The article forms a methodological approach to the development of conceptual foundations for strategic regulation of disparities in the social and economic development of regions. Based on the proof of a need to use the positive characteristics of disparities, the goals of their strategic regulation are determined. The article argues that through the regulation of disparities, it is possible to achieve both the maximum positive effect (in particular, change the redistribution of investment in favor of weaker regions) and the minimum negative effect (reduce the scale of disparities in social and economic indicators, decrease the cost of certain measures, which change the disparities’ indices). The key features for constructing the concept of disparities regulation are determined. The concept of strategic regulation of regional development disparities is formed, which is based on a gradual replacement of the paradigm of overcoming disparities by the paradigm of their effective use. A methodological synergetic activity approach for the development of conceptual bases for strategic regulation of disparities is proposed. It is based on a combination of the use of a synergetic approach to the assessment and systematization of disparities and streamlining the activities of institutions that shape the policy of disparities regulation. The activities of stakeholders in the strategic management of disparities create a synergistic effect to improve the quality of strategic management of disparities. The developed concept of strategic regulation of disparities in regional development is the basis for the formation of a coherent system of principles, methods, and functions for further quantitative measurement, evaluation, interpretation, and modeling the disparities in the social and economic development of regions and the elaboration of a practical mechanism for strategic regulation of regional disparities. The obtained results can be used by local authorities in developing the regional development strategies.
region, disparities in regional development, investment resources, local budget, regional development strategy, concept for regulating of disparities in regional development
After local elections were held in Ukraine in October 2020 based on the new territorial ground of communities and districts, all communities received equal competencies and basic opportunities to generate their capacity and development foundations (namely, the use of single terminology – rural, town, and municipal territorial communities). Nowadays, the authorities of territorial communities should continuously improve the management foundations and methods to create conditions for the dynamic development of the territory, since the competition among the territories is growing. The paper aims to examine and research the available approaches to marketing of territorial communities’ territories and develop recommendations on modeling the management of territorial communities based on territorial marketing as the most efficient way to manage communities to secure their competitiveness and sustainable development. The conditions to improve new approaches in the management of territorial communities, in particular based on the advantages of territorial marketing, strengthen the role of marketing tools in the development of communities, and improve their competitive ability and attractiveness were created in the context of finalization of the process of authorities and finance decentralization in Ukraine, local governance reform, and administrative-territorial reform. On this ground, the need to use the marketing approach to the development of territorial management foundations using the marketing complex (goods, prices, promotion, distribution) and supplementing it with the features of qualitative and quantitative characteristics peculiar to territorial communities in current conditions is emphasized. The conceptual scheme of managing the communities based on territorial marketing using well-known elements of complex management like analysis, planning, organization, motivation, and control is suggested and substantiated.
Ukraine`s regional policy is currently based on a desire for the long-term view and long-term planning for the development of territorial units, as well as the need to rationalize the use of resource potential and economic infrastructure on the local level. The tasks listed above are deemed necessary to improve the regions` and communities` competitiveness. The paper defines that the territory`s social and economic development continues to be closely connected with strategy, tactics, and implementation of public policy. Accordingly, amid the global economic and financial transformation the strategy and national regional policy need to be continuously improved. The article is devoted to the analysis of the modern trends and prospects for the development of Ukrainian territorial units in view of the current strategy and national regional policy, which are being implemented. Comparison, methods of abstraction, analysis and generalization, graphic and tabular modeling are the research methods used in the article. The paper determines that the prospects for the territory`s economy depend not only on strategy and national regional policy but also on long-term changes in social and economic development, rates of digitalization of Ukrainian economy, degree of innovations and technological effectiveness of domestic enterprises that cannot compete in the global market. A number of amendments to the local development decision were proposed by authors, namely utilizing the existing social and economic frameworks against the impact of the pandemic; promotion of effective demand, which in turn will help reduce local budgets deficits; improvement of taxation policies in order to balance income distribution and lessening the tax burden of the business; using an effective mechanism to allocate financial resources between territories, as well as local and national budgets; adopting an operational best practices in the fight against corruption on the local level, etc.
decentralization, regional development, amalgamated territorial community, state regional policy, 2021-2027 State Regional Development Strategy, competitiveness of the region
Different approaches to the interpretation of the definition of “globalization” and assessments of its impact on the endogenous development of the state and regions are considered. The paper argues that global trends have a decisive influence on the economy and the potential of endogenous development of the regions of Ukraine in view of: strengthened polycentricity of spatial development; expansion of protectionist tendencies and global asymmetry; reduced level of functionality of international institutions; the beginning of regionalization of virtual networks. Based on the analysis of domestic and foreign scientific literature and analytical materials, the main modern globalization challenges and trends are revealed - strengthening the interdependence of the world’s economies; strengthening economic protectionism; growth of external debts of the world; growing inequality in income distribution, widening the gap between rich and poor countries; urbanization, metropolization; political, ideological, and military challenges, etc. The main areas of influence of these megatrends in the context of endogenous development of the region are named - the resistance of the region’s economy to cyclical global fluctuations and risks; the region’s involvement in global value chains; intellectualization of labor, human potential, knowledge economy, and creative economy; cohesion of spatial socio-economic development; cybersecurity of the region’s economy; virtualization of socio-political relations; digitalization; migration and tourist flows, etc. The paper proves that the impact of current global challenges and trends on the endogenous development of the region is multidirectional. Thus, some trends may pose risks and threats to the endogenous development of the region (i.e. cause deterioration of its socio-economic status), and others - may still have positive or neutral results despite the creation of certain threats to the security of the region.
globalization, endogenous development of the region, global trends, global challenges, socio-economic development, international trade, financial globalization
When planning socio-economic development, the majority of European countries apply approaches set forth in the recommendations for choosing a smart specialization strategy. The methodology of smart specialization is a tool for finding the most competitive, unique sectors of a particular region of the country, the support of which may have a significant positive effect on meso- and macro levels. The article aims to analytically substantiate the criteria for choosing the priority spheres of the smart specialization of the Ukrainian economy on the example of Kharkiv region. This region demonstrates the highest increase in industrial potential and the highest level of innovation in Ukraine. According to the results of the authors’ studies, the trends of key indicators of socio-economic development are established. Among the types of economic activity in Kharkiv region, industry, agriculture, trade, and information and telecommunications are the most promising (from the position of smart specialization). The article empirically proves that the following are the main criteria for choosing directions of smart specialization (specific industries) in the industrial sector of the region’s economy: the innovativeness of products, the efficiency, the level of remuneration. In agriculture, effectiveness is the criterion for choosing smart specialization directions. Its level is reflected in productivity indicators and profitability of production. The choice of trade as a direction of smart specialization of the region is based on two criteria: the specialization in wholesale trade turnover of non-food products; the scale of the domestic component in wholesale trade turnover. The specialization of Kharkiv region in the most innovative segment of information and telecommunication programming, consulting, and related activities indicates the existence of a significant potential for the innovative development of this region.
The 2021-2027 State Regional Development Strategy considers, among others, mountain areas of the Ukrainian Carpathians as areas characterized by specific socio-economic development problems and requiring territorially directed support. The paper outlines the substantiated and suggested by the author methodological approaches to determining the types of problem mountain areas and tools of external support of their development. According to the provisions of the 2021-2027 State Regional Development Strategy, the list of mountain areas of region is outlined. A range of criteria (economic capacity, unemployment, dynamics of the population), indicators, and their parameters are suggested to group mountain areas by their socio-economic development levels. The economic capacity of mountain territorial communities of the Ukrainian Carpathians region is calculated. Three groups of communities are determined based on the calculations: I – reasonably developed communities with average and above-average socio-economic development level (community budget revenues level per capita not less than 90% of the average rate for Ukraine); II – problem communities with socio-economic development level below average (50-90%); III – crisis communities with limited economic capacities (less than half of the average rate in Ukraine). Economic tools of mountain policy are substantiated and offered by each of the allocated groups of areas. They include the strengthening of existing tools of horizontal budget alignment and fostering the participation of the State Regional Development Fund and international technical assistance tools, etc. in infrastructural development of the II group communities; introduction of the special investment activity regimen on the territories of the III group communities with the view to create new jobs for the residents of mountain areas.
mountain areas, competitiveness, development levels, grouping, support tools
The article is devoted to the study of such a modern marketing tool to increase the tourist attractiveness of the region as creating a brand. The views of prominent scientists, both in Ukraine and abroad, regarding the formation of theoretical and practical foundations of branding and marketing of territories are outlined. The article determines that the promotion of a tourist product in the domestic and world markets is not only due to favorable geographical location or natural conditions, but also due to the ability to position the product through the formation of a brand, which is why the formation of a positive image (brand) is one of the priorities set by governments, businesses, firms, and cities. The essence of the concepts “brand” and “identity” and their differences are characterized. The stages of brand formation in the region (SWOT-analysis of the region; study and fixation of its current state; search for conflict resolution; creation of an image (brand) of the region; development of action plan for regional brand formation; brand promotion; monitoring and evaluation of the brand) and the main components of its identity (company name; slogan; logo; color palette; font; carriers of brand identity) are outlined. The peculiarities of the development of the tourist brand identity and its key tasks are highlighted. The article emphasizes that each region seeks to take a unique position in the minds of potential tourists, investors, and people to develop competitive advantages that will enable it to be attractive to consumers for a long time. The development of the identity of the tourist brand on the example of Zaporizhzhia is analyzed, namely the history of creation, the concept of “7 by 7”, the city logo, tourist destinations and their logos, slogan, font, and more. Prospects for further research are identified, including the identification of promising areas for regional development of tourism and hospitality.
brand, identity, region, city, tourist attraction
The problem of delineation and identification of problem rural areas at the local level that needs special attention from the state is considered. The approaches to its settlement in the context of specifying the instruments of the state regional policy concerning the improvement of their social and economic condition are investigated. The paper reveals that the meaning of the terms “problem area”, “problem rural area” is not regulated by legislative acts of Ukraine, there are no criteria for identifying problem rural areas, assessing the state of their development, and classification by specific features. Given the limited information and statistical support for clear identification of signs of rural problems at the local level, the basis for their definition is adapted to the European methodology as small regions of NUTS-3 and analogs of local administrative units LAU. The selection of certain types of mainly rural areas is based on criteria of demographic and economic nature. A classification of mostly rural areas is developed. Problem (disadvantaged) mostly rural areas were identified based on compliance with the parameters of one of the four criteria: population density; changes in the existing population over the past three years; the changes in the number of legal entities over the past three years; the amount of tax revenues per person. According to the results of identification of types of mainly rural areas within 416 administrative districts without taking into account the Autonomous Republic of Crimea as of January 1, 2020: disadvantaged mostly rural areas were recorded at the level of 331 administrative districts; declining mostly rural areas were identified at the level of 96 administrative districts. Proposals for legislative support for the formation of tools for the development of problem areas of the state are developed.
problematic rural area, criteria for delineation of problematic rural areas, identification of types of mainly rural areas, tools for the development of problematic rural areas
Ensuring the food security of the world, as well as individual countries and regions, requires a significant increase in agricultural productivity. This cannot be achieved without the introduction of innovations, which, in turn, require appropriate investment. The introduction of innovations should be considered primarily as the implementation of innovative projects in agricultural enterprises and regional and national projects – at the meso and macro levels. The purpose of the article is to identify and analyze regional differences in the implementation of innovative projects by agricultural enterprises of Ukraine. The current state and problems of implementation of the most important investment-and-innovation projects in the enterprises of the agricultural sector of the regions of Ukraine are determined and analyzed; regional differences in the distribution of the number of investment-and-innovation projects are revealed. The most common areas of implementation of these investment-and-innovation projects are identified, leaders in attracting investment are specified among the regions that have implemented projects in the agro-industrial complex, including Vinnytsia, Odessa, Kherson, Cherkasy, and Sumy regions. The analysis of the areas of implementation shows that most of the projects for 2016–2019 were implemented in livestock, the second position was occupied by projects related to processing, storage of grain and oilseeds, and the third place – by projects in pig breeding. The rating of regions of Ukraine by the average cost of investment and innovation project in the agricultural sector is built. The growth in the number of projects and the volume of investments indicates an improvement in investment attractiveness and positive expectations of agricultural enterprises and hence an increase in investment opportunities for the implementation of innovative projects.
The paper examines the theoretical and practical aspects of managing the territorial communities’ assets. Legal foundations of exercising their powers by local authorities are determined. The approaches of various researchers are outlined, and the positions of leading organizations in terms of defining the nature of the assets management concept are presented. The paper argues that the main function of assets management consists in securing the flow of information and knowledge for the organizations to support the decision-making regarding the asset’s life cycle from planning to elimination. The objective and peculiarities of the assets management process are determined. The differences between assets management by governments and private organizations are outlined, and the fact that the most obvious difference between these two systems consists in the objective of assets management is proven. The author argues that despite the difference, the two systems are similar in the strive to achieve the organizations’ goals as efficiently as possible. The paper emphasizes that joint efforts of the state representatives (local governments), private sector (business), and non-governmental sector (non-commercial organizations, civil society) are necessary for efficient management of territorial communities’ assets. It proves that assets management is a key strategic responsibility of municipal managers because the assets’ condition and their location will determine the nature of services granted by a territorial community and opportunities for their development and relaunching. The author mentions that the complex process of assets management can be caused by many reasons but substantial ranging within various assets categories as well as their variety by the longevity should be emphasized the most. The six most essential factors of efficient management of territorial communities’ assets are outlined. The Canadian practice in the management of territorial communities’ is analyzed on the example of Fredericton in New Brunswick. The perspective positive effects from adopting the Law of Ukraine “On Public and Municipal Assets Rent” № 157-IX as of 3 October 2019 are examined.
Modern socio-economic transformations and the development of ideas of individual rights and needs universalization emphasize the urgency of overcoming the new forms of inequality and finding effective mechanisms for consolidation and integration of social systems to avoid negative social phenomena that threaten national security, preventing the exclusion of certain groups from public life, forming the stable social ties and interpersonal cooperation. The changes taking place in Ukraine today are marked by the ambivalence of their impact: on the one hand, there are positive changes towards the necessary reforms, on the other – the aggravation of social tensions due to instability, bottlenecks, or imperfections of the reform process itself, increasing income gaps and limiting the access of large sections of the population to resources, etc. Despite the significant number of scientific papers on the phenomenon of social exclusion, the issue of substantiation of the forms and features of social exclusion, as well as the dynamics of its spread in Ukrainian society, remains insufficiently elaborated. The purpose of this article is to assess social exclusion in Ukraine in the context of studying its impact on the development of the human potential of the state and its regions. In the context of the study, the reasons underlying the formation of the phenomenon of social exclusion in Ukraine in the early stages of statehood are substantiated, the problems that determine its spread in modern Ukrainian society, and the consequences of the impact on society are highlighted. Particular attention is paid to the impact of the phenomenon on the development of the human potential of Ukraine and its regions. The reasons underlying the formation of the phenomenon of social exclusion in Ukraine in the early stages of state formation are substantiated, the problems that determine its spread in modern Ukrainian society and the consequences of the impact on the human potential of the state and its regions are highlighted.
social exclusion, human potential, labor potential, human capital, socio-economic development, labor market
The analysis of economic regulation of environmental safety of water use in Ukraine is carried out at different administrative levels: national, regional, local. It shows significant disparities in the receipt of rents for special water use and environmental tax for discharges of pollutants into water bodies to the budgets of different levels, as well as extremely low shares of rent payments and environmental tax in the structure of revenues of the Consolidated Budget and local budgets, in particular. In the structure of rent payments, the rent for special water use is insignificant (2.6 - 5.1%), and in the structure of revenues of the Consolidated Budget of Ukraine it is lower - 0.1-0.3%. In the structure of revenues of the Consolidated Budget of Ukraine, the share of the environmental tax is insignificant and fluctuates within half a percent. The environmental tax for discharges of pollutants directly into water bodies in the structure of the environmental tax does not exceed 3%, and its environmental and fiscal roles are negligible. The main directions of strengthening the role of economic regulation in ensuring the environmental safety of water use are identified: increasing the resource-saving role of rent payments; strengthening the differentiation of standards for water fees and environmental tax; economic incentives for water users (tax, credit, and other benefits) in case of introduction of low-waste, waste-free, and resource-saving technologies, implementation of measures that reduce the negative impact on water bodies; partnership cooperation of communities and municipalities with business entities engaged in water use. The paper suggests the mechanisms for strengthening the role of economic regulation of environmental safety of water use in the context of decentralization of power, in particular, through the expansion of powers of local governments in the formation and implementation of rental, tax, and investment policies in the field of water use.
The scientific article examines the essential characteristics of the definition of “children’s tourism”. The evolutionary formation of the domestic market of children’s tourism as one of the most progressive types of tourist activity is considered. The development of children’s tourism in Ukraine today is especially relevant, because this type of tourism has a patriotic and educational value, allows not only examining their country and the world at a young age but also realizing the constitutional right of every child to rest. Huge opportunities for children’s tourism are determined by the fact that it organically combines various types of leisure with various forms of educational activities, solves the problem of children’s employment, supports and develops creativity, creates conditions for forming adequate ideas about the world, and provides mastery of project activities. The state, tendencies, problems, and prospects of development of the market of children’s tourist services in Ukraine are covered. Analysis of the current market situation shows that there are certain problems in the process of its organization: limited range of tourism products, insufficient infrastructure development, inaccessibility of children’s tours for a large part of the population, the inability of tourism entities to ensure safety, low qualification of specialists working with children, etc. Special attention is paid to attracting investment resources, reforming the regulatory framework, training and retraining, improving the transport infrastructure of the country, improving recreation, reducing child injuries, expanding the range of proposals from tourism organizations, etc. The key indicators of children’s health and recreation in Ukraine are analyzed. The paper argues that the development of the analyzed market has been characterized by a negative trend at the state level in recent years. After studying the relevant sources and relying on previous research, the author’s options for improving children’s tourism among the population are proposed.
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UDC 338.2:332.1/332.14; JEL R12, R58, H10, H70