SOCIAL DIMENSIONS AND INDICATORS OF THE PERFORMANCE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF MANAGEMENT APPROACHES IN CROSS-BORDER COOPERATION IN THE BORDER REGIONS OF UKRAINE

Abstract

The article examines the specifics of the formation and monitoring of social dimensions
of cross-border interaction of border regions of Ukraine in the context of intensification of European
integration processes. In contrast to purely economic or financial indicators, attention is focused on the
humanitarian and social component of joint project activities, which directly affects the quality of life of the
local population. The existing domestic monitoring tools do not provide comprehensive tracking of these
humanitarian developments. It is established that the current stage of Ukraine’s European integration is
taking place in conditions of unprecedented geopolitical shifts that require a radical rethinking of the entire
system of regional development.
Border territories are the first to feel the impact of international processes, transforming from
geographical outskirts into strategic platforms for interstate interaction. Under such circumstances, there
is an objective need to move away from outdated management approaches that assessed the success of
international partnership solely by indicators of financial costs or the number of signed agreements. It is
justified that the success of cross-border initiatives should be measured through the prism of preserving
human capital, developing cross-border labor markets, reducing migration risks, and approximating living
standards in neighboring territories.
Since the border regions of Ukraine are currently facing depopulation and loss of human capital,
there is a need to study the social dimensions of international interaction, which determine the real impact
of partnership on the well-being of citizens. It was found that the main problem in this area is the lack of
clear, scientifically based criteria for assessing non-commercial, high-quality results of joint projects. In
this regard, the author proposed an author’s system of balanced indicators of social performance, which
allows for comprehensive monitoring of the dynamics of the development of border territories.
The specified system includes indicators of demographic stability, integration of educational and
cultural space, accessibility of cross-border social infrastructure, as well as the level of mutual trust and
social cohesion within Euroregions. It is proven that the implementation of the proposed indicators in the
practice of strategic planning will allow public authorities and local governments to objectively assess the
real "social return" from attracting European funds. Shifting the emphasis of cross-border policy towards
the development of human potential and the capacity of territorial communities is critically important for
minimizing the outflow of personnel abroad. The results obtained form the basis for optimizing the social
parameters of regional development in relation to Ukraine’s acquisition of full membership in the EU.