Theoretical Foundations of Management of the Activities of Operational Units of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine

This article is devoted to a comprehensive study and systematization of the theoretical foundations of managing the activities of operational units of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine (SBGS). The relevance of the topic is due to the critical importance of effective management of operational and investigative activities (OIA) for ensuring national security and protecting the state border, especially in the context of full-scale armed aggression and ongoing hybrid threats. Despite the high practical significance of the managerial component, the level of scientific development of the relevant theoretical foundations remains insufficient, and existing approaches are either too general or do not take into account the specifics of OIA. Based on the analysis of scientific literature in management theory, public administration, OIA theory, and current legislation, and using systemic, formal-logical, comparative-legal methods and the method of generalization, the essence of managing the activities of SBGS operational units is revealed as a purposeful, systemic, and predominantly social process of influencing personnel, resources, and the operational situation. A distinction is made between the concepts of «management» and «leadership» taking into account the specifics of the SBGS as a military formation. A comprehensive set of specific management tasks in the field of OIA is defined and systematized. These tasks include policy development; regulatory, methodological, informational, and analytical support; organizational, personnel, and resource provision; control over legality and effectiveness; institutional development; and ensuring accountability. A system of OIA management principles is substantiated, including both general managerial principles and special ones determined by the nature of OIA. The author proposes a classification of OIA management functions within the SBGS and differentiates them from the functions of OIA as a practical activity. Scientific approaches to the classification of management methods are analyzed, and a system of methods adapted to the specifics of OIA is developed: decision-making methods, organizational-structural, administrative-legal, socio-psychological, economic, and control-analytical methods. The forms of OIA management are examined – legal (adoption of normative and individual acts) and organizational (organizational actions, logistical operations) – with examples of their implementation in the practice of the SBGS. The article contributes to overcoming the scientific gap by forming a holistic theoretical model of OIA management in the SBGS. The presented systematization of theoretical foundations has practical significance for improving management processes, enhancing the efficiency of operational units, and serves as a scientific basis for further research and the development of applied management methodologies in this field.