KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AS A TOOL FOR GREEN TRANSFORMATION OF THE REGIONAL ECONOMY OF UKRAINE
Abstract
The article examines knowledge management as a strategic instrument for the green transformation of regional economies in Ukraine within the context of post-war reconstruction and European integration. Knowledge management is defined as a purposeful system of creating, accumulating, diffusing, and applying knowledge at the regional level, serving as the institutional foundation for green innovation. The paper synthesizes four theoretical frameworks underpinning regional knowledge management: the SECI model of knowledge creation (socialization–externalization–combination–internalization), the Triple Helix model of university–industry–government interaction, the "learning region" concept, and the dynamic capabilities theory. Based on empirical analysis of seven Ukrainian regions, a three-tier typology is constructed: regions with high knowledge infrastructure readiness (Lviv, Dnipropetrovsk), moderate readiness (Ivano-Frankivsk, Vinnytsia, Khmelnytskyi), and low readiness (Chernihiv, Sumy). The study demonstrates that regional R&D expenditure as a share of GRP, the Digital Transformation Index, and the presence of green innovation clusters constitute the three principal determinants of knowledge-based green transformation capacity. A conceptual three-block model connecting knowledge management to green regional transformation is proposed, comprising the knowledge resource block, the knowledge infrastructure block, and the transformation mechanisms block. The model is differentiated according to regional readiness, ensuring alignment with the smart specialization principle. Three key mechanisms through which knowledge management channels green transformation are identified: formation and diffusion of green knowledge, digital platformization of knowledge flows, and embedding of green competencies into regional human capital. Practical policy recommendations are provided for regional authorities and universities seeking to leverage knowledge assets as catalysts of sustainable economic renewal.
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