On fundamental and applied research of the Vologda institute of socio-economic development of territories of the RAS

Andrey A.

KOKOSHIN

Academician of RAS, Academician-secretary of Social Sciences

Department of RAS

The Social Sciences Department of the Russian Academy of Sciences considered the results of fundamental and applied research of the Vologda Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of the Russian Academy of Sciences for 2006 – 2010. The Members of the Bureau of the Department have highly appreciated the research activities and quite a number of concrete results from the studies of this institute, headed by Professor, Doctor of Economics V.A. Ilyin.

The obtained results of the Institute include the following lines.

It is established that the economic crisis has made adjustments in the course of socioeconomic processes in the region and the value priorities of the population. The value of the order has become more significant than sociability; the importance of well-being value has increased. The value of tradition has increased, the value of morality has decreased. The crisis has forced people to show their potential, the intensity of upholding the rights and innovative activity have increased, a large regional cohesion has revealed.

It is shown that the proportion of people experiencing psychological problems has reduced, the number of people solving their psychological difficulties on their own is gradually increasing, population’s satisfaction with the services of public mental health protection has increased.

Negative changes appeared especially brightly among the most well provided people.

The factors influencing the spread of neglect are determined; its relationship to the region’s socio-economic state is revealed. A method of economic evaluation of losses due to children and adolescents neglect is proposed. Positive and negative changes characterizing the moral state in the region for the period of 1998 – 2009 are identified.

The priorities for regional policy are formulated; a set of practical recommendations to reduce the level of children and adolescents neglect is developed.

The factors having the greatest impact on the processes of knowledge creation are revealed, the key issues existing in the environment of knowledge generation in the Vologda region are identified. The general directions and specific mechanisms to improve the institutional environment of knowledge generation in the regions are formulated and substantiated.

The unacceptably high degree of differentiation among the Russian regions in terms of scientific and technological development is revealed. The basic problems in the formation and use of intellectual, scientific and innovative potential of the Russian regions are revealed.

The notion of “monitoring of scientific and technological potential” is formulated, the basic principles of its conduct are considered. The nature and structure of scientific and technological potential of the region is determined, its components are identified. There has been developed a technique of comparative assessment of scientific and technological potential of the region based on the calculation of integrated index – the index including three sets of indicators: “Science and innovation”, “Education”, “Information infrastructure and communication”.

The priority aims of the population and the main reasons for reproductive behavior are revealed, the permanence of the population’s ideological attitudes and mental sets at reduced fertility is shown within the theme of “Problems and mechanisms to ensure economic, social, ecological security of the Russian Federation”.

The algorithm for assessing science and innovation sector at the regional level is proposed. The strategic directions of science and innovation sector development in the region are formulated; the mechanisms for the development of scientific and innovation sector in the region are developed.

The basic indicators characterizing the region’s development level, and an integrated indicator based on the construction of the development level taxonomic indicator are proposed. The scheme of assessment of the extent of transformation of the territorial structure of the national economy is developed. Using the integral indicator there has been conducted the analysis of interregional differentiation on the basis of the region’s construction. The clustering of Russian regions in terms of socio-economic development is performed.

The effectiveness of the vocational education sector is evaluated; the discrepancy of the vocational education structure to labor market needs is shown. Based on the objectives of increasing the economic competitiveness of the Russian regions the directions and measures to improve the functioning of the sector of vocational education and training are justified. The prospects of highly qualified personnel training in the new formation of iterated systems of research and education are considered.

It is concluded that the current mechanism of income redistribution does not reduce but increases the degree of the population’s inequality. The directions of changes in the redistribution processes are justified, a number of forms of redistributive relations adjustments are proposed.

The socio-economic development of the Vologda region in comparison with the regions of the North-West Federal District is assessed; the main factors of regional economic growth and the degree of production intensification in the region are identified. A number of socio-economic problems hindering the region’s transition to sustainable development are revealed. It is shown that the stability assessment should be based on the integral index.

The technique of assessing the sustainability of the territories, allowing to reflect its position among the regions is developed. The levels of sustainability of the regional socio-economic system are determined. The necessity of development of the complex potentials (production, finance, innovation) to ensure competitiveness and sustainability of the territory is sounded.

The features of the regional labor productivity are revealed, the level and dynamics of labor productivity in individual sectors and the regional economy as a whole are defined. The labor productivity in the industrial sector of the region compared with the subjects of the North-West Federal District is assessed; the factors that have the greatest impact on labor productivity are identified.

The capabilities for increasing labor productivity in terms of financial and economic crisis are revealed, the measures to increase labor productivity in the key sectors of the regional economy are designed.

The prerequisites of transition of the Vologda region’s forest complex to an innovative type of development are revealed, the tools of stimulating innovation in the regional timber industry are identified. The possibility of creating a regional forest cluster is studied, the clustering potential is defined.

In 2000 – 2010 there were conducted sociological measurement of the level and dynamics of the economic situation and social well-being of the Vologda region’s population. It is revealed that under gradual overcoming the financial crisis the region residents’ assessments on the basic parameters have improved considerably, the characteristics of the current socio-economic situation in the country and the region have become more favorable.

The Institute of Socio-Economic Development of Territories of the RAS takes a prominent position among Russian scientific and research centers of the sociological and economic profile.

It is gratifying that a large number of young scientists work at this institute.

Economical and social changes: facts, trends, forecast 3 (15) 2011