based on developing digital platforms. Using IDEF0 notation to create a functional model that illustrates the structure and functions of key processes, the article shows that implementing such a strategy is closely related to establishing an effective business process.

The article discusses the issue of fostering public trust in the government. Employment centers (EC) have demonstrated to be an effective mechanism for resolving this pressing issue. The paper presents the results of a survey conducted among employees of the employment centers. The work analyzes feedback concerning citizens’ requests for quality consulting and organizational assistance during their job search process. The current study was carried out among workers in employment centers serving the people of the reunified territories, specifically the People’s Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk. A special focus is required on the employment situation and normalizing relations between the people and the authorities. It is crucial to examine the evaluation of employment centers’ work efficacy and the degree of trust in the authorities from the perspective of the centers’ experts. One positive trend is the relatively low number of conflicts among citizens who apply to the EC, indicating that people intentionally seek to engage with the personnel. Nonetheless, the primary positive aspect is the shift in the centers’ employees’ professional awareness and conduct, as they recognize their own heightened accountability and are prepared to grow personally and professionally.

The article summarizes the findings of an expert evaluation of innovative and socioeconomic development strategies and technological innovations that may affect the economy and society in the Russian Federation's Arctic region in the medium and long term. The topic's relevance is due to the general increase in economic activity in the Russian Federation's Arctic area and the fact that the region has become a national priority for the coming century. The study aims to determine the primary functional issues facing the Russian Federation's Arctic region and suggest solutions. The authors utilized the system analysis methodology based on quantification assessments of functionally significant characteristics of the Arctic region as a socio-economic system and identified the least developed characteristics («bottlenecks»). Key characteristics were analyzed to determine the main causes of the identified issues and propose effective solutions to address them.

The historical and cultural heritage of the major Russian cities makes them popular tourist destinations. They account for more than a third of the tourist flow. The city’s ecological situation may worsen due to the increased tourist flow, which also puts more strain on the environment. On the other hand, adverse environmental conditions may also contribute to a decline in tourism. Thus, one of the most crucial elements in attracting tourists is the city authorities’ attention to environmental issues. The study examined the target indicators of over 280 documents directly or indirectly related to ecology and tourism to analyze the environmental and tourism development policies of 34 major Russian cities. The most complex tourism development programs are found in tourist-oriented cities. Cities’ tourist attractiveness can be raised by more thoroughly defining the legal and regulatory framework of environmental policy, including how indicators of federal and national projects are reflected in their municipal programs and socioeconomic strategies.

The article summarizes the findings of an analysis of Moscow’s urban environment using three assessment instruments: the BRICS Cities Index for Spatial Development, the UN-Habitat’s City Prosperity Index, and the Urban Environment Quality Index. According to the study, Moscow is a proven example of a sustainable city, as evidenced by international ISO certifications and a range of national and international evaluation instruments, in which, regardless of methodology, Moscow is a leader. The study demonstrated how introducing the primary ESG principle - the interaction of the state, business, and society for sustainable development - as well as the mechanism of sustainable interaction of the aforementioned actors into management led to the establishment of Moscow model of a sustainable city. The author discovered that since all regions of the Russian Federation are attempting to implement ESG principles in management, other cities can adopt the Moscow model of a sustainable city. The analysis demonstrates that Moscow’s experience becoming a sustainable city can be «exported» abroad and adapted to the features of other big cities.

The article outlines the author’s idea of creating a system of personnel training in working with youth as a valuable resource for the Russian Federation’s sustainable spatial development in the post-sanction transformation of all societal spheres. The humanitarian-technological approach formulates the foundation for defining the priorities, goals, objectives, and principles of professional training for youth work specialists. These are contingent upon the socio-humanitarian context of professional activity in working with youth and the actual tasks of the state. According to the authors, the system of training specialists working with youth covers a set of topics. These include employers, universities, educational institutions, federal and regional authorities, and business community representatives who take part in training for the State Youth Policy Strategies.

The article focuses on sustainable marketing, which incorporates sustainability objectives into brand strategies and is becoming more significant as customers actively choose businesses that prioritize social responsibility and the environment, even if doing so may result in higher expenses. The article highlights that countries have different approaches to implementing sustainable marketing, influencing their semantic content and application strategies. The fundamental contradiction of sustainable marketing also takes on different forms depending on the nation’s unique socioeconomic development. Due to the late start of its implementation, the blind imitation of Western practices without considering local peculiarities, the lack of environmental awareness, and economic instability, sustainable marketing in Russia faces significant obstacles. Despite these challenges, the area’s development potential is still substantial because of the growing interest of youth in environmental issues and the gradual adjustment of businesses to new circumstances. The author concludes that studying the characteristics of implementing contemporary sustainable marketing techniques will facilitate the overall strategy for sustainable development.

The article evaluates the degree of artificial intelligence implementation in Russia, lists its benefits in HR management, classifies implementation issues, and provides examples of AI-powered HR management platforms. This study aims to identify trends in the use of AI in HR management, methodically emphasize its application directions, and highlight the risks associated with its implementation in hiring, evaluating, and training employees. Information security, legal, personnel, social, ethical, organizational, and technical content aspects are used to classify artificial intelligence implementation issues in personnel management. Recruitment and hiring, document and HR records management, training and development, personnel adaptation, increasing motivation and engagement, and employee well-being monitoring are just a few of the business processes in HR management where opportunities to apply AI have arisen. Applying artificial intelligence and automating the learning process opens new and creative ways to master skills, knowledge, and abilities. Artificial intelligence in training makes it possible to design customized training and retraining plans that can be adjusted to meet the needs of the employee and the changing demands of the market. HR managers and other parties interested may find the research results helpful in developing and promoting artificial intelligence in the organization’s HR management business processes.

Referring to the technoeconomics concept, the author suggests establishing a digital environment for the growth of project entrepreneurship ecosystem. Such a measure will enable the quick coordination of all investment activity participants to create areas of economic growth in the corporate and market environments. The suggested platform has been adapted to collaborate with various entities within the innovation ecosystem, such as companies, academic institutions, and investment funds. The platform’s methodology addresses the «red zone», a market segment that carries a high risk but offers considerable potential for identifying promising ideas. The author created an innovative instrument for project scoring assessments at any point in the project life cycle, enabling an unbiased evaluation of the risks and potential of projects. The testing confirmed the platform’s efficacy and universality in several business accelerators and higher education institutions. The methodology seeks to achieve the sustainable development objectives in the new geopolitical context by enhancing the effectiveness of innovation project management, promoting the growth of domestic innovations and technologies, fostering an innovative entrepreneurship culture, and assisting the country’s technological sovereignty.

The article addresses the urgent issue of the economy’s digitalization. It examines why some digital transformation options are more effective and the barriers that prevent business processes from being successfully digitalized. The authors examine the advantages and disadvantages of the current digitalization process and how it affects the innovation economy overall. They discuss the risks and difficulties that must be resolved at different governance levels. The article separately studies the modern economy’s most innovative industries, whose success depends on digitalization processes, and the primary issues that could prevent value chains based entirely on digital technologies from being established. Based on the findings of the examination of well-established digital transformation strategies, both domestic and foreign, it is determined that a methodical approach must be used to evaluate all of the company’s assets at the initialization stage. This is because a partial use of innovative technologies, particularly when combined with undertrained staff, will divert resources and ultimately lessen the organization’s overall competitive advantages. We can conclude that it is essential to align national digitalization strategies with the requirements of common standards. This conclusion is supported by examples of the digital transformation of global technological value chains and successful digital transformation scenarios drawn from existing research and the complementary assets theory.