Cooperative competition as a management norm: a model for stimulating regional and municipal authorities in the context of digitalization

Abstract

Introduction. The article addresses the development of a stimulation model for government officials to foster interregional cooperation. The research problem lies in the absence of effective motivation tools for officials, often leading to imitative cooperation and declarative agreements without real implementation.The purpose of the study is to create a sustainable motivation system for the heads of municipalities and relevant ministries (using the example of the Moscow Region) to participate in real, effective interregional projects with neighboring regions of the Russian Federation.Materials and methods. The information base of the work was made up of theoretical works by foreign and domestic scientists, regulatory legal acts, as well as data from digital platforms ("Public Services. Management", EIS GZ, Rosstat, investment platforms, registers of agreements). The object of the study was the management system of interregional cooperation in the Moscow region. The work uses an integrated approach, including: theoretical analysis of scientific concepts to substantiate the components of the model (agent theory, theory of social comparison, theory of self-determination); modeling of an incentive system that combines financial, reputational and institutional levers; digital data integration to automate the collection of indicators; sociological methods in the framework of rating formation; systematic analysis of institutional conditions and predictive performance indicators of the model implementation.Results and conclusions. A five-component model is proposed: direct KPIs for interaction, a digital passport of cooperation, an interregional grant fund, a rating of municipal activity and a school of management. The results show the possibility of an increase in implemented projects from 5-7 to 25 or more in three years and an increase in extra-budgetary funds to 2 billion rubles. The novelty lies in the shift in focus from "interaction" to measurable economic results and the use of internal regional mechanisms (budget, career) to stimulate external cooperation. The practical significance lies in overcoming budgetary selfishness, institutionalizing "cooperative competition" and forming the competence of "inter-regional management" as a mandatory element of an official's qualification. The model transforms cooperation from an external responsibility into an internal strategic resource.