Approaches to Efficiency Assessing of Regional Knowledge-Intensive Services Sector Development Using Data Envelopment Analysis

The sector of knowledge-intensive services is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the present-day economy of knowledge, which explains the scientific interest in developing methods of its quantitative assessment. The object of the research is the development of new approaches to the mathematical modeling of the efficiency of the regional knowledge-intensive services sector, based on a distance function approach to assess productivity changes. An approach was proposed to analyze the efficiency of this sector using data envelopment analysis and Malmquist productivity index and its components. The article presents the results of the assessment of indicators characterizing the development of knowledge-intensive services in education, innovation, and ICT obtained from 80 Russian regions for the period 2010–2020. To perform the analysis, the following input variables were used: volume of investments in fixed assets in ICT; share of personnel employed in the ICT; share of internal expenditures on R&D in GRP; the number of personnel engaged in R&D; share of innovative-active organizations and registered patents; funding for higher education institutions; and the number of higher education institutions graduated. Output variables were number of used advanced production technologies in the region; share of innovative goods, works, and services in GRP, and use of the intellectual property. As a result of applying the data envelopment analysis, Malmquist productivity index and its components, data were obtained on the positive dynamics of the development of the knowledge-intensive services sector in Russian regions and conclusions were drawn about the sector’s growth sources due to economies of scale.

The role of municipalities in ensuring economic security of the Russian regions

The subject of this research is the state of economic security of municipalities and their role in ensuring economic security of the Russian regions. The object of this research is provision of economic security of the Russian regions. The article employs the methods of qualitative, quantitative and multi-criteria analysis for ranking regions and municipalities, as well as the methods of systematization and generalization. The author substantiates the relevance of ensuring economic security on the regional and municipal levels due to the fact that the crucial socioeconomic processes associated with economic activity of an the individual and phenomena determining the quality of life take place namely in the regions and municipalities. The main conclusion consists in determination and application of the most significant scientific approaches and methodologies, as well as best organizational practice of ensuring economic security of the municipalities, which allows detecting the threats and threshold values of the indicators of economic security indicators, and improving the quality of assessment of their level of economic security. This enables the mobilization of municipalities in the activity of ensuring their economic security and socioeconomic development. Experience has proven that the level of economic activity and quality of life is growing in the regions, where municipalities successfully solve the issues of their economic security. The scientific novelty of this study consists in revealing and analyzing the currently most important results in the sphere of economic security of the regions and municipalities, as well as in outlining the promising directions of research and their use in solution of the issues of economic security and socioeconomic development of the Russian regions and municipalities.

Development of higher education in Russian regions

Study was devoted to the assessment of indicators characterizing the number and structure of research and teaching staff at universities and other institutions of higher education in the regions of Russia. These indicators were the number of teachers working in higher education, per thousand residents and per hundred students, proportion of professors and associate professors in the whole number of teachers. Research used official statistical information for 82 regions of Russia. We used density functions of normal distribution as models. Study showed that on average, there was a little more than one teacher working in higher education organizations per thousand residents. It is proved that on average, every seventh teacher in all regions held the position of professor. Approximately two-thirds of all teachers held associate professor positions, there were five teachers per one hundred students.

Passion for Putin’s Palace: Political Protests in Modern Russia

In this article, the author analyzes the protest activity in Russia in January–February 2021. Protest activity came to Russia after A. Navalny’s investigation of V. Putin’s palace in Gelendzhik. Like the Belarusian protests in August 2021, the Russian protests were suppressed by the police. A feature of the Russian protests was their mass character. A large number of cities in almost all Russian regions were involved in the protest. Based on the data of secondary analysis, the author tries to give his own research of the Russian protest activity in January–February 2021. Protest activity in a number of Russian regions did not look accidental. One could observe protest activity in them before, but with a different agenda. The factor of unpopular government is of great importance in regional protests. The authorities no longer have the proper stock of legitimacy. This fully applies to the governors appointed by V. Putin, and, often, not directly related to the regions that have their own specificity. Case studies of protests in Russian regions show new trends. The protests are increasingly carnival-like. Power is ridiculed and discussed with irony. Familiar dialogue with the authorities is confirmed in various forms and languages of protest. From the author’s point of view, protest activity in Russia will increase by the fall of 2021. In September 2021, elections to the Russian Parliament are to be held. The author assumes that disappointment with the authorities in Russia will grow. The social base of new protests can be broader.

Revealing of the specificity of mortgage housing lending based on the results of clustering of regions

Subject. This article deals with the particularities of the development of housing mortgage lending in the regions of Russia. Objectives. The article aims to substantiate the need for clustering of territorial entities by level of development of mortgage housing lending in Russia and test the most effective algorithm for mortgage clustering of regions. Methods. For the study, we used a systems approach, including scientific abstraction, analysis and synthesis, and statistical methods of data analysis. The algorithm k-medoids – Partitioning Around Medoids (PAM) was also used. Results. Based on the results of the study of regional statistics of the Russian Federation, the article reveals a significant asymmetry in the values of key socioeconomic indices that determine the level and dynamics of housing mortgages in the regions. This necessitates the clustering of territorial entities according to the level of development of mortgage housing lending in the country. To take into account the impact of various local conditions in assessing the prospects for the development of regional housing mortgages, the article proposes an indicator, namely, the integral regional mortgage affordability index. On its basis, in accordance with the selected clustering procedure, the article identifies five mortgage clusters in Russia and identifies their representative regions. Conclusions. Based on the analysis of the specificity of the development of regional mortgages in the Tula Oblast, taking into account the implementation of the target State programme, the article concludes that it is necessary to improve the mechanisms for financing regional mortgage programmes and justifies the need to develop differentiated programmes for the development of housing mortgages in groups of Russian regions.

Changing national health values of Russians

The publication is aimed at studying the attitude of middle-aged and older Russians to physical culture and sports. The scope of the results embraces studying the dynamics of perception of physical culture and sports in the minds of middle-aged and older Russians. The research subject is studying the dynamic changes in the system of value consciousness of Russians. The method of obtaining empirical data includes focused online interviews, traditional analysis of documents, including legislative acts of the Russian Federation. Conducting focused online interviews with respondents from Nizhny Novgorod and Volgograd is due to the conditions of self-isolation of Russians during the study period. The result of the study is presented as a description of the specifics of the perception of physical culture and sports by middle-aged and older Russians. The scientific novelty of the publication lies in the author's understanding of the influence of self-isolation on changes in the values of Russians in the perception of physical culture and sports worthiness by middle-aged and older people in Russian regions. During the interviewing online focus groups, respondents' suggestions on how to encourage middle-aged and older Russians to engage in physical culture and sports were revealed.

Assessing the Innovative Solvency of Regional Exports in the Russian Federation

Aim. The presented study aims to develop a methodology for assessing the innovative solvency of exports from Russian regions and to identify the leading exporting regions in the development of the country’s innovative exports. Tasks. The authors clarify the definition of ‘innovative solvency of regional exports’; develop a methodology for assessing the innovative component of regional exports; test methodological recommendations for assessing the innovative solvency of exports through the example of industrial regions. Methods. The approach to determining the innovative solvency of regional exports is based on a matrix measurement method using two-component evaluation tools. This method also makes it possible to compare the level of the region’s existing foreign economic relations with the level of the regional production system when considering the latter as a resource and a prerequisite for further increasing the level of innovation in exports; to assess the degree of regional potential realization through a separate comparison of the indicators of commodity production and exports of goods and indicators reflecting the level of production technologies and their exports. Results. A typology of exporting regions is proposed based on the synthesis of two criteria: the level of development of the innovative component in the exports of the region and the level of development of advanced innovative technologies in the region. The study confirms the hypothesis about the heterogeneity of Russian regions in terms of the innovative component of their exports, which has a direct impact on the development of the corresponding regional development strategies. Of the 34 exporting regions analyzed, only 16 regions can be identified as exporters of innovative goods. Conclusions. The methodology proposed by the authors makes it possible to qualitatively assess the innovative component of regional exports based on quantitative data, which reveals the potential of the regional production system for innovative production, and to compare it with the existing and projected levels of innovative exports. The practical significance of this study consists in the formation of a list of regions leading in innovative exports, which can be useful for public authorities when adjusting programs aimed at stimulating innovation activity and forming an export-oriented national economy.

Scenario modelling of the impact of the dynamics of public debt on the gross regional product of Russian regions

The subject of this research is public debt and its impact on the dynamics of the gross regional product (GRP) of Russian regions. The aim of the paper is to study and scenario forecast the dynamics of changes in the internal public debt of Russian regions and model its impact on the gross regional product. The relevance of the study is due to the fact that most regions in Russia are forced to increase their internal public debt to cover the budget deficit and attract additional resources to solve important problems of socio-economic development and implement strategic projects and programs. The scientific novelty of the research consists in the development of a methodological approach to modelling and scenario forecasting of the level of GRP of different groups of regions, taking into account the dynamics of changes in their public debt using ARIMA modelling methods and panel regression analysis. The authors apply the methods of panel regression analysis and ARIMA modelling. The authors theoretically substantiated that public debt has a different effect on the GRP of Russian regions, grouped the regions according to the identified trends in the dynamics of public debt (the first group — regions with the dynamics of debt reduction over the period from 2005 to 2019, the second group — with the all-Russian trend of debt reduction since 2017, and the third group — with the dynamics of increasing debt over the period under review); developed a methodological approach to modelling and scenario forecasting of the GRP level of the Russian regions, taking into account the dynamics of changes in their public debt; carried out ARIMA forecasting of the dynamics of the public debt of different groups of regions and built regression models of the influence of the dynamics of the public debt on the GRP of Russian regions within the selected groups; formed forecast scenarios for changes of the GRP level of regions, taking into account the identified dynamics of transformation of their internal public debt. Conclusions: public debt has a negative impact on the dynamics of the GRP of Moscow and the Moscow region and a positive effect on the dynamics of the GRP of the regions of the second and third groups. The findings of the study may be used by the federal and regional executive authorities to find ways to reduce public debt and increase the level of socio-economic development of territories.

Town Regulation of Negative Consequences in Areas of Flooding and Partial Flooding

Постановка задачи. Градорегулирование в зонах затопления, подтопления является одной из самых актуальных проблем для российских регионов. Цель данной работы - дать понятие градостроительного регулирования в зонах затопления, подтопления, рассмотреть правовой режим этих зон, раскрыть существующие проблемы градорегулирования в зонах затопления, подтопления и дать предложения по их устранению, а также совершенствованию действующего законодательства. Результаты. Установлено, что градорегулирование является эффективным методом по предотвращению и устранению негативных последствий в зонах затопления, подтопления. Выявлен ряд проблем в градорегулировании, устранение которых позволит повысить эффективность предотвращения и устранения негативных последствий в зонах затопления, подтопления. Предложены пути решения обозначенных проблем градорегулирования. Выводы. Современные методы снижения ущерба от опасных гидрологических явлений, включая наводнения, требуют перехода от стратегии индивидуальной защиты объектов к комплексной системе мер, которая включает в себя прежде всего нормативно-правовое регулирование данного вопроса и ответственность за несоблюдение установленных норм и правил. Именно такой подход является необходимым элементом обеспечения стабильного экономического развития Российской Федерации, безопасности жизнедеятельности граждан и создания комфортных условий проживания. Statement of the problem. Urban regulation in areas of flooding is one of the most pressing problems for Russian regions. The purpose of this work is to give the concept of urban planning regulation in areas of flooding, flooding, to consider the legal regime of zones of flooding, flooding, to reveal the existing problems of urban regulation in areas of flooding and partial flooding, and to give guidelines for their elimination and improvement of the current legislation. Results. It is established that city regulation in areas of flooding and partial flooding is an effective method for preventing and eliminating negative consequences in areas of flooding and partial flooding. A number of problems has been identified in urban regulation in areas of flooding and partial flooding, the elimination of which will increase the effectiveness of prevention and elimination of negative consequences in areas of flooding and partial flooding. The ways of solving the indicated problems of urban regulation are set forth. Conclusions. Modern methods of reducing damage from hazardous hydrological phenomena, including floods, require a transition from a strategy of individual protection of facilities to a comprehensive system of measures, which includes, most importantly, a legal regulation of this issue and responsibility for non-compliance with established norms and rules. It is this approach that is a necessary element of ensuring the stable economic development of the Russian Federation, the safety of citizens' and the creation of comfortable living conditions.