The Bulletin of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences № 1/2026. Economics and Management.

Svetlana A. Bratchenko

Cand. Sci. (Econ.), Leading Researcher at the Institute of Economics of the RAS, Moscow, Russia

ORCID: 0000-0002-5066-0678

VALIDITY OF GOALS IN STATE GOVERNANCE, AS WELL AS CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF ITS LACK (ON THE BASE OF SOCIAL PROGRAMS)

49-70

349.82 KB

Full text

The subject of this study is the phenomenon of the validity (reasonableness) and, consequently, the unreasonableness of goals in domestic state governance. This theme is a logical continuation of the study of the problem of achievability of goals, which is closely related to the quality of state governance. A study of the scientific literature on this topic has shown the urgent problem in many areas of state governance. An analysis of the phenomenon’s manifestation in practice has allowed us to identify nine different types of unreasonable- ness that occur in relation to both qualitative and quantitative goals. The main reasons why the unreasonableness of goal setting takes place in the domestic state governance are high- lighted. The most significant consequences of the practice of unreasonable goal setting for both state governance and the Russian economy are described. A theoretical comprehension of goal reasonableness phenomenon facilitates to describe the conditions or components of the validity of goal-setting, that are relevance, achievability and optimality, and the latter as a special case includes effectiveness. In conclusion, recommendations to reduce the severity of the problem of unjustified goals in Russian state governance are formulated. In particular, it is important to understand that the adoption of unreasonable goals often leads to the failure to achieve these goals, so huge amounts of federal and other budgets are spent without proper results. Therefore, increasing the validity (reasonableness) of the goal setting and, accordingly, revising the newly proposed and already approved goals of state governance for their validity (reasonableness) 1) would increase the achievability of state governance goals; 2) would free up significant amounts of the federal budget, significantly reduce the problem of the federal budget deficit.

Keywords: quality of public administration, criteria for the quality of goal setting, validity of goals, achievability of goals, relevance of goals, consistency of goals, optimality of goals, quantitative and qualitative goals, strategic and operational goals.

JEL: E61, H83

EDN: ARALQI

DOI: https://doi.org/10.52180/2073-6487_2026_1_49_70

References

1. Bratchenko S.A. Goal setting in public administration: issues of achievability, relevance and consistency of goals // Bulletin of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2025. No. 1. Рp. 24–46. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.52180/2073-6487_2025_1_24_46.
2. Sukharev O.S. Theory of dysfunctions: the problem of management and clarifying the goals of macroeconomic development // Bulletin of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2020. No. 1. Рp. 95–112. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.24411/2073-6487-2020-10005.
3. Vasilkov Yu.V., Guschina L.S., Inyats N. Features of high-quality organization management // Modern management technologies. 2015. No. 1. Рp. 15–20. (In Russ.). EDN: TICJCT.
4. Lenkova O.V. Goal setting in the strategy system of an oil and gas company // Theory and practice of social development. 2015. No. 6. Рp. 58–59. (In Russ.). EDN: TTKTQV.
5. Sukharev O.S. Economic growth: a management problem // The Economist. 2016. No. 7. Рp. 21–31 (In Russ.). EDN: YNRWPX.
6. Kapoguzov E.A., Chupin R.I. Possibilities of using an evidence-based approach for industrial policy analysis // Bulletin of Kemerovo State University. Series: political, sociological and economic sciences. 2022. Vol. 7. No. 3. Рp. 323–330. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.21603/2500-3372-2022-7-3-323-330.
7. Akhmeduev S. State regulation as a key factor of balanced and sustainable socioeconomic development of regions // Regional problems of economic transformation. 2022. No. 6. Рp. 36–42. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.26726/1812-7096-2022-6-36-42.
8. Demidov P.V., Ulezko A.V. Strategic management of agricultural lands: essence, principles and effectiveness assessment // Economic sciences. 2018. No. 2. Рp. 237–247. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.17238/issn2071-2243.2018.2.237.
9. [Kovalenko E.G. A conceptual model of municipal strategy with an emphasis on spatial development. Vestnik NGIEI. 2020. No. 6. Рp. 75–87. (In Russ.). EDN: ZVIEEI.
10. Buchwald E.M. Federal reform: is a new stage possible? // Bulletin of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2023. No. 2. Pp. 34–49. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.52180/2073-6487_2023_2_34_49.
11. Palash S.V. A systematic approach to evaluating the effectiveness of government industrial development programs // Economics and management: problems, solutions. 2018. No. 5. Pp. 90–95. (In Russ.). EDN: UUOXKJ.
12. Khotulev E.L., Naumov S.N., Blokhin A.A. New challenges of program-oriented management: search for answers and solutions: scientific report. All-Russian Academy of Foreign Trade of the Ministry of Economic Development of Russia. Moscow: VAVT, 2019. (In Russ.). EDN: FVMORJ.
13. Borshchevsky G.A. Improving approaches to the assessment of state programs of the Russian Federation // Economic Journal of the Higher School of Economics. 2018. Vol. 22. No. 1. Pp. 110–134. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.17323/1813-8691-2018-22-1-110-134.
14. Klistorin V.I., Sedipkova S.V. Analysis of methods for evaluating state programs of the subjects of the Russian Federation // The World of Economics and Management. 2021. Vol. 21. No. 4. Pp. 159–174. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.25205/2542-0429-2021- 21-4-159-174.
15. Margolin A.M. Ways to improve methods for evaluating the effectiveness of government programs // Economic policy. 2018. No. 6. Pp. 54–81. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.18288/1994-5124-2018-6-54-81.
16. Ovsyannikova T.Yu., Rabtsevich O.V., Yugova V. State housing policy in Russia: goals and realities // Real estate: economics, management. 2018. No. 4. Pр. 6–12. (In Russ.). EDN: WKVYMO.
17. Lebedeva M.A. Problems of the implementation of the national project “Ecology” in the Russian Federation // Journal of Economic Research. 2022. No. 6. Pp. 17–24. (In Russ.). EDN: BKSIJH.
18. Fedorova T.A., Lomovtsev D.A., Potvorov A.I. Analysis of the effectiveness of the national project “Labor productivity and employment support” // Economic analysis: theory and practice. 2021. Vol. 20. No. 3. Pp. 396–415. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.24891/ea.20.3.396.
19. Tambovtsev V.L. On the scientific validity of scientific policy in the Russian Federation // Economic issues. 2018. No. 2. Pp. 5–32. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.32609/0042-8736-2018-2-5-32.
20. Klistorin V.I. On programs in general and the exploration and development of Siberia, in particular / Continent Siberia / edited by V.A. Kryukov; Institute of Economics and Industrial Production Organization of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, All–Russian Economic Journal ECO. Novosibirsk: Publishing House of IEOPP SB RAS, 2020. Pp. 186–192. (In Russ.). EDN: YSWUVU.
21. Bratchenko A. The use of strategies in the development of government programs: a review of practice and analysis of situations // AlterEconomics. 2024. No. 3. Pp. 553–570. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.31063/AlterEconomics/2024.21-3.7.
22. Bratchenko A. The role of the quality of management decisions in ensuring the quality of public administration // Bulletin of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2022. No. 4. Рp. 77–103. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.52180/2073-6487_2022_4_77_103.
23. Bratchenko A. The formation of fundamental managerial ideas in the period of the formation of capitalism (a brief review of scientific papers) // Managerial Sciences. 2018. No. 1. Pp. 110–118. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.26794/2304-022X-2018-8-1-110-118.
24. Yasny N.M. Soviet economists of the 1920s. Debt of memory. M.: Publishing house «Delo» RANHiGS. 2012. (In Russ.). EDN: QVFIXB.
25. Kookuyeva V.V. Assessment of financing and the role of state programs in the direction of “New quality of life” in the development of the Russian economy // Bulletin of the Altai Academy of Economics and Law. 2020. No. 4. Рp. 220–228. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.17513/vaael.1076.
26. Kozlova S.V. Transformation of State property management Institutions Results of 2022–2024 (PART II) // Bulletin of the Institute of Economics of the Russian Academy of Sciences. 2024. No. 6. Рp. 56– 69. (In Russ.). DOI: 10.52180/2073-6487_2024_6_56_69. EDN: WCOFUS.
27. Bazarov V.A. On the methodology of building long-term plans // Bazarov V.A. Selected works. Vol. M.: Publishing house «Delo» RANHiGS, 2014. Рp. 423–443. (In Russ.).

Manuscript submission date: 08.12.2025

Manuscript acceptance date: 24.02.2026

For citation:

Bratchenko S.A.  Validity of goals in state governance, as well as causes and consequences of its lack (on the base of social programs) // Vestnik Instituta Ekonomiki Rossiyskoy Akademii Nauk. 2026. №. 1. Pp. 49-70. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.52180/2073-6487_2026_1_49_70 EDN: ARALQI

  Creative Commons 4.0