PROBLEM-POTENTIALS Model for Smart Territory assessment in the context of digital transformation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17059/ekon.reg.2026-2-3Keywords:
digital economy, digital transformation, smart territories, digital challenges, digital potentials, CREA-model, systems modellingAbstract
The digital transformation of smart territories significantly enhances the level of economic development and the investment climate of economic entities in Russia, alongside the growth of the highly skilled labour market. Russia is actively investing in its digital infrastructure, guided by a state-level commitment to achieving global leadership in this domain. Yet the uneven pace of territorial development calls for dedicated assessment tools that account for varying levels of digitalization and identify growth points. This study addresses that gap by introducing the PROBLEM-POTENTIALS model — a systematic framework for evaluating smart territories across four core categories: Challenges, Risks, Effects, and Abilities (CREA). This structure constitutes the study’s primary scientific contribution. To validate the model, experts are surveyed using purpose-designed questionnaires. The results are used to compile a ranking of economic entities both within individual categories and across the model as a whole. A comparative approach was applied in the pilot study to evaluate selected territories. The factor systems underpinning each category are open, allowing factors to be added, removed, or aggregated in accordance with the model’s mathematical apparatus. The model is fully compatible with Russia’s current regulatory framework for digital transformation, which emphasizes baseline digitalization assessment and the identification of growth points. It is equally applicable to other domains of economic, social, and managerial activity.
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