CONCEPTUAL BASIS FOR CLUSTERING THE REGIONAL ECONOMY IN THE CONTEXT OF SMART SPECIALIZATION

At present, cluster elements of the regional economic system are required to ensure comprehensive and successful development of the regional economy, form sustainable growth of the business environment, contribute to improving the well-being of the population and attract the latest innovative technologies in the creation, service sector, and management. The purpose of this article is to study the conceptual foundations of clustering the regional economy in the context of smart specialization. Methodology. The methodological basis of this work is a systems approach that allows us to present the mechanisms of smart specialization and clustering as interconnected elements of regional development. Results. The author has developed a model of the cluster economy of Russia, which assumes investment and structural restructuring of the economy with a gradual replacement of traditional sectors of the regional economy with more high-tech and innovative ones, a clear delineation of the functions of state, industry and regional regulation. Conclusions. The driving forces of innovation development at the present stage are two interrelated processes: on the one hand, global integration of innovation systems, and on the other, their clustering. This is largely due to the formation of the "open innovation" model and an attempt to effectively use the innovation potential of the economy. These trends allow us to talk about the prospects for a global configuration of the innovation process and, accordingly, about the formation of an innovation system that by its nature will be an integrated system of regional clusters and will act as an institutional basis for the scientific and technological development of the regional economy.