Content №4 от 2008
Assessing the multiplier effect obtained by regulating measures for regional food security
We applied a small modified simulating model to assess the multiplier effect obtained by regulating measures made at the regional level to provide food security. Our assessments are given in their dynamics up to 2010 within a case-study for the Altai area. The model calculations show that higher employment gives rise to higher incomes of the population and better economic availability of food. At that, the increase of regional fiscal expenditures would provoke a higher volume of available food 1.58 years later in average.
Interregional aspects of present development of the Russian economy
The paper presents the findings of investigation concerning retrospective tendencies of how a spatial structure of the Russian economy changed and how it will change in long-term perspective. We analyze the main factors which define the difference of the production and consumer indicators in regions, including the predominant ones such as sectoral specialization of regions, external-economic factors and structures of the added values obtained by different economic agents. We assess the regional tendencies of such changing structures, and show that a relatively instable character of these indicators has been caused by the quality of Russian statistics at present.
Indicative planning development models for resource regions
The paper is devoted to the methodological tools serving to model different variants of the regional socio-economic policy aimed at creating the necessary preconditions for sustainable development in regions. We offer an indicative planning model, apply it to a resource region, and describe mechanisms which allow of maintaining a sustainable development trajectory for the region having exhausted local natural resources.
Issues concerning a development strategy for the Siberian Federal District
The paper considers the alternative development strategies - inertial and innovative - for the Siberian Federal District. We assume that the SFD economy is adequately provided with labor resources. Both strategies are analyzed by taking into account a demographic factor and assuming that there is labor migration in the region. In our research, we applied a multi-industry optimization development model. The assessment of strategies was carried out on the base of a system of models aimed at researching and forecasting money flows.
New concept of regional policy in the Russian Federation
The paper considers the principle provisions of the Draft Concept of a new regional policy in the Russian Federation developed by the RF Ministry for Regional Development in the summer 2008. Our general conclusion is that the present document is much more advanced than the previous one based on substituting the principles providing equalization of the levels of the socio-economic development in regions for a “polarized development” policy which assumes the support to “regions-locomotives”.
Federalism and economic reforms in Russia
The paper analyses the issues of federalism in Russia such as the advantages and conditions for its successful adaptation, on the one hand, and on the other hand, the limitations which have been observed during the time of intensive economic reforms and the following period of stabilization and economic growth.
Russian middle class: dynamics and peculiarities of its reproduction
The paper analyses the population dynamics and peculiarities of reproduction of a middle class on the base of the data presented in the Russian Economic Climate and Public Health Monitoring. The Russian middle class includes 16-20% of all the population, and it is a rather stable fragment in a socio-economic structure of the population. In the 1990s, this class remained unworn by unfavorable socio-economic environment and had high indicators of its reproduction.
Factors affecting public health in Russian regions
The paper describes the findings of investigation concerning the differences between the population’s health indicators in the units of the Russian Federation. On the base of retrospective information and applying statistical methods, we attempted to find basic reasons of the health degradation in regions, and concluded that all reasons are interrelated, an ecological factor being dominating.
Analyzing push-pull migration in the Moscow region
We present the assessments of links between the indicators of push-pull labor migration in the Moscow area, per capita incomes and the remoteness of the regions from Moscow. We show the level, a spatial pattern of commuters working in Moscow, their shady incomes and a volume of such passenger traffic as well as the difference of the commuters’ incomes employed in Moscow and those employed outside.
Local community of an academic type: assessing its development
Within the framework of the case-study for Academgorodok, we consider the issues of how a local community of an academic type functions. Having analyzed the people’s opinion on the changing living environment and development prospects for Academgorodok, we could conclude that principle characteristics of this local community remained valid, and thus they had to be taken into account if some external intervention were to be made.
Technology Park: views as academic community see it
The paper analyses the public opinion on how Academgorodok near Novosibirsk might develop, and what role the Technology Park could play in promoting its development. We discuss the most urgent problems to be resolved for better development of Academgorodok; how informed the residents are about the community development projects and their opinion on these projects; and people’s expectations for the Technology Park Project, as well as their understandings of what should be done to promote the development of Academgorodok and to maintain its specialness.
Legal regulation of investment activity in the units of the Russian Federation
The paper considers what powers the regional legislative and executive authorities have to attract and to implement investment projects, and how the investment activity in regions may be regulated. We analyze the changes made in the federal and regional law concerning the improvements in attracting investments into regions; the investment dynamics in the regions of the Eastern Siberia Oil-and-gas Complex over 2000-2007, and the ways of how regions could participate in the implementation of such projects.
Analysis and assessment of regional innovation potential: methodical approaches
We analyze the innovation potential in Russian regions applying the comparative integral assessments calculated by a method of principal components. We show that only eleven Russian regions, where main Russian potential is concentrated, can fruitfully build and promote elements of “a new economy” based on the technologies of the sixth, fifth and advanced fourth generation. Thus, we state that a new public technological strategy aimed at the creation of an advanced national technological base is advisable, and such strategy should be declared as a national project of high priority.
Rehabilitation of socio-economic situation in regions: institutional capacities
The paper considers the methods and mechanisms for rehabilitation of the industrial regions, which had suffered structural transformations, and for building the institutional capacities and socio-economic conditions required to overcome consequences of such structural transformation.
Elaboration and implementation of complex programs for socio-economic development in municipal units: methodological approaches to cooperation of public authorities and business
We analyze the principle forms of how public authorities and business can coordinate their activity in shaping and implementing the complex socio-economic projects for municipal units. We formulated a number of basic approaches to such cooperation based on the principles of equal partnership and the balance of interests in decision-making that would promote higher quality of municipal projects and their economic and social efficiency.
Spatial policy of RF units: better using of competitive advantages of municipal units
The paper presents a case-study for the Novosibirsk Oblast devoted to the principles and approaches to the spatial policy carried out in the units of the Russian Federation, and the institutional capacities aimed at better using of competitive advantages of municipal units within the framework of such spatial polices. The spatial policy serves as an instrument to coordinate the interests of different municipal units such as towns, cities or districts. We also discuss the problems of coordinating the interests of Novosibirsk City and its suburban municipal units concerning the land usage and the spatial development.
Backbone elements of the transportation system in megapolis
Applying a semistructured alternative assessment technique, the paper studies the issue of how to define the consequence of the construction of bridge crossings in a megapolis according to their priorities of construction. The author analyzes the scenarios of growing traffic flows between the part of the city connected by bridges; potential concepts of a general megapolis plan, and how such plans can incorporate the planning bridge crossings.
A technique for calculation of cost of medical services paid by municipalities
The author presents a technique to assess the cost of medical services paid by municipalities of Sakha Republic (Yakutiya). The technique differs from others in the approaches to the calculation of the medical service costs paid by municipalities. The author defines the indicators of such costs by taking into account prices, people’s age composition, regional coefficients and others. Such indicators could be useful for the municipal fiscal planning purposes as well as for the medium-term planning of a regional mandatory medical insurance fund. Should the technique be applied, it will be possible to introduce a method of one-source financing as well as to ensure output-oriented budgeting.
Strategic importance of fresh water for regional development
The author analyses the hydroeconomic situation in the Russian regions, which is characterized by aggravating economic and ecologic problems in most parts of the country, and shows the high-priority measures required to improve water delivery. The author also discusses the problems of the interregional (trans-border) water use which affect, to varying degrees, the population and the economy of most regions, and also finds the reasons for why the problem of distribution and use of water flows of the trans-border rivers happened to be so tense.
Trade policy of diversified companies
The paper analyses the implementation of the diversification strategies applied by the enterprises of the cereal-processing industry in the Altai region, and shows how important the trade policy carried out by such enterprises is for increasing their stability and competitiveness in food markets. Having analyzed the operation of the cereal-processing industry in the Altai region, the author shows how the concentric diversification was realized by good trade policy and promotion of new products in markets.
Developing the Kazakhstan sector of the Caspian Sea shelf: unresolved problems
The paper analyses the Oil Governmental Program for the Caspian Sea Shelf being realized by the Kazakhstan Republic. The author shows what ecological and economic difficulties the oil producers face, and the ways of how to avoid them.
