Unevenness of development of regional subsystems in regions of the north-west: opportunities and risks

The majority of Russian regions are often characterized by heterogeneity of their development due to objective differences in the availability of certain resources and capabilities and the efficiency of their management. These characteristics can provide opportunities and pose threats. The goal of the article is to analyze differences in the development of regional subsystems of regions within the Northwestern Federal District, to assess potential threats and opportunities that can be a foundation for enhancing the success of individual territories and the district as a whole. To achieve the goal the author used general scientific methods: analysis, synthesis, measurement, comparison, and statistical methods. The author analyzed the development of NWFD regions according to indicators of regional subsystems: production and financial, socio-economic, natural-ecological, and socio-cultural. Their unevenness was assessed based on the calculation of coefficients of variation. The analysis of the obtained coefficients, the minimum and maximum values of indicators and their dynamics in 2007-2014 determined that the development of NWFD regions is uneven. It was revealed that the greatest asymmetry is associated with innovative activity of the subjects, the presence of dilapidated and emergency housing, endowment with socio-cultural infrastructure and its use. The analysis identified opportunities and threats to the development of territories based on the presence and extent of territorial asymmetry. It is shown that significant differences can act as development opportunities. For example, in the regions with developed socio-cultural subsystem - the Vologda, Pskov and Novgorod oblasts - there is potential for tourism development, inter-regional tourist routes and, as a consequence, improvement of economic efficiency, replenishment of the regional budget and formation of cultural capital of local population. Scientific novelty of the results lies in the author's approach to the definition of internal structure of the region, measurement and analysis of the uneven development of subsystems of NWFD regions, identification of possible threats and development prospects they contain. The conclusions and recommendations can be applied in the work of regional and federal authorities to work out alignment policy and tools for development of territories' potential. Research is promising in the development of valuation techniques and standards of differentiation of regional subsystems, and in formulation of tools to improve regional socio-economic policy of the Vologda Oblast, and development of interregional cooperation programs.