PROBLEM ASPECTS OF FORMING A PROFILE OF A TERRITORIAL COMMUNITY AS A TOOL OF LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

The article examines the problematic aspects of forming a profile of a territorial community as a tool of local economic development. The community profile is considered as a complex information and analytical tool that provides systematization of data on the socioeconomic state of the territory, its natural, infrastructural and human resources. It is proven that the development of a profile is an important stage of strategic planning that contributes to the adoption of effective management decisions and the implementation of investment projects. The legal framework regulating the process of forming a community profile was analyzed and its insufficient detail was revealed, which complicates the practical implementation of this process. Key problems were identified, in particular, the lack of a unified methodology for creating a profile, a low level of data digitalization, limited access to relevant information, and insufficient competence of local authorities in the field of data analysis. Particular attention was paid to the lack of integrated approaches to forming a profile, which include the participation of the public and business. A number of recommendations were proposed to improve the process of forming a profile of territorial communities. In particular, the need to develop a unified methodology, implement modern information and communication technologies, create open-access databases, and train personnel was emphasized. The importance of integrating the community profile into the strategic planning system in order to increase the effectiveness of local economic development was emphasized. The results of the study may be useful for local governments, experts in the field of regional development, and scientists involved in strategic planning and socio-economic analysis.