Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, volume 38 Trends of Technologies and Innovations in Economic and Social Studies (TTIESS 2017) Use of methods of cluster analysis in designing strategy of region's agro-food complex Eugene Stovba Alfira Abdrashitova Birsk branch of FSBEI HE «Bashkir State University» Bashkir Cooperative Institute (branch) Birsk branch of BashSU Russian University of Cooperation Birsk, Russia BCI (branch) RUC [email protected] Ufa, Russia [email protected] Andrey Stovba Albina Baygildina Birsk branch of FSBEI HE «Bashkir State University» Bashkir Cooperative Institute (branch) Birsk branch of BashSU Russian University of Cooperation Birsk, Russia BCI (branch) RUC [email protected] Ufa, Russia [email protected] Abstract—The article substantiates the necessity of using food complex at the regional level, causes the application of cluster analysis methods in designing the strategy for the cluster analysis methods. development of the agro-food complex at the regional level. A brief analysis of the foreign experience of using the cluster Today, the understanding of cluster philosophy is growing approach in the development of regional strategic planning in the world scientific community, and clusters themselves programs is given. The algorithm of clusterization that allows become a key component of national and regional strategic allocating "reference" and "target" municipal entities of the plans for economic development. For the Russian Federation, region, based on indicators reflecting the volumes of production one of the most promising areas for increasing of agro-food products is presented. The results of clustering of competitiveness and implementing an innovation strategy for municipal entities of the Republic of Bashkortostan by self- economic development should be a cluster-oriented policy that sufficiency of the population with basic food products are given. takes into account the regional dimension. The cluster Because of clustering, the "standard" ("leaders") and "target" approach is one of the most effective tools for assessing the ("outsiders") municipal formations of the region are defined. development of the agro-food complex and ensuring regional Within the formed clusters, municipal formations that have food security. The formation of agro-food clusters helps to "extreme" values of indicators of the volume of production of increase the competitiveness of agricultural production, basic food products per capita have been identified. The practical expand the range of food products and improve the food significance of the research is that the proposed supply of the population. recommendations make it possible to solve problems on the development of food provision for the population of the region, II. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION the use of commodity food resources, and the improvement of inter-municipal food relations. In Russia, the formation of a network of territorial clusters that realize the competitive potential of the territories was Keywords— cluster analysis; cluster; region; agro-food declared as one of the strategic goals of the Concept of Long- complex; Term Social and Economic Development of the Russian Federation for the Period to 2020, approved by the RF I. INTRODUCTION Government Decree of November 17, 2008 [3]. The application of the cluster approach allows us to realize a At present, the problem of developing a strategy for the consistent transition from the "alignment policy" to the development of the agro-food complex is one of the most principle of "polarized" ("focused") development of the important and relevant areas of domestic economic research. Russian regions. When carrying out an assessment of the state of sustainability of the agrarian sector of the economy, the key factor is given The experience of economically developed countries to the development of conditions for ensuring regional food clearly shows that the cluster approach is effectively used in security and the long-term forecast development of the agro- the design of strategic development programs at various food complex at the level of the territorial entities of the hierarchical levels of government [4, 5, 6]. The application of Russian Federation [1, 2]. the cluster approach is more effective if the bunched clusters are inscribed in a broader context of the regional economy Achieving food security determines the provision of the development strategy. Regions, in which clusters are formed, population with the necessary food products of their own become leaders in the economic development of the state. production. The scientific importance of solving issues related Modern economy, based on clusters, allows involving in the to the rational allocation of agricultural production sectors, the development of a strategy for the development of the agro- The research was carried out with the financial support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research and the Republic of Bashkortostan within the framework of the research project "Development of an import substitution strategy in the agro-food complex of the Republic of Bashkortostan in conditions of economic sanctions", project No. 16-12-02004 a / U. Copyright © 2017, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). 648 Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, volume 38 production process not only large organizations of the region, entities of the region in the production of agro-food products but also small business enterprises. (fig. 1). In the United States, Canada, Japan, the EU states, formed Using the methods of cluster analysis when designing a strategy for the development of the region's agro- clusters are an innovative driver, megatrend of modern food complex economy [7, 8]. In the American economy, 380 largest clusters have been created involving 57% of the country's total labor resources and 61% of GDP [9, p. 114]. According to the Monitoring and analysis of the current development of production conducted researches in 7 of 19 European regions, on the and economic activities of agro-formations of all forms of ownership territory of which clusters are efficiently developing, they are in the top three of innovatively active regions [10]. Ranking of municipalities by the level of development of agricultural As world practice shows, clusterization serves not only as production and food provision of the population an effective means of achieving the goals of agrarian policy, but also as a strategic imperative for the regional development of the agro-food complex. Denmark, as a successful example Preparation of information support for conducting of the introduction of cluster technologies in agriculture, after clustering of municipalities in the region the creation of 29 leading agro-industrial clusters became an exporter on the foreign markets, supplying 60% of agricultural output abroad [11, p. 38]. Clustering of municipalities in the region by indicators reflecting self-sufficiency of the population There is a great deal of articles and monographs devoted to basic food products cluster problems published in Russia today, but not enough attention is given to cluster models on the effectiveness of The allocation of "reference" and "target" municipal entities of the region agro-food complex development. At the same time, according for the production of agro-food products in formed clusters to research carried out by experts from Bauman Innovation, about 45% of employment in our country falls on existing and potential clusters, while the growth and sustainability of this Verification of the accuracy and adequacy of the results of employment will in the long term depend on the further cluster problem solution development of clusters [12, p. 138]. The application of methods of cluster analysis determines Expert evaluation of the results of clustering the rational allocation and optimal use of the existing production potential of agricultural organizations associated with the production of food. As the academician of the Optimization of the production structure of typical agro-organizations within the allocated clusters Russian Academy of Sciences, E.N. Krilatyth fairly points out: "Cluster analysis allows us to assess the opportunities for Fig. 1. Algorithm for clustering municipal entities in the production of agro- ensuring the necessary level of food security, taking into food products account the resources, the effectiveness of their use, the level of food consumption, the degree of dependence on the The use of the cluster approach is of particular interest for international food market" [13, p. 152]. the prospects of the development of agriculture, and the provision of food security in such region as the Republic of The agro-food complex development strategy on a regional Bashkortostan. The formation of a new architecture for the scale can be successfully implemented on the conceptual basis functioning of the agro-food complex, based on the of the theory of "growth poles" of any geographic area (the development of cluster politics, is a key element of the long- concept of poles de croissance) according to the French term strategy of the republic economic development. economists F. Perroux and J.-R. Boudeville. It defines a 'pole de croissance' as an industry or group of related industries that In 2015, the Republic of Bashkortostan took the second have growth rates above the national average level and the place by