Home – Home – Jornals – Region: Economics and Sociology 2023 number 4

Given the increasing disparities in socio-economic development across Russia’s regions, empirical assessments of the public sector’s activities at the regional level catch the attention of researchers. Russia’s federal structure confers equal status to all its constituent entities, implying an expectation of equitable state performance throughout the country. A review of existing studies on the public sector performance shows that they lack a comprehensive assessment using Russian data in a regional context, which has defined the purpose of this research. Our assessment methodology centers on constructing a composite index incorporating 74 indicators of regional socio-economic development, where the public sector plays a pivotal role. We have modified the Public Sector Performance (PSP) assessment methodology by expanding the number of considered indicators and implementing a different standardization approach. Indicator weighting was determined through expert evaluations of the state’s influence on them. The article calculates a composite PSP index for each region and sub-indices for eight categories: Transport Infrastructure; Healthcare; Education, Science and Innovation; Sports and Culture; Social Support; Safety; Ecology; and Economic Development. The Gini coefficient indicates low differentiation in public sector results across Russian regions. However, Moscow and St. Petersburg significantly lead the final rating, with more pronounced gaps in the first three categories. These findings provide valuable insights for authorities, enabling them to identify regional weaknesses, address sector-spatial gaps, draft state program adjustments, and shape a pool of interregional collaborations. The aim is to transfer the most successful management cases, projects, and practices from leading regions in the relevant areas.