The spatial diversity of socio-economic development in Ukraine

Abstract

Purpose: The processes of socio-economic development always take place in a specific space and are not uniform. The modern conditions of regional development vary a lot with regard to the socio-economic development of the particular territorial entities. This is also true for Ukraine, the subject of this study and a current candidate for the European Union. This paper will assess the diversity of socio-economic development of the Ukrainian regions in 2020 and rank these entities according to the level of their development. Methodology: Z. Hellwig’s method of development pattern, which helps to order the regions in terms of their development, is applied to the evaluation of socio-economic development of the Ukrainian entities. The indicators adopted are systematised by the following areas: Demographics and job market, Structure of regional economies, Innovation, research and development activities, Technical infrastructure, Social infrastructure, and Condition and protection of the natural environment. Findings: The analysis helps to identify the levels of socio-economic development of Ukrainian regions and the region groups of the highest, high, low, and very low standards of development. The results suggest a great diversity of socio-economic development of these regions. Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kharkiv experience the maximum, while Donetsk and Luhansk the minimum levels of development. Research limitations/implications: The data published by the State Statistics Service of Ukraine for 2020 are used, excluding those for the temporarily occupied area of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the city of Sevastopol, and parts of the temporarily occupied areas of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Further comparative research should estimate the effects of the changes on socio-economic development following the end of the Russian Federation’s aggression against Ukraine. Continuing studies may also identify factors with a decisive impact on the regions’ attribution to the particular groupings. Social implications: The evaluation of the regional development levels may provide foundations for some strategies of socio-economic development, an explication of causes of regional variations, and a determination of potential for and ways of levelling down the existing inequalities. The diversity of development of the individual Ukrainian regions is important to its status of a candidate to the EU, granted on 23 June 2022. In connection with a closer cooperation between Ukraine and the EU, the results can provide knowledge about where to channel the EU funding aimed at the socio-economic development of the particular regions. Originality/value: The determination of the diversity of socio-economic development and positioning of the Ukrainian regions in this respect. The study can also be seen as a contribution to the existing research and serve the purpose of comparative analysis. Keywords: region; regional development; regional diversity; socio-economic development of regions; Hellwig’s method. Category of the paper: research paper.