UDC 332.009.12(477.8):339.924+330.341.1, JEL F15, R58
Mokiy, A. I., Polyakova, Y. V., & Kucher, R.-D. A. (2016). Innovatsiynyy potentsial konkurentospromozhnosti prykordonnykh rehioniv Ukrayiny na suchasnomu etapi yevrointehratsiyi [Innovation potential of Ukrainian border regions’ competitiveness at the present stage of European integration]. Rehional'na ekonomika - Regional Economy, 80(2), 165-173. [in Ukrainian].
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Resume

The article examines modern theoretical and applied approaches to evaluating the competitiveness of regions. The competitiveness of a region implies its ability to win in a competition with other regions to attract and create new inputs, while providing competitive advantages in economic growth and living standards. In the world practice a variety of methods are widely used for assessing the economy developing on innovative principles.
For this reason, the article aims to substantiate the essential characteristics of the concept «innovation potential of competitiveness of regions» of Ukraine, including the border regions, its assessment methods to apply in developing strategic priorities, means and forms of increasing competitiveness in the new phase of European integration.
It is determined that at present the EU priorities of innovation development are: formation of an innovative economy, intellectualization of the society, increasing the role of innovation as a factor of improving competitiveness, moving the innovation policy centre to the level of regions.
The necessity of improving the competitiveness of Ukraine’s border areas in terms of European integration is justified. The importance of ensuring the competitiveness of the border regions in the country is determined by a number of aspects arising from the role and functions of these areas in the overall development of the country. Border regions have natural advantages over the internal with regard to expanding international cooperation, attracting foreign investments, applying some good practices and implementing joint projects.
The article presents an analytical estimation of Ukrainian regions’ innovation potential competitiveness. The results show the highest values of efficiency in Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhia and Lviv regions, while the lowest indexes are in Zakarpattia and Lugansk regions. Border regions of Ukraine are both among the leaders and the outsiders of the list.
The analysis evaluating the efficiency of using innovation potential as a production system shows that the innovation potential is the most effectively used mainly in border areas such as Volyn, Zakarpattia, Lugansk and Rivne regions.
It is stressed out that the efficiency and the dynamics of innovation processes directly depend on the degree to which the environment is favourable for innovation activities in a particular region. The results of the research enable to elaborate a set of measures to enhance the competitiveness of the border regions on innovative principles. Cooperation in the areas of innovation, science and technology as well as studying the experience and adapting European principles of innovative activities remain important factors in increasing the innovation potential of border regions of Ukraine.

Keywords:

innovation, innovative activity, competitiveness of the region, border region, European integration