Na temelju institucijsko-pravne analize poslova koje je središnja državna vlast tijekom razvoja upravljanja na teritoriju dodjeljivala dekoncentriranoj državnoj upravi razvija se klasifikacija uloga koju dekoncentrirana državna uprava može imati u upravno-političkom sustavu. Uloge dekoncentrirane državne uprave shvaćaju se kao ciljevi koje središnja državna vlast želi ostvariti preko institucije državnog predstavnika na teritoriju i/ili organiziranjem područnih upravnih organa i područnih upravnih jedinica. Razlikuju se integrativna, provedbena i koordinativno-planska uloga dekoncentrirane državne uprave. Njihove karakteristike opisuju se po dimenzijama vrijednosti na kojima počivaju, nositeljima poslova, teritorijalnim razinama na kojima su državne upravne jedinice organizirane te odnosa dekoncentrirane državne uprave sa središnjom državnom vlasti i lokalnim samoupravnim jedinicama. Rad sadržava prvi sustavni pregled zadaća koje dekoncentrirana državna uprava može obavljati neovisno o stupnju društvenog razvoja ili primijenjenome organizacijskom modelu dekoncentrirane državne uprave u pojedinoj zemlji u novijoj znanstvenoj literaturi.; On the basis of the institutional-legal analysis of the tasks assigned to the deconcentrated state administration by the central government during the development of territorial management, the author develops a classification of the roles that deconcentrated state administration can have in administrative-political system. The roles of a deconcentrated state administration are understood as goals that the central government intends to achieve through the institution of a state territorial representative and / or by organizing territorial state administrative bodies and units. The integrative, implementing and coordinative-planning roles of deconcentrated state administration are distinguished. When realizing integrative role, deconcentrated state administration is in function of ensuring integrity of territorial system of administration; when realizing implementing role, deconcentrated state administration is in function of ensuring execution, preparation and lawful implementation of state regulations; when realizing coordinative-strategic role, deconcentrated state administration is in function of promoting social development. Their characteristics are described by the following dimensions: values they promote, task holders, the territorial levels state administrative bodies and units are organized on, and the relations of deconcentrated state administration with the central state government and local self-government units. The paper contains the first systematic overview of tasks that can be performed by deconcentrated state administration, regardless of the degree of social development or the applied organizational model of deconcentrated state administration in a particular country, in recent scientific literature.