Structural efficiency of regional innovation systems: methodological and institutional-legal foundations

S.A. Makhosheva, A.A. Kumukov

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Abstract: The article examines the problem of structural efficiency of regional innovation systems (RIS) as a key condition for sustainable socio‑economic development of territories in the knowledge-based economy. The relevance of this study stems from the fact that, in the context of increased interregional competition and technological transformation, traditional approaches to assessing innovation based primarily on quantitative indicators fail to identify internal constraints in the RIS functioning.
Aim. The research is to substantiate the theoretical, methodological and institutional‑legal foundations for analyzing the structural efficiency of regional innovation systems and to develop approaches to its assessment. Scientific novelty lies in interpreting structural efficiency as an integral characteristic of the RIS architecture, reflecting the coherence of innovation cycle elements, network connectivity of actors, institutional sustainability and functional completeness of the system. The research employs methods of systems and structural‑functional analysis, institutional and network approaches, comparative analysis, as well as interpretation of Rosstat statistics and analytical materials of the Higher School of Economics.
Results. Substantiate key criteria of RIS structural efficiency, reveal the role of the institutional and legal environment in shaping innovation linkages, and propose methodological approaches for diagnosing the coherence of regional innovation system elements.
Conclusions. It is concluded that increasing regional innovation performance requires not only resource accumulation but also optimization of the interaction structure between science, business and government. The findings can be used in designing and adjusting regional innovation policy.

Keywords: regional innovation system, structural efficiency, innovation development, institutional environment, triple helix, clusters, technology transfer, regional policy

For citation. Makhosheva S.A., Kumukov A.A. Structural efficiency of regional innovation systems: methodological and institutional-legal foundations. News of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of RAS. 2026. Vol. 28. No. 1. Pp. 266–282. DOI: 10.35330/1991-6639-2026-28-1-266-282

©   Makhosheva S.A., Kumukov A.A., 2026

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Information about the authors

Salima A. Makhosheva, Doctor of Economics, Professor, Head of the Department “Knowledge Economy and Advanced Regional Development”, Institute of Computer Science and Problems of Regional Management – branch of the Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
37-a, I. Armand street, Nalchik, 360000, Russia;
salima@list.ru, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4249-9906, SPIN-code: 8414-5036
Amirkhan A. Kumukov, Postgraduate Student, Scientific and Educational Center, Kabardino-Balkarian Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences;
2, Balkarov street, Nalchik, 360010, Russia;
amirkum07@gmail.com

Funding

The study was performed without external funding.