Assessment of digital differentiation of regional economic systems

The rapid development of digital technologies is transforming traditional principles of competition between economic systems. Regions unable to adapt and take advantage of digital transformation face the risk of further deterioration of their socioeconomic status. This article presents a quantitative assessment of the level of digital differentiation (digital divide) in regional economic space. The study's methodological basis is the calculation of a set of statistical indicators of spatial heterogeneity: dispersion, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, decile differentiation coefficient, Gini index, Theil entropy index, and Atkinson index. The results of calculations for all indicators used demonstrate a consistent trend toward increasing digital inequality between regions.