Digital analytics in the management of spatial development of regions: opportunities and limitations

The possibilities and limitations of using digital analytics in the management system of spatial development of regions in the context of the regional economy transformation have been studied. The relevance of the research topic is due to the increasing territorial differentiation of the socio-economic development of regions and the need to increase the validity of management decisions based on the spatial data analysis. Digital analytics has been considered as a tool for identifying patterns of economic activity, factors of agglomeration development, and mechanisms for forming sustainable regional economic structures.

The purpose of the study is to analyze the potential of digital analytics for managing the spatial development of regions and identify key limitations of its application in regional practice. The analysis of theoretical approaches to spatial development and industrial agglomeration has been carried out, and the results of using spatial analysis and econometrics tools in assessing regional processes have been summarized.

It has been shown that the use of digital analytics makes it possible to increase the efficiency of identifying agglomeration effects and assessing the interrelationships between the production facilities location, infrastructural deve­ lopment, and the human resources potential of regions. At the same time, it has been found that the effectiveness of digital tools is limited by institutional, information, and personnel factors, including fragmented data and insufficient integration of analytical results into the regional management system.

The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using the findings when designing strategies for the spatial development of regions, forming regional industrial policy, and improving management support mechanisms for agglomeration processes.

1. Aganbegyan, A. G. (2019). On the drivers of socio-economic growth. Scientific Papers of the Free Economic Society of Russia, 218(4), 180–209. (In Russian).

2. Altunina, V. V., Anuchina, D. A. (2023). Assessment of the level of spatial polarization of Russian regions. Journal of Economics, Entrepreneurship and Law, 13(5), 1319–1340. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.18334/epp.13.5.117516

3. Anselin, L. (1998). Spatial econometrics: methods and models. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers.

4. Batty, M. (2013). The New Science of Cities. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press.

5. Bondareva, Ya. Yu. (2023). The impact of digital inequality on spatial development and regional networking: current research and assessment approaches. Economy. Computer Science, 50(3), 491–500. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.52575/2687-0932-2023-50-3-491-500

6. Buchwald, E. M., Kolchugina, A. V. (2019). The strategy of spatial development and the formation of the settlement structure of the Russian economy. Housing Strategies, 6(2), 157–174. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.18334/zhs.6.2.40812

7. Drobot, E. V., Makarov, I. N., Bashlykov, T. V., Sukhina, Yu. V., & Volodina, A. I. (2024). Planning of innovative development of regional systems based on digitalization of state strategic management. Issues of Innovative Economics, 1, 139–156. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.18334/vinec.14.1.120684

8. Fokina, O., Goncharenko, L., Sobol, T., Mottaeva, A., & Mottaeva, A. (2024). Digital design in the HRM system as a component of the sustainable development strategy. In: Forest Ecosystems as Global Resource of the Biosphere: Calls, Threats, Solutions (Forestry Forum 2023): Proceedings of International Scientific Forestry Forum 2023, Voronezh, October 23–25, 2023. Les Ulis: EDP Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1051/bioconf/20249305013

9. Fujita, M., Krugman, P., & Venables, A. (1999). Spatial economics: cities, regions and international trade. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press.

10. Glezman, L. V. (2021). Priorities of spatial and sectoral development of regions in the context of digitalization of the economy. Issues of Innovative Economics, 11(2), 581–596. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.18334/vinec.11.2.111961

11. Glezman, L. V., Urasova, A. A. (2022). Methodological aspects of the formation of a management mechanism for the development of the spatial and sectoral structure of the region in the context of the digitalization of the economy. Issues of Innovative Economics, 12(1), 479–500. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.18334/vinec.12.1.114191

12. Granberg, A. G. (2004). Fundamentals of Regional Economics. Moscow: Higher School of Economics. (In Russian).

13. Ivanov, O. B., Buchwald, E. M. (2021). Spatial development strategy and the main directions of its actualization. ETAP: Economic Theory, Analysis, Practice, 1, 7–23. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.24412/2071-6435-2021-1-7-23

14. Kleiner, G. B. (2019). Economics of ecosystems: step into the future. Economic Revival of Russia, 1(59), 40–45. (In Russian).

15. Kolomak, E. A. (2024). Regional projection of the agglomeration economy in Russia. Region: Economics and Sociology, 1(121), 150–176. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.15372/REG20240104

16. Krugman, P. (1991). Geography and trade. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Massachusetts Institute of Technology Press.

17. Kumaneeva, M. K., Slesarenko, E. V., & Sheveleva, O. B. (2020). Spatial socio-economic differentiation: problems of regulation of intraregional imbalances. Journal of Economics, Entrepreneurship and Law, 10(4), 965–986. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.18334/epp.10.4.100857

18. Kuznetsova, O. V. (2025). Strategy of spatial development of Russia – 2030: innovations and promising research directions. Bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2, 12–21. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.7868/S3034520025020023

19. Leksin, V. N. (2025). Regional policy of Russia. Intentions and reality. Federalism, 30(4), 5–24. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.21686/2073-1051-2025-4-5-24

20. McCann, P. (2020). Perception of regional inequality and geography of discontent: a view from the UK. Regional Studies, 54(2), 256–267. https://doi.org/10.1080/00343404.2019.1619928

21. Minakir, P. A. (2019). The Russian economic space: strategic dead ends. Economy of Region, 15(4), 967–980. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.17059/2019-4-1

22. Rodriguez-Pose, A. (2018). The revenge of the places that don’t matter (and what to do about it). Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, 11(1), 189–209. https://doi.org/10.1093/cjres/rsx024

23. Shabaeva, S. V., Zhukevich, G. V. (2024). Coordination of interests of participants as a tool for successful sectoral strategizing (on the example of the Russian timber industry). Industrial Economics, 17(2), 146–155. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.17073/2072-1633-2024-2-1283

24. Shvets, I. Yu. (2016). Possibilities and limitations of spatial development. Russian Journal of Management, 4(3), 281–290. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.12737/21955.

25. Smyslova, O. Yu., Makarov, I. N., & Gushchin, D. V. (2024). Digitalization and sustainable development: new milestones in spatial planning of Russian territories. Creative Economy, 18(7), 1683–1702. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.18334/ce.18.7.121386

26. Urunov, A. A., Zoidov, K. H. (2021). Spatial development and economic growth. Moscow: Economic Education. (In Russian).

27. Zubarevich, N. V. (2022). Regions of Russia in new economic conditions. Journal of the New Economic Association, 3(55), 226–234. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.31737/2221-2264-2022-55-3-15