Personal values and sustainable consumption: an empirical analysis of the mountainous region of Russia

Introduction. This article is devoted to a comprehensive study of the impact of the transformation of the personal value system on the consumption structure in the context of sustainable development of a mountainous region. The analysis focuses on the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic as a typical example of a mountainous republic in transition from an industrial to a post-industrial development model. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that in the context of digitalization, individualization and greening, the economic activity of the population is increasingly determined not only by income, but also by value orientations. Materials and methods. At the theoretical level, the article relies on post materialism models, the theory of basic values by S. Schwartz, the concepts of behavioral economics and sustainable consumption. The work combines a review of scientific literature with empirical modeling based on statistical data for the mountainous republic for 2010–2023, including a forecast until 2030. The methodological basis of the study includes: theoretical-analytical and comparative analysis, content analysis of digital behavior, economic and statistical modeling (regressions, time series, structural equations), as well as forecasting using ARIMA models and an agent-based approach. Particular attention is paid to the construction of a typology of consumers based on their value attitudes: from traditionalists to digital post-materialists. Results. Based on the collected data, stable trends in the structure of expenditures of the population of the mountainous republic were identified: an increase in the share of spending on leisure, education, digital and environmental goods. These shifts are considered as a result of a deepening transformation of values towards self-realization, comfort, responsibility and technological inclusiveness. Resume. A conclusion is made about the formation of a synergetic model of sustainable development in Kabardino-Balkaria, in which socio-economic indicators are closely related to the evolution of value attitudes of the population. The mountainous region demonstrates a transition from a survival model to a model of self-realization and conscious consumption. This requires the adaptation of management, marketing and educational strategies taking into account the value dynamics. The results obtained can be used to develop regional planning tools aimed at long-term sustainability and the integration of cultural, digital and environmental factors into the development policy of mountain areas.