Regional economy. Рубрика в журнале - Economic and Social Changes: Facts, Trends, Forecast

Статья научная
The intensification of structural transformation of the economy in Russia and its regions in the context of geopolitical instability requires searching for the most promising types of economic activity that could become drivers of development in the new economic conditions. This premise is especially relevant for the Northwest of Russia due to the fact that the economy in this macroregion has been subjected to the strongest negative impact of foreign trade restrictions. Thus, the aim of our study is to determine sectoral priorities of regional development in the form of promising economic specializations within a single macroregion. To achieve the goal, we address the following tasks: to develop a methodology for searching for promising economic specializations at the macroregional level; identify existing sectoral specializations in the Northwest of Russia; outline the profile of promising economic specializations in the Northwestern Federal District, taking into account possible interregional interactions. Based on our own methodological approach, which is the novelty of the study, we identify promising value chains in the timber industry, machine-building industries and the chemical industry. According to the results of the study, we compile profiles of promising economic specializations for regions in the Northwest of Russia; this is also an original scientific result. Based on the analysis of global economic development trends, we identify potential market niches for the industries under consideration. In addition, we propose measures to promote the development of promising economic specializations in the macroregion. The findings of the study can be useful to a wide range of researchers in the field of sectoral and regional economics, as well as federal and regional authorities in the development and adjustment of various strategic and sectoral documents.
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Статья научная
The development of tourism industry at the regional level is relevant for all the subjects of the Russian Federation. The issue is especially acute in those of them that do not have rich cultural-historical heritage and unique natural-climatic conditions. In particular, these areas include highly urbanized industrial regions of the country, which at present do not make an effective use of their potential for the development of domestic and inbound tourism. The subject of the research in this paper is tourist activity in federal districts of the Russian Federation. The purpose of the paper is to analyze the volume of tourist services in the Russian Federation and to substantiate the development of industrial tourism in the regions for the purpose of attracting additional tourist flows. The study uses the system approach, the basic scientific methods of analysis and synthesis, deduction and induction, and statistical analysis methods. One of the innovations in the tourism business of the Russian Federation could be the organization and conducting of excursions to the enterprises of the country not only for official delegations and business partners, but also for ordinary tourists...
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Статья научная
As an attempt to extract positive experience to overcome difficulties of an extraordinary nature, we tried to appeal to historic examples of active participation of science in solving problems of regional development due to the general national tasks. The paper deals with the experience of the Commission for Study of Natural Productive Forces under the Head of the Republic of Komi (1993-2004), which is of scientific interest regarding the use of the results of research works of strategic planning and project management, taking into account the extraordinary circumstances caused by the sharp transformation of Russia’s economic structure. The article shows that it happens in a more constructive way when researchers and practitioners are united organizationally within the framework of the “problem - program” methodology. The second line of analysis of such experience is to identify the correspondence between the scientific interpretation ofthe concept of“productive forces” and the content ofstate strategic planning documents. To return productive forces to the system “science - practice”, it is necessary to eliminate the substitution of this concept by resources and production and to select appropriate indicators of their measurement. The main subject of this dimension becomes “force”, which is presented as the force and result of natural processes, scientific and technological progress and new forms of production organization.
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Статья научная
The article is devoted to the issue of housing affordability on the Russian market. Based on official statistics, the authors reveal the main trends of the regional housing market development. The article reviews government priorities in the housing policy and presents calculations of the housing affordability index in the Vologda Oblast according to several scenarios. The authors present the results of the ISEDT RAS population survey conducted in the Vologda Oblast concerning the level of people's satisfaction with their housing conditions. The results indicate that only 37% of the population are satisfied with their housing, 13% - rated their living conditions as bad. The authors research best practices of a number of constituent entities of the Russian Federation in order to address the shortage, quality and affordability of housing. Numerous studies by Russian scientists indicate the necessity of forming and introducing new tools and mechanisms to improve housing affordability in the Russian practice...
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Статья научная
The importance of studying policy-making issues related to anti-sanctions legislation and practical measures to support the population and business at the level of Russia’s Arctic regions in the context of sanctions pressure is associated with the major role of the Arctic zone of the Russian Federation, which has geopolitical, strategic and socio-economic significance. The article provides a brief overview of the history of sanctions pressure and response measures based on a comparative analysis of foreign and Russian studies; we also conduct a content analysis of the anti-sanctions legislation in the Russian Arctic regions for 2022-2023 and current regional measures to support businesses and population to ensure socio-economic stability. Among the Arctic regions, the Komi and Sakha (Yakutia) republics are leaders in terms of the number of regulatory legal acts and the number of regional anti-sanctions measures, while the Nenets and Chukotka Autonomous areas are outsiders. The Krasnoyarsk Territory, the Yamal- Nenets Autonomous Area, the Republic of Karelia, the Arkhangelsk and Murmansk regions are Arctic territories that conduct quite moderate activities fulfilling the requirements of Presidential Decree 121, dated March 16, 2022. In this regard, it is necessary to continue to improve and update anti-sanctions legislation and anti-sanctions measures at the regional level in order to adjust the socio-economic sphere properly. It is necessary to study certain areas of regional support, for example taxation issues, more thoroughly. It is recommended that the authorities of the Arctic regions pay attention to regional taxes, which can play an important role in ensuring socio-economic stability. The content analysis also shows that there is no uniformity in policy-making activities at the level of the Russian Arctic regions, and a multidirectional practice of using state support measures to ensure socio-economic stability in the face of sanctions pressure is applied. Currently, it is necessary to streamline and balance the anti-sanctions legislation and measures it envisages at the level of the Russian Arctic regions.
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Regional specialization and agglomeration effects in the Russian economy
Статья научная
The main goal of economic science which is the search for ways to meet the existing needs by means of limited resources is of particular relevance today in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic, the rapid recession of the world economy, reduced export volumes and energy prices decline. Agglomeration effects represent savings of the region’s assets from their more efficient distribution based on specialization. The purpose of the research is to develop theoretical and methodological aspects of specialization and agglomeration effects, which determined the need to solve the following tasks: (1) to provide an overview of approaches related to the study issues, (2) to assess the regional specialization of Russia and calculate agglomeration effects in agriculture, mining and processing sectors of industry, and the service sector, (3) to build a model of agglomeration effects impact on the regions’ economic development. The article presents the systematization of research on agglomeration processes through the allocation of groups of works that are based on the classification of Duranton and Puga, territorial and geographical approaches, the study of related diversity, the use of the cross-sectional analysis results, sorting processes, and agglomeration economy analysis. The economic point of evaluating a region’s specialization is to identify the industries in which it has competitive advantages in order to attract targeted resources. The assessment of agglomeration effects in Russia has shown that not all regions fully realize the advantages of specialization. The constructed models allowed to determine that (1) labor remains the key factor of development in agricultural and industrial regions; (2) roads are not a significant infrastructure indicator of development; (3) agglomeration effects in agriculture and services do not provide the desired result of the per capita GRP increment; (4) the manufacturing sector development is still an important condition. The article proposes a model allowing the assessment of the impact of agglomeration factors and regional specialization, the results of which can become an information basis for the development of regulatory actions in regional management. The research can be valuable for both the researchers and decision-makers in the field of spatial development.
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Regions’ export activity as an object of state support
Статья научная
The article reveals the forms of changing the system of state support for export activities at the meso-economic level. The forms are general (subject composition ofparticipants in foreign trade relations, procedure for their state regulation and development) and specific (methods for providing support to exporting enterprises, ways to assess the implementation of these methods). We systematize measures of government support for export according to functional purposes, arrange them into a multi-level scheme, and identify bottlenecks in its implementation. We develop our own approach to assessing the institutional and organizational support of regions’ foreign trade activities. We put forward a method for calculating the assessment of regulatory legal support for this activity, based on the establishment of criteria reflecting the effectiveness of forms of development of regions’ export activities. We carry out a comparative assessment of each form of support, which makes it possible to identify key areas of formation of regulatory legal support for foreign economic activity that have a significant impact on export activities in Russia’s regions. The application of the proposed method for managing the system of government support for export will help to address the most critical issues in the field of international cooperation and foreign trade relations. The system will help to create conditions for the development of export-oriented industries and enterprises, ensure greater availability of financial resources for organizations at all levels and an increase in export volumes through the formation of new mechanisms to support them. The implementation of the proposed measures will stimulate the production of goods in general, which will contribute to an increase in the added value of the regional economy, an increase in the tax base, foreign trade turnover and the number ofjobs, and create the most favorable conditions for the development of export activities in Russia’s constituent entities.
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Resource security of healthcare in Russia: issues of territorial differentiation
Статья научная
Russia’s regions (federation subjects) vary greatly by level of socio-economic development; this fact leads to inequality in social infrastructure development as well. The same can be said about healthcare. There is a strong link between economic development in the regions and funding of medical care. It is necessary to point out that the actual level of morbidity and mortality is not reflected in the volumes of resource supply of the sector in terms of territories; consequently, the principles of social justice and social solidarity are violated. The article analyzes statistical data on the RF subjects and shows the extent of territorial disparities in the provision of population with the main healthcare resources: financial (the amount of per capita funding and the level of implementation of territorial programs of state guarantees), labor (provision of population with doctors and nursing staff), equipment (provision with hospital beds). The author points out the regions that show consistently low rates of resource security of healthcare...
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Статья научная
Financial capacities of the banking sector become an important strategic resource during the deficit of financial resources for the implementation of administrative multi-level spatial strategies and solution of important issues related to the territorial systems' socio-economic development. The purpose ofthestudyistojustifythekeyroleoftheeconomy'sbankingsectorinthesolutionoftheissueconcerningthe increase of the RF entities' fiscal capacity and to assess a volume of credit institutions' necessary financial resources. To achieve this goal, the following objectives were set: to study fiscal capacity and structure of the regional systems' government debt and the banking sector's contribution to its formation, to construct spatial regression models showing the dependence of the regions' socio-economic development level and their fiscal capacity on financial resources attracted by the banking sector, to define the volume of credit institutions' financial resources, attraction of which will solve the problem of the RF entities' budget deficit. We use the methods of statistical and regression analysis in this work. As a result, it was revealed that the banking sector's investments in government and municipal debt securities and lending of the RF entities contribute to the increase of fiscal capacity, form financial foundation for the implementation of socio-economic development strategies. Attraction of investments in enterprises' shares and securities, loans to financial and non-financial business and households lead to an increase of the territories' gross regional product. The results of this study may be useful for the government authorities of the RF entities while implementing the developed spatial socio-economic development strategies.
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Role of small business in providing employment in the Russian north
Статья научная
The article is devoted to the study of the level and dynamics of small business in the Russian North in current conditions on the basis of official statistics and the author's sociological survey. The reasons of the functioning and development of small business in market conditions are revealed. Regions of the Far North and territories equated to such are studied. The object of the research is small business in the northern Russian regions. The subject of the research is the study of the features of business development in the northern Russian regions. The purpose of this work is the study of processes taking place in the sphere of employment in the small business sector and its development in the northern regions of Russia. The information basis of this paper consists of domestic and foreign economists' works, materials of periodicals, and Internet resources on this topic. The results of the study show that employment in small businesses in the northern Russian regions, which are characterized by the dominance of extractive industries in the economy, does not have a strong impact on overall employment which is caused by this sector's current insufficient advancement. There is a narrowing of the small business sector on studied territories. With a case study of one northern region (the Komi Republic), we showed a contribution of small business into the provision of employment. The impact of small business on primary socio-economic indicators of the region is revealed. The assessment was conducted, and a low level of residents' business activity was noted: northerners do not seek to open a business due to a low level of expectations associated with the improvement of the economic situation and understanding of spatial development problems on the territory of residence. The main reasons of northerners' low business activity are the lack of entrepreneurial skills, the lack of start-up capital and difficulties with its attraction. The key directions of the increase of employment in the small business sphere of the northern regions are highlighted.
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Rural Development in the Context of Spatial Compression of a Northern Region
Статья научная
Ensuring balanced spatial development and reducing inter- and intra-regional imbalances are strategically important issues for Russia. However, finding a solution to these issues is complicated by the growing concentration of human, industrial, and scientific potential in large cities, major cities, and metropolises, depopulation and economic desertification of rural areas, that is, disintegration and compression of the country’s economic space. This is especially acute in the northern regions of Russia. The aim of the article is to study the problems and determine the prospects for development of rural areas of the northern region in the context of spatial compression on the example of the European North of Russia. We point out that the social, economic, and infrastructural issues observed in rural areas have remained unresolved since the 1990s. Rural population decline caused by the destruction of the socioeconomic potential of these territories is a key factor in the compression of the space of the northern region, degradation of the village and loss of its human capital. The reason lies not only in the shock transition to the market in the 1990s, but also in the ineffective state policy for rural development in the post-reform period, and in the absence of a strategic vision of the place of rural territories in the national space. Having analyzed the current state of the rural periphery and taking into account the need to shift to neo-endogenous rural development, we identify three priorities of state policy in the field of rural development in the North of Russia. They are as follows: development of the rural economy, modernization of rural infrastructure, and comprehensive development of human capital as the ultimate goal of all economic and social transformations. The findings of our work contribute to the formation of ideas about trends in spatial development of the northern regions of Russia and socio-economic issues of rural areas; they can be used by researchers in their studies on similar topics, and by public authorities when they need to work out strategic documents in the field of spatial development.
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Rural territories' digitalization: from theory to practice
Статья научная
Large-scale application of digital technologies in management, social, and business processes determines the relevance of the inclusion of digital transformation factors in the socio-economic potential assessment of territorial systems. However, the applied methods of analyzing digitalization processes do not allow reflecting the influence of multi-level spatial set of digital transformation factors of life spheres on the process of potential formation and development of the country and its regions. The purpose of the research is to substantiate the need to include digitalization factors in the assessment of the aggregate potential of territorial socio-economic systems, to develop and test a methodology for integrative impact assessment of digital transformation factors on the state and socio-economic potential growth of territorial systems. The author uses the methods of analysis and synthesis, comparison and grouping, generalization and expert assessments, index and correlation methods of economic and statistical analysis. The working hypothesis of the undertaken research suggests a possibility of developing and applying a methodological approach to the analysis of the state and dynamics of digitalization processes reflecting the interdependence of characteristics of rural territories' potential and digital transformation parameters of rural life sphere. The paper defines the concepts of digitalization and digital potential, gives an annotated list of the main methodological approaches to assessing the territorial system's potential, proposes and tests the author's methodology version for analyzing and evaluating digitalization potential of rural territories, substantiates the model of a single digital platform for the purposes of state strategic planning for sustainable development of rural territories, structures the set of directions for digital transformation of region's life subjects, and forms a multi-level set of indicators for comparable assessment of the state and dynamics of digital transformation development which is useful for developing options for setting priorities when justifying strategic decisions in digitalization. The scientific novelty of the research is that for the first time there was an attempt to develop a methodological approach to assessing territorial system potential taking into account the factors of digital transformation of processes in the field of production, exchange, distribution, and consumption of public products.
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Sales markets for the goods of the regions of the northwest of Russia: quantitative assessment
Статья научная
Promoting the spatial factor in the development of the national economy requires the implementation of state policy on the transformation of interregional value chains. This task is specific due to the vast spaces and the high degree of polarization of the country’s economic sphere. The purpose of the study is to conduct a quantitative assessment of the sales markets of regions within the Northwest of Russia, taking into account the industry and territorial specifics of their production. The analysis reveals that, in general, in the Northwest of Russia, national and foreign markets prevail over local and macroregional, and interterritorial interaction remains largely fragmented. However, the presence of specialization industries in the regions, combined with relatively stable external demand, can contribute to the development of interregional value chains. It is noted that in Russia, the tasks of optimal zoning and development of value chains are of crucial importance, and it is reflected in the program documents. It is shown that the macroregion uses the potential of internal cooperation only to a small extent, being to a greater extent an array of multidirectionally oriented market zones with Saint Petersburg as its core and a number of value chains, often export-oriented. It is concluded that the nature of supplies to foreign markets is determined not only by the export specialization of the territory, but also by the diversification of the economic system. The findings of our research can be used to develop strategic documents for spatial development, programs for the development of economic sectors and industrial clusters. In the future, we will continue the work on searching for new growth points and the most promising areas of structural changes for the transition of regions and the country as a whole to sustainable socio-economic development.
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Scientific and technological development of Russia: state assessment and financing problems
Статья научная
Given the current conditions of rapid cyclical economic processes, the urgency of tasks related to ensuring sustainable economic growth is increasing. The available experience clearly indicates that sustainability can only be achieved by ensuring the proper level and pace of scientific and technological development. At the same time, the implementation of spatial development concept is entering into the foreground due to globalization, integration and digital technologies development. The purpose of the work is to assess the scientific and technological development of Russia in the context of international comparisons and to study the system of R&D financing in the country. Based on this purpose, the article considers the evolution of approaches to the scientific and technological development of territories, identifies the need to form a single scientific and technological space in Russia, which will reduce the existing imbalances and ensure the uniformity of regional development; substantiates the significance of the financial subsystem in the formation of a single space; analyzes its state. The conducted analysis has shown that the current system of research and development financing in Russia is contrary to the global trends. The research has revealed that a crucial role in the process of funding is still played by the state; it has demonstrated the low efficiency of the system of R&D financing and offered recommendations for its improving and optimizing, i.e. the formation of regional funds for scientific, scientific-technical and innovation activities; increasing the availability of federal funding sources of scientific and technological development in the regions and the efficiency of venture activity in Russia. Further stages of the research will involve studying other basic subsystems of the scientific and technological space (organizational, managerial, informational, educational, etc.), as well as working out practical recommendations for their development, efficiency and harmonious interaction and functioning.
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Статья научная
The shadow economy is one of the most complex socio-economic phenomena in almost any state. The shadow economy, which has become an integral structural element of an economic system, has a diverse and sometimes ambiguous impact on it. The nature and assessment of this phenomenon and the ways to deal with it have been in the focus of attention of scientists, government authorities, trade unions, and economic entities for a long time. Having reviewed the definitions of the shadow (underground) economy that are suggested by modern domestic and foreign sources, we consider this phenomenon as an economic activity of actors that are hidden from the influence of state control. In this regard, we can highlight the following priority areas of research: identification of factors that have a significant impact on the volume and nature of the shadow economy, development of measures to overcome it, and search for more adequate quantitative methods for its assessment at different levels of public administration. Of particular interest is the regional aspect of the shadow economy, which is not given due attention in publications. The article presents an attempt to compensate for this lack of attention. The aim of the work is to assess the scale of the shadow economy nationwide and in Russia’s individual constituent entities on the basis of generalization of the methods applied and with the use of official statistical information of all- Russian agencies: the Federal State Statistics Service, the Federal Tax Service and their regional offices. Scientific novelty of the study lies in adjusting the traditional approach to the assessment of the shadow economy by the tax method, which consists in eliminating the amount of depreciation deductions from the indicators of gross profit of the economy and gross mixed income. The proposed method has been tested on the economy of Russia and several regions of the Central Federal District. We have revealed significant differences in the estimation of the scale of this phenomenon if various calculation methods are used. We review a set of measures aimed at reducing hidden income at the federal and regional levels, taking into account the current socio-economic situation complicated by the coronavirus pandemic.
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Статья научная
The Russian economy has faced a number of large-scale geopolitical and socio-economic challenges in recent years. At the same time, the territories with single-industry specialization were the most negatively affected, since their town-forming enterprises are highly dependent on external environmental factors. The list of single-industry towns in Russia was formed ten years ago; during this time there have been many global changes, but the authorities are still guided by this document when developing measures of state support. The work had two objectives: first, to assess the degree of their current monoprofile on the basis of analyzing the activities of the main economic entities in singleindustry towns; and second, to identify how the new geopolitical and socio-economic challenges have affected the activities of town-forming enterprises. The research object was 20 small and mediumsized towns of the European North of Russia, categorized as single-industry towns. We identified three groups of towns: 1) single-industry towns with one or several large enterprises in one industry sector (i.e., towns that have retained their monoprofile); 2) single-industry towns that currently have several large or medium-sized enterprises in different economic sectors; 3) former single-industry towns with one or several town-forming enterprises that are currently liquidated. Based on the analysis of the financial performance of enterprises operating in small and medium-sized towns, we found that sanctions and the disruption of production chains with Western countries led to a marked decline in the profits of most of these organizations. The enterprises of the timber industry complex were particularly hard hit, as their activities were more export-oriented. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the development and approbation our own methodological approach to the implementation of the typology of towns classified as single-industry municipalities, based on the analysis of enterprises functioning in them.
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Small business is an important reserve for development of a one company town
Статья научная
The small business development acquires strategic importance for sustained social and economic development of regions, especially for one company towns located on their territories. The composition of problems occurred in one company towns, the factors that create difficult situations in their economic and social and cultural life are considered in the article. The possibilities of using small business for sustainable growth of a one company towns and improving the quality of life of their people in times of crisis and during the post-crisis development are substantiated.
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Small towns in the spatial structure of regional population distribution
Статья научная
The article discusses the role of small towns in the spatial structure of the regional population. The purpose for the study is to assess the irregularity of spatial distribution of urban population in the Sverdlovsk Oblast and substantiate the prospects for regional distribution system dynamics by using the methods of mathematical modeling. The author analyzes various domestic and foreign theoretical and methodological approaches to analyzing spatial disparities in deployment of economic potential and human capital throughout regions and countries. The author's approach is to apply the methodological tools of Zipf's law, which proved its effectiveness during the study of urban population dynamics in the works of both foreign and domestic scholars, to study trends and prospects for demographic development in the Sverdlovsk Oblast. The research has helped reveal actual and ideal Zipf's distribution for towns of the Sverdlovsk Oblast during 1989-2015. Based on the methodology the author calculates the values of optimal population in the towns of the Sverdlovsk Oblast in each period and concludes that over the past 25 years the deviation of actual distribution from Zipf's distribution has decreased...
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Socio-economic and environmental challenges of mining industry in the Komi Republic
Статья научная
Mineral resources of the Komi Republic and the trends and dynamics of their development determine to a great degree the level of the regions' economic development. The Republic has significant reserves of oil, gas, coal, aluminum, chromium, manganese, titanium, rare metals, gold, barite, fluorite, and quartz raw materials. However, the region's mining industry is still in the process of formation, this fact makes it possible to foresee and handle major social and environmental issues that accompany mining activities. The analysis of global trends in the implementation of mining projects substantiates the necessity to build a positive reputation of mining companies for ensuring stable production and for solving social and economic problems of territories. The paper also determines staffing requirements of prospective mining enterprises and possible social risks. The authors substantiate the necessity to redistribute taxes and payments in favor of the areas where mining companies operate, and they propose ways of attracting investment in mining projects on the stage of exploration with the help of a flexible fiscal policy...
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Статья научная
The article is devoted to the problem of interregional differences in the economic area of the Russian Federation. The research covers a long period (from 1990 to 2020), since this period saw significant changes in the economic, institutional and political structure of the country. The assessment of the level of differences of regions is based on the main socio-economic indicators, data on which are formed in the system of state regional statistics. The Theil index was used as the basic method for measuring inequality. This made it possible to assess the dynamics of the spatial localization of economic activity in terms of the main socio-economic indicators, as well as form the groundwork for continuing the research - assessing its intragroup and intergroup components in the sectoral aspect. For a structural analysis of the problem of regional differences, we propose our own algorithm that allows us to form a discrete variation series and calculate the integral decile coefficient. The numerical implementation of the proposed algorithm made it possible to compile a multidimensional classification of regions according to the level of their economic activity and calculate the decile coefficient on this basis; the decile coefficient integrates the totality of the main socio-economic indicators adopted for the research. The results of the research show the long-term dynamics of the growth of differences and its significant level in comparison with the pre-reform period. A numerical assessment of the measure of differences, measured using the integral decile coefficient for a set of basic economic indicators of the regions, has been compiled. On this basis, it was found that in the long term (1995-2020) the level of economic differences of the regions increased from 2.4 to 5.6 times. A classification of regions according to the level of economic activity has been compiled, which reflects the nature of the differences of the regions of the Russian Federation, as well as the geography of the location of centers of concentration of economic activity.
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