Life expectancy of population of the northern regions in the Russian Federation: Tendencies and potential for growth

The article is devoted to the tendencies in life expectancy of population of the northern regions of Russia in the context of growth and regional convergence indicator in the early 2000s and possibilities for its further growth. The sources of information are the official Rosstat data. Life expectancy in the North has been found to be largely subordinate to the Russian-wide patterns of the regional convergence: the compaction of the northern constituent entities to the national average level occurred at both the top and bottom levels. Both the Khanty-Mansiysk and Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Districts experienced a significant decline, as did the gap in most regions with life expectancy below that of the Russian Federation. Only Kamchatka Krai and Magadan Oblast increased the lag, while maintaining group affiliation in the regional grouping in terms of life expectancy. The potential for the further growth in life expectancy in the North is being determined by the insufficient reduction in mortality caused by the circulatory system diseases and increase in the neoplasm mortality within the period of 2003–2019, and environmental and behavioral risk factors reflected in the differences in life expectancy in different settlements, its gender differentiation and the high level of mortality from external causes. The large difference in life expectancy between urban and rural areas makes the large potential in the northern regions except Murmansk Oblast and partly the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). Almost all northern constituent entities have a significant potential posed by the male under-representation indicator. Despite a significant rate of decline, external causes of death and their share in cause-related mortality are widespread in the North. With the exception of the Chukotka Autonomous District, within recent years, infant mortality rate in the North has been fairly good — it can no longer be considered as a potential for the life expectancy growth of population.

The value of entrepreneurship by gender on regional behaviour

This paper examines how the value of entrepreneurship by gender is related to regional behaviour. Researchers have traditionally defined entrepreneurial organization as separate to gender and to economic growth. Using the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) we complete a dataset of 50 countries using variables such as total early-stage entrepreneurial activity (TEA) and opportunity-driven entrepreneurial activity (OPP). The methodology used proposes an analysis of regional convergence, comparing the evolution over time of both the rate of entrepreneurial activity and the ratios of opportunity-driven and need-driven entrepreneurial activity, distinguishing by gender. On the other hand, a regression model is proposed that explains the greater presence of female entrepreneurship. The results show that entrepreneurship by gender is an important factor to define different cluster of countries according to how men and women entrepreneurs create new economic opportunities.

Consequences of Covid-19 for Kosovo’s Implementation to V4+

The article aims to provide a micro- and macro-level of a problem definition focused on Coronavirus crisis impacts on the tourism industry in the V4 countries and the eventual Kosovo integration into the V4 as a part of the Western Balkan 6 (WB6) and Eastern Partnership (EaP) enlargement V4+. The analysis of the primary data and the search for results are based on the Delphi method providing a better explanation of economic, social and market integration processes which fully exploit the opportunities of the content analysis provided by the quantitative and qualitative secondary data. The article offers key guiding criteria for deepening the economic integration into the V4 Group, emphasizing key aspects such as the economic and regional convergence, and the incorporation of diverse social strata into the economic growth process. The article highlights the benefits derived from the full membership of the actual V4 Group in the European Community as well as identifies its powerful strength and stable frame for promoting growth and prosperity. The critical view of the political and economic integration process emphasizes the risks derived from the deepness of divergence across countries and regions.

The migration ban policy cycle: a comparative analysis of restrictions on the emigration of women domestic workers

Policies banning women domestic workers from migrating overseas have long been imposed by labour-sending states in the Indo-Pacific region. This article presents the complexities surrounding such bans by developing an overarching model of a migration ban policy cycle, which provides a theoretical framework for understanding the circumstances under which migration bans arise and play out. It examines the history of migration bans for four prominent labour-sending states – Indonesia, Nepal, the Philippines and Sri Lanka - to assess the causes, outcomes and extent of regional convergence of these policies. In doing so, we uncover two prominent policy narratives. The first involves labour diplomacy, where countries employ bans to negotiate superior working conditions and rights for migrant workers. The second concerns paternalist states as ‘protector’, where states are primarily motivated to reaffirm traditional gender norms. We conclude that migration bans have been most effective, both in curbing departures and achieving desired outcomes, when they are primarily motivated by labour issues and not gender politics. Nevertheless, even when used as a form of diplomatic negotiation, migration bans heighten the vulnerability of domestic workers to exploitation by pushing them into irregular pathways fraught with risk.

BUDGETARY EXPENDITURE: PROBLEMS OF INHOMOGENEITY IN THE REGIONS OF RUSSIA

The state, as a system, presupposes the homogeneity of the economic space, which also applies to budget expenditures per capita in each region. Russia is distinguished by extremely uneven size of the regional budget, which, according to the authors, poses a threat to the integrity of the economic space and hinders economic growth in general. The aim of the study is to show the heterogeneity of Russian regions in terms of the level of budget expenditures per capita. The work investigated the ongoing processes of convergence and divergence in terms of the level of regional budgetary expenditures. Standard deviation and coefficient of variation were used as a tool to measure the level of convergence. In the course of the study, distinct convergence processes were identified until 2013, and then the termination of these processes. The processes of regional convergence require more active government action in the redistribution of budgetary funds, which was possible before the onset of the financial crisis and general stagnation processes that have been observed in the economy after 2012. The task of the state at this stage is to overcome regional differences in the provision of the basic needs of the inhabitants of the regions (education, medicine, housing conditions).

Spatial structure in migration routes maintained despite regional convergence among eastern populations of Swainson’s Thrushes

Background Migratory connectivity links the different populations across the full cycle and across the species range and may lead to differences in survival among populations. Studies on spatial and temporal migratory connectivity along migration routes are rare, especially for small migratory animals. Methods We used an automated radio-telemetry array to assess migratory connectivity en route and between early and later stages of the fall migration of the eastern populations of Swainson’s Thrush, and to assess the variation of migration pace between consecutive detection from the different receiving stations along the migratory journey. We tracked 241 individuals from across eastern Canada to determine if populations were mixing around the Gulf of Mexico. We also tested the influence of tagging longitude, latitude and age on migration pace. Results Migration routes varied and converged towards the northeast coast of the Gulf of Mexico, but in this region, populations maintained finer-scale spatial structure. Migration pace increased as birds progressed south, independent of age and tagging site. Conclusions We showed that for songbirds, migratory connectivity can be maintained at fine spatial scales despite the regional convergence of populations, highlighting the importance of detailed spatial tracking for identification of population specific migration routes. Overall, our study provides a portrait of migratory movements of eastern Swainson’s Thrush and a framework for understanding spatial structure in migration routes for other species.

Parallel regional convergence in Poland before and after EU accession

The purpose of the study is to analyze the dynamics of regional disparities on NUTS 2 level in Poland for the period 1990–2017 within the framework of sigma convergence. We focus in particular on comparing the patterns of regional convergence before and after EU accession, introducing the methodology of parallel sigma convergence. The results show that the Mazowieckie voivodeship grew much above the average in both the pre- and post-accession periods, while eastern regions lagged behind. EU accession did not have a significant impact on the pattern of internal sigma convergence in Poland. Disparities between regions were increasing at the same pace before and after 2004, despite significant resources having been allocated to cohesion-focused undertakings after EU accession, especially in lagging eastern regions.