Comparative analysis of approaches to assess the quality of life in regions

The Russian development management architecture is based on the strategic planning documents system. The key document in planning the public authorities activities today is the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation on national development goals. The quality of life is an integral indicator of the effectiveness and efficiency of society and the state. To achieve national goals, a methodologically sound system for measuring the quality of life must be developed. The classification of theoretical and methodological approaches to measuring instruments of quality of life management has been developed. The following approaches have been highlighted: monetarist, social justice, physical-economic, and combined. Their features and the units of measurement used have been described. The authors’ methods of calculating the quality of life within the framework of monetarist and physical-economic approaches have been proposed. Using the example of each approach, the results of assessing the quality of life in the regions have been considered, highlighting the leading and lagging regions. A comparative analysis of the quality of life ratings has been carried out, which made it possible to draw conclusions about patterns in the location of the leading (Moscow, St. Petersburg, Moscow Region, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Krasnodar Territory, Republic of Tatarstan) and lagging regions (Republic of Tuva, Republic of Ingushetia, the Karachay-Cherkess Republic, the Altai Republic, and the Jewish Autonomous Region). Using the social justice approach has shown opposite results compared to other approaches: lagging regions are the most psychologically calm. One of the study recommendations is the use of physical-economic indicators to calculate the quality of life in combined approaches by government and public-government structures.

1. Golovin A.A. Critical analysis of methods for measuring and monitoring the quality of life of the population. Upravlenie / Management (Russia). 2021;4(9):30–42. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.26425/2309-3633-2021-9-4-30-42

2. Gribanova O.M. On the national development goals of the Russian Federation in new socio-economic conditions. Bulletin of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2024;4:65–81. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.52180/2073-6487_2024_4_65_81

3. Bobkov V.N., Bobkova T.E., Vershinina M.A. The standard and quality of life of the Russian population: from reality to designing the future. Moscow: Federal Scientific Research Sociological Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences; 2022. 274 p. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.19181/monogr.978-5-89697-388-1.2022

4. Bobkov V.N., Odintsovo E.V., Kolmakov I.B. Normative-statistical and relative median approaches to the study of population differentiation by standard of living. Bulletin of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2025;3:84–105. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.52180/2073-6487_2025_3_84_105

5. Dixit S., Meghna C., Niteesh S. Network Learning Approaches to study World Happiness. 2020. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2007.09181

6. Lopatkova Ya.A., Linnik E.Yu. Factors of subjective well-being in the modern world: an analysis of Asian and European countries. Vestnik Universiteta. 2025;4:146–157. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.26425/1816-4277-2025-4-146-157

7. Kuznetsov O.L., Kuznetsov P.G., Bolshakov B.E. The Nature-Society-Human System: Sustainable Development. Moscow: Noosphere; 2000. 390 p. (In Russian).

8. Abramov V.I., Putilov A.V., Shamaeva E.F. Formation of mechanisms for managing the sustainable development of the economy of industrial sectors and complexes. Energy policy. 2023;2(180):40–53. (In Russian). https://doi.org/10.46920/2409-5516_2023_2180_40

9. Petrov A.E. Pobisk Georgievich Kuznetsov and the integrated Program “President”: energy flows and network structures in the challenges of sustainable development. Sustainable innovative development: design and management. 2024;3(64). (In Russian).

10. Yucel S., Bolukcu F., Bulut T., Yucel R. Evaluation of OECD Countries in Terms of Better Life Index According to Bulut Index. Bulletin of Economic Theory and Analysis. 2024;9:283–301. https://doi.org/10.25229/beta.1522625

11. Rodeschini M. Si puo misurare il benessere? Riflessioni sulla dimensione spaziale del Better Life Index calcolato da OCSE. Geography Notebooks. 2024;7. https://doi.org/10.7358/gn-2024-001-rodm