Content №3 от 2019
Flow of Financial Resources between the Federal Budget and the Arctic Regions in Russia
The article analyzes financial flows emerging between the Russian Arctic regions and the federal budget. The Arctic regions in Russia are financially sound across the board and provide meaningful contributions to the federal budget. The regions in question are capable of independent development without permanent subsidies from the federal center, even considering environmental and local security expenditures.
Regulative Mechanisms of Evolution of Multiregional System in Russia
The article analyzes the features of the social and economic development in Russia and its regions between 2001 and 2018 in their effect on implementing strategic tasks formulated for the period up to 2024 in a major package consisting of the Laws of the Russian Federation, Presidential Decrees and Government Executive Orders on ensuring sustainable progressive socio-economic development of the country, adopted by the early 2019. We discuss a number of important policy documents, aimed at a qualitative change in the country’s economic situation: Comprehensive Implementation Plan for National Projects, designed in accordance with the 2018 May Decree of the President of the Russian Federation; Forecast of the Socio-Economic Development of the Russian Federation until 2024, prepared by the Russian Ministry of Economic Development; Spatial Development Strategy of the Russian Federation until 2025, approved by the Government Order.
The article substantiates a concept of constructing a genetic scenario for the development of a multi-regional system in the Russian Federation relying on a synthetic generation between the essential features of the project and evolutionary economics. We define a methodical scheme for organizing calculations under such a scenario based on a systematic compilation of best regional management practices.
We used calculations to check the design of a system that should consist of 32 Russian macro-regions selected according to similar development conditions and types. We compare it with the system of 12 macro-regions proposed in the Strategy for Spatial Development of the Russian Federation. We carried out calculations for the proposed system of macro-regions and analyzed both their results and some results of calculations for regions in the Siberian Federal District. In conclusion, we put forward some suggestions on how to improve the state regional socio-economic policy based on the experience of constructing genetic scenarios for the development of the regional system in the country.
A Model-Innovative Aspect in International Economic Regional Studies
The article describes the methodology and presents the results of a biblio- metric analysis of regional research from the EconLit electronic bibliography, which simultaneously address issues of modeling and innovation. We give reviews with estimates of publication activity and examples of individual works to the following models: spiral models (Etzkowitz, Leydesdorff etc.), territorial innovation models (basic «building blocks», a move towards better consideration of insti tutions influence, a trend of shifting to «territorial knowledge dynamics», approbation examples), models of regional economic growth (Sed- gley, Batabyal, Nijkamp, Varga, MASST3 and GMR models, etc.) along with city and town development models (shifting from macrostatics to microdynamics, a modification of the Gibrat’s model, etc.) centered around an innovative aspect, regional-innovative biological models and algorithms (based on the fruit fly and an ant colony). The article shows new ways of searching for regional-model innovative publications.
Digital Economy: New Opportunities and Threats for Regions
While the economy and business in developed countries began their digital transformation more than a decade ago, many of its manifestations have yet to be comprehended and conceptualized. Researchers claim numerous economic sectors are being disrupted, the nature of competition is shifting, the labor market is undergoing serious changes, new opportunities for entrepreneurship and personalfulfillment are emerging, and a young elite is bringing brand-new values to the world. However, from the methodology perspective, the studies exhibit various approaches and points of view towards digital transformation processes, although almost everyone agrees that the digital technology and related changes are driving the economic growth of businesses, regions, and countries alike. The article structures the key changes caused by digital technology development within the interests of major regional actors: business, citizens, and regional authorities. We show different ways to create new competitive advantages for the region, point out opportunities and threats that follow the process of digital transformation and are crucial for defining the drivers of economic growth.
The Effect of Regional Conditions on the Development of High-Tech Companies in Russia
The article analyzes regional factors affecting the development of high-tech business in Russia. This research is empirically based on the revenues of high-technology and knowledge-intensive industries from the SPARK (Russian acronym for the System of Professional Analysis of Markets and Companies), as well as the region’s economic development indicators published by Rosstat. Following the similarity analysis conducted for selected companies, its results show that Russian high-tech business is mainly represented by science-driven services and characterized by the lack of territorial uniformity. Significant territorial differentiation is illustrated with an index of regional high-tech business distribution comparing relative regional indicators with the national one. We evaluate the effect of regional conditions in view of five groups of factors which reflect the «regional profile», region’s labor capability, investment capability, and science and innovation capability, as well as characteristics of its digital infrastruc-ure. Using econometric methods, we demonstrate that the development of high-tech business in the region is positively influenced by such factors as the high share of manufacturing in the economy, the availability of human resources with secondary vocational education, computer coverage, the involvement of personnel in R&D, and technological innovation. Simulated results show that the characteristics of science and innovation capability have the most prominent impact on the high-tech industry.
Comparative Analysis of the Return on Human Capital in the European and Asian Regions of Russia
Human capital, on the one hand, contributes to the acceleration of the country’s economic development, its scientific and technological progress. On the other hand, the socio-economic characteristics of regions affect the level of return on human capital. The authors propose a hypothesis that the higher the volume of accumulated human capital in the region, the stronger its impact on the level ofpersonal income. This hypothesis determined the purpose of the study: to evaluate the relationship between the level of human capital accumulation, fixed (physical) capital and personal income in groups of Russian regions. As for methods, the authors use the cost-based approach combined with the method of calculating the replacement value of education assets for the Russian population employed in the economy. The results obtained confirmed that the increased spending on education in the long run is more profitable than raising investment in fixed assets, especially in regions with low economic development and specializing in agriculture. Following the calculations, the authors conclude that the human capital accumulated in the regional economy enables a rise in personal incomes more than physical capital.
Solidarization as a Social Phenomenon and a Social Process: Regional Context
The article demonstrates the feasibility of a methodology for studies of solidarization processes. It proves that the object of research should include the following four elements: identification, solidarization, consolidation, and integration. Each of these elements acts as a recordable phenomenon and a process, simultaneously. Being a process, each element develops independently and can serve as a foundation for another one; yet, it can remain in its initial state and not «outgrow» itself. We introduce new terms such as «positive solidarization» and «nonconstructive solidarization» and suggest the formula for related indicators.
Following the results of seven empirical studies, we verify the efficiency of the proposed methodology, which helps see the condition and progress of several regional communities. As empiric objects for the studies, we chose citizens of Novosibirsk and Krasnoyarsk, which manifested as an opportunity to compare solidarization processes in two equitable and often competing communities and draw inferences about the likely changes in the foreseeable future.
Social Entrepreneurship as a Subject of Social Services Within Innovative Development of the Russian Society (Case Study of the Republic of Karelia)
The article examines the essence of social entrepreneurship as a subject of social service. Based on the empirical research, we study the features of its development illustrated by practices in the Republic of Karelia and the city of Petrozavodsk. This paper puts forward a hypothesis that, during its development, social entrepreneurship inside the social service system faces certain barriers, both of administrative nature and presented as attitudes and beliefs among the population. In the research, we use general scientific methods of analysis, comparison, and generalization, as well as sociological methods: interviewing and expert surveys. Empirically, following the case study of Petrozavodsk, we identify the main factors hindering the development of social entrepreneurship: administrative and bureaucratic barriers; citizens’ low readiness to introduce innovations in the social sphere; absent basic competencies of the innovative economy.
The main conclusions are as follows. Social entrepreneurs work in isolation and are focused on mitigating acute social problems locally and eliminating the deficiency of certain social services. It is too early to talk about establishing competition in the social services market and fighting for their higher quality, much less about reducing the burden on state social institutions.
We propose practical recommendations to the regional authorities in the Republic of Karelia to support existing and emerging social entrepreneurs, including legal framework development; institutional, information, methodological, and organizational support for social entrepreneurs; integrated and interdepartmental approach to the development of social entrepreneurship.
Regional Distribution of Foreign Direct Investment in Russian Economy
The paper examines the investment aspects of the foreign economic activity of the Russian regions in order to identify changes in the regional distribution of foreign direct investment (FDI). A hypothesis that investment is becoming less concentrated in regions relies on favorable prerequisites manifested in the sectoral diversification of new projects, the growing interest of foreign investors towards Russian regions, and regional authorities ’ efforts to attract investment under difficult political and macroeconomic conditions. The study uses relative indicators illustrating FDI flows and stocks in the regions of Russia, taking into account the scale of their economies, as well as concentration indicators based on the Herfindahl-Hirschman index. We have examined the dynamics of the percentage ratio of FDI flows to gross regional product, calculated and analyzed the percentage ratio of FDI stocks to GRP, indicators of the concentration of FDI stocks and GRP.
Research results can be applied in regional economics and investment policy. The relative investment indicators confirm the thesis about the high concentration of regional FDI distribution and show a high dependency of Sakhalin, Vologda and Lipetsk Oblasts, where FDI stocks exceed GRP. In the long-term indicators, no significant changes have yet occurred. The Central and Far Eastern Federal Districts remain in the lead. Yet, the short-term indicators of the relative attractiveness of Russian regions for new projects point to a trend of diversifying the regional distribution of FDI: the Urals and Siberian Federal Districts are among the leaders. The trend revealed at the district level is exhibited at the disaggregated one: concentration in the distribution of FDI stocks between the federal subjects of Russia has an increasing tendency to drop.
Interregional Input-Output Optimization Model as a Tool for Evaluating the Efficiency of Large-Scale Railway Projects
The article describes a set of tools for an inter-regional input-output optimization model - rail transport (OMMM-RT) used for a macroeconomic evaluation of the consequences of large-scale railway projects (LRWP) and presents a functional diagram for the OMMM-RT informational program model package. We give a formal description of transport networks that makes it possible to model the amount of transport load as a sum of cargo and passenger turnover, which is a headline development indicator in the rail industry. We elaborate an idea to evaluate LRWP (at its front-end phase) from the perspective of a «multilayered» scenario approach where a large-scale project is viewed as an element within the rail industry development strategy while the rail industry itself is embedded in the system of contrasting scenarios for the national economy. For the models of such sort we propose an approximated algorithm aimed at computing investment dynamics in rail industry development, which helps not only track the effect of the LRWP understudy on the industry’s investment dynamics but also compare its investmentprograms (modeling objects in OMMM-RT) with development programs from other industries, converting load indicators into dynamics.
Choosing a Management Model for the Tolmachevo Aerotropolis Inter-Municipal Project
Zhdan G. V. gvzhdan@ieie.nsc.ru
Grigoriev V. A. koncept-proekt-gp@yandex.ru
Ivanova V. V. ivanovavasilina@mail.ru
Current Economic and Institutional Capabilities of PRC Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region with Regard to Interregional Cooperation
The current stage of Chinese-Russian relations, aimed at inclusive cooperation development, determines the relevance of studying the foundations of interregional cooperation in a single Central Asian transboundary area. The article is devoted to the development trends, status, capabilities, and features of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) in the context of China’s state plans for opening the economy and improving its western regions. We estimate the actual status of XUAR’s resources and foreign trade based on Chinese statistics and mainly Chinese research. The article demonstrates how highly efficient the state administration is in terms of carrying out plans for the economic and social growth in the XUAR during the course of national program implementation; moreover, it discusses the current issues and priorities for socio-economic development and interregional cooperation.
