Russian Regions Competing for Investors: When Will an Investment Portal Become a Means of Competition?

Abstract

The paper considers the content quality of regional investment portals from investors’ point of view. The study included analysis for investment portals of 10 Siberian regions, developed according to the nationwide Regional investment standard. The author demonstrates conformity of most portals to the Standard’s requirements in terms of improving attractiveness of regional investment. However, due to rising competition for private investors between regions of Russian Federation, such an approach appears inadequate.The author believes that content of investment portal should correspond to investors’ needs in terms of statistical data used for investment decision. The current filling of investment portals doesn’t satisfy such a goal even according to the government’s Methodical recommendations for investment evaluation. The author gives practical advice for filling portals with necessary data listing specific government authorities whose database should be sources for such information. Proposed changes may help transform investment portals into efficient instrument of regions’ competition for investors.