Improvement of the Institutional Environment for the Development of Clusters and Industrial Parks to Increase the Resilience of Ukraine’s Entrepreneurial Sector

Abstract

Introduction. The destructive impact of the war on Ukraine’s entrepreneurial sector has heightened the urgency of identifying effective tools to enhance its resilience. Among such tools, clusters and industrial parks hold a prominent position due to their capacity to improve productivity and competitiveness, attract investment, foster innovation, and expand employment opportunities.
Problem Statement. The effectiveness and scalability of cluster and industrial park operations across regions and
sectors are largely determined by the quality of the institutional environment. In Ukraine, economic clustering remains an unregulated process and lacks targeted state support. The fundamental law on industrial parks requires further refinement to prevent legal ambiguities and to clarify provisions concerning state incentives for their development.
Purpose. To develop proposals for improving the institutional environment for the development of clusters and industrial parks with the aim of enhancing the resilience of Ukraine’s entrepreneurial sector.
Materials and Methods. This research has drawn on the principles of institutional theory and employed general scientific methods such as dialectics, logical generalization, systematization, and comparative analysis. Theoretical contributions from Ukrainian and international scholars on the institutionalization of cluster and industrial park development have also been incorporated.
Results. Several proposals have been developed to introduce institutional mechanisms for fostering economic
clustering in Ukraine. These include the justification for drafting and adopting the Law of Ukraine on the Development and Support of Clusters in Ukraine; substantiating the need to initiate, structure, and define the organizational principles for a national cluster program; and refining the fundamental law on industrial parks by specifying the types and conditions of state subsidies and introducing government guarantees for the stability and predictability of the business environment within industrial parks. The study has also determined the role and significance of clusters in expanding employment opportunities, facilitating the return of Ukrainian migrants, and supporting the reintegration of war veterans into
society and the labor market.
Conclusions. The practical implementation of the proposed measures will improve the institutional framework for the development of clusters and industrial parks, thereby enhancing their contribution to the recovery and resilience of Ukraine’s economy and entrepreneurial sector.