INNOVATIVE CLUSTER MODELS AS A BASIS FOR REGIONAL ECONOMIC SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT

The article examines innovative cluster models as a tool for structural modernization and longterm resilience of regional economic systems. The object of the study is the regional economy; the subject is the mechanisms of formation and functioning of innovation clusters (industrial-technological, science– education, digital, and cross-sectoral) and their effects on investment dynamics, productivity, and innovation diffusion. The aim is to substantiate how cluster models support regional development through capability concentration, coordinated cooperation, value-chain building, and transaction cost reduction among firms, academia, and government. The methodology combines comparative analysis of cluster policy approaches, institutional analysis of coordination mechanisms, and cluster typology by maturity and innovation intensity. The paper argues that cluster effectiveness depends on the quality of cooperation institutions, the presence of anchor organizations, co-financing mechanisms for R&D, and managed innovation infrastructure (competence centers, accelerators, testbeds). The practical contribution is an evaluation logic for cluster maturity and a set of policy guidelines for regional long-term development.