Emergence of digital economy in the old industrial regions of the south of Russia

The informatization and digitalization are an element of the national strategy today; they set a new development paradigm of the Russian state, economy and society. These processes have a special importance for old industrial regions of Russia as they are directed to the creation of new business standards, recovery of the industrial sector at a new technological basis. The goal of the article consists in studing the process of the emergence of digital economy in the old industrial regions of the South of Russia (Rostov and Volgograd regions) for identifying reference points, “narrow places” and basic ways for their leveling. The analysis carried out in the article results in the conclusion that the development of digital society in the old industrial regions of the South of Russia in general has the same tendencies as in the whole country. In particular digitalization is actively penetrating into the sphere of public administration and also financial sector, but, however, in the authors’ opinion, the potential for the IT industry development in the regions of the South of Russia is underestimated. The key directions of creating conditions for the leadership of industrial companies of the southern old industrial regions are as follows: government support of developing technology intensive businesses; developing the geography of industrial business together with stimulating the demand for “clever” products; encouraging the use of new breakthrough technologies in the sphere of artificial intelligence; extensive use of Internet technologies and mobile gadgets in business and operational models of enterprises, etc.