High Level Of Socio-economic Development Research Articles

УЧЕТ ПРИГРАНИЧНОГО ПОТЕНЦИАЛА В СТРАТЕГИЯХ СОЦИАЛЬНО-ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКОГО РАЗВИТИЯ МУНИЦИПАЛИТЕТОВ ЗАУРАЛЬЯ

The article is devoted to the problems of the development of border areas of the Russian Federation. The aim of the study is to identify patterns between the level of development of border areas and the elaboration of the current strategy of the socioeconomic development of a municipal formation. The current state of the border of the Trans-Urals is analysed. An inverse proportion between the level of the socioeconomic development of the municipal formation and the length of the state border is revealed. The main areas of cooperation between the Kurgan region and the Republic of Kazakhstan are described. The use of the potential of the territory as a structural unit of the border space is assessed qualitatively. The article concludes that the borderline factor has a negative effect on the quality of life in the region in modern conditions, and therefore the main adaptation mechanism of the population is migration to municipal formations with a higher level of socioeconomic development. The results of the study can be used in developing the socioeconomic development strategy of the border municipal formations.

Spatial peculiarities of social networking services distribution in Rivnenska oblast

Social networking services are a modern phenomenon in the field of human relations. As differentiated from western science, the issue of SNS spatial distribution is not a matter of high concern in Ukrainian researchers because of a number of objective and subjective reasons. The main task of the research is to analyze the spatial distribution of the amount of users and the penetration level of social networking services such as Facebook and Instagram in administrative districts and cities of region subordination belonging to Rivnenska oblast. Facebook is the most popular social networking service in Rivnenska oblast. There is a trend towards concentration of users' accounts in big cities: Rivne City, Dubno City, Varash City. More than 70% of users of the oblast live in the cities of oblast subordination and 58.4% of accounts are concentrated in Rivne City which is also the regional center. T. Hägerstrand's Spatial Innovation Diffusion Theory has been proved – the largest cities of the oblast are regional innovation centers. Densely populated Sarnenskyi, Bereznivskyi, and Kostopilskyi districts are distinguished among the districts. Facebook is the least used in Dubenskyi, Rivnenskуі, Ostrozkyi, Zarichnenskyi, Demydivskyi, Hoshchanskyi districts. The penetration rate of the social networking service Facebook in the oblast is 32.7% (in Ukraine – 31.0%). The highest level is in cities of oblast subordination. Rivne City and Dubno City are particularly distinguished. High levels of penetration are achieved due to the high development of technical infrastructure, through the companies' and shops' accounts, as well as accounts of residents from surrounding villages. The relatively low penetration rate in Varash City, the second largest city of Rivne oblast due to population, can be explained by the weaker connections with the surrounding area. In administrative districts, the penetration rate is much lower. A relatively high percentage of users are in Radyvylivskyi, Bereznivskyi, Kostopilskyi districts. These districts are characterized by a high level of socio-economic development and convenient socio-geographical location. The lowest level of penetration of the social networking service is in Demydivskyi, Zarichnenskyi, Hoshchanskyi districts. These are little developed and depressed territories within the oblast. The second most popular social networking service in Rivnenska oblast is Instagram (26.3% penetration rate). In terms of development, it is inferior to Facebook, and its main users are mostly young people. In the spatial distribution of Instagram users, we can trace the same trends as the Facebook. In general, the distribution of social networking services such as Facebook and Instagram in Rivnenska oblast corresponds to a hierarchical model of spatial diffusion. There is a trend towards concentration of users in big cities.

The innovative activity in depressed regions of the Russian Federation

Intensification of the innovative activity of regions in modern conditions is a strategic factor in the growth of their economies. Practice shows that those regions in the economy of which the change of traditional technologies to innovative ones took place timely demonstrated a high level of socio-economic development. In this connection, the innovative activity acquires special relevance in depressed regions, where the dynamics of indicators of socio-economic development is significantly lower than the average in the country. The lack of analytical information on the state, general trends and features of the development of the innovative activity in such problematic regions makes it necessary to conduct such studies, which made the authors choose the topic of the article. The purpose of this article is to identify trends and characteristics of the development of the innovative activity in the depressed regions of the Russian Federation. The informational basis of the analysis was statistical data from open sources on the results of the innovative activity of the regions of the Russian Federation that are classified as depressed [17]: the Volgograd Region; the Ivanovo region; the Kirov region; the Ulyanovsk region; the Kurgan region; the Oryol Region; the Smolensk region; the Pskov region; the Chuvash Republic; the Altai Territory. The study is based on the complex and systematic approaches with the use of economic-statistical, logical and expert analysis methods. As a result, the authors concluded about the insufficient level, differentiated nature of the dynamics, and significant interregional differences in the values of the indicators of the development of the innovative activity in the studied regions. The results of the study can be used by authorities when choosing the innovative strategy and methods of state support for innovative activities in depressed regions in order to transfer their economies from the current state.

ПРОБЛЕМЫ ПОВЫШЕНИЯ КОНКУРЕНТНЫХ ПРЕИМУЩЕСТВ РЕГИОНАЛЬНЫХ ПРОСТРАНСТВЕННООТРАСЛЕВЫХ СТРУКТУР

The article considers the problems of increasing competitive advantages of regional spatial sectoral structures. In the context of deepening and expanding market principles of management in the Russian economy, regions themselves can effectively use and increase their existing competitive potential. But even a significant competitive potential in itself cannot provide a high level of socioeconomic development of spatial sectoral structure of a region. In the process of using and increasing competitive advantages of a region, a number of problems inevitably arise that hinder or impede the growth of its competitive advantages. Based on this, a conceptual approach to the classification, grouping and localization of such problems in the main areas identified by the authors is proposed. To identify and specify the problems that impede the increase in competitive advantages of regional spatial sectoral structures, a logical block diagram is developed based on a systematic and integrated scientific approach, modeled from a sequentially executed technological chain of organizational and economic units. The basic organizational and economic blocks provide, on the basis of a rating estimate, a list of problems, including the most significant for their priority overcoming through the implementation mechanism of the “Strategic Program for Increasing Regional Competitive Advantages”. A methodological toolkit of procedures for organizational and economic blocks of a logical flowchart to identify problems that impede the growth of a region’s competitive advantages is presented. Competitive advantages and problems of their growth are considered on the Perm Territory example. This problem is complex, multidimensional and requires the search for new approaches to its solution, which opens up wide opportunities for new interdisciplinary research.

A review of virtual reality videogames for job-training applications

Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are considered as crucial elements in educational processes, as they constitute relevant and necessary tools in the search for higher levels of socioeconomic development. In this context, ICTs have raised the challenge of finding pedagogical models that maximize their impact on teachers and students. The Business Services and Management Center of the SENA Regional Antioquia has a wide range of technical training programs, for a rapid immersion into the labor market, which implies the use of training technologies to ease the understanding of theoretical concepts and the practice of technical procedures. In addition, these programs require the development of skills allowing their students to perform correctly in the workplace. Considering the above, videogames arise as an alternative tool for training operations. This article presents a review of training tools based on virtual reality, focusing mainly on the design of the game elements and their dynamics, which can contribute to magnify user experiences. Moreover, we present some projects showing success stories in the learning process and discussing the impact of the elements and game mechanics.

The Impact of Congestion on the Costs of Public Transport in Starogard Gdański

Congestion in the urban transport network is common not only in large agglomerations, but also in medium-sized cities in all countries that are characterized by a high level of socio-economic development. Traffic congestion has negative impact on economic, social, and environment development. The costs of congestion are borne by all users of the transport system, both drivers, passengers, entities providing transport services, as well as enterprises using freight transport services.
 The purpose of the article is to discuss the results of the study on the impact of congestion on the costs of public transport in a medium-sized city. The research method consisted in the analysis of vehicle road cards, fuel consumption statements for buses belonging to the Municipal Transport Company in Starogard Gdański and the examination of real bus travel times and the scale of delays caused by congestion on individual lines.
 The analysis of the data shows that thecompany bears much higher costs of fuel consumption, and passengers are exposed to bus arrivals and departures inconsistently with the timetable, prompting them to opt out of public transport services. This results in lower revenues from ticket sales and deterioration of the company’s financial result.

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STATUS OF EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES

The purpose of this paper is to compare the social and economic development statuses of European Union countries in 2005 and 2016. The study relied on bilinear ordering with the use of positional TOPSIS (Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution) approach. By applying these methods, it was possible to determine the development levels in social and economic fields, and in socio-economic development levels (six levels: from very low to very high). Furthermore, four main types of development status were identified: socially and economically beneficial; economically beneficial; socially beneficial; and socially and economically less beneficial. Central and Eastern European countries (including Poland in particular) witnessed a clear improvement in their development statuses in 2016 compared to 2005. In turn, countries experiencing clear deterioration primarily include Greece. In both years under consideration, Denmark and Luxembourg were the only countries to maintain a very high level of socio-economic development accompanied by a socially and economically beneficial development status. Eurostat data provided the empirical basis for this study.

Are U.S. trends a barometer of future cancer transitions in emerging economies?

The currently high cancer incidence rates in the U.S. and other high-income countries have been strongly affected by the acquisition of environmental and lifestyle risk factors that accompanied socioeconomic growth in the second half of the last century. The very same factors are now operating in many low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) undergoing rapid socioeconomic transition. A parallel is drawn between the past cancer trends in the U.S. and those anticipated in LMIC transitioning towards higher levels of socioeconomic development. We expect to see a major upsurge in the (still low to intermediate) cancer incidence and mortality rates in LMIC over the next decades, which coupled with population aging and growth, would translate to a scale of individuals diagnosed with, living and dying from cancer unparalleled in history. On account of resource constraints and organizational limitations, prevention strategies need to be prioritized in LMIC.

The Role of Large Dams in Promoting Economic Development under the Pressure of Population Growth

The close relationship between large dams and social development (i.e., water, food, and energy consumption) has been revealed in previous studies, and the vital role of large dams in sustaining societies has been recognized. With population projections indicating continued growth during this century, it is expected that further economic development of society, e.g., Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth, will be greatly affected by possible challenges, such as water, food, and energy shortages in the future, especially if proper planning, development, and management strategies are not adopted. In our previous study, we have argued that construction of additional large dams will be considered as one of the best available options to meet future increases in water, food, and energy demands, which are all crucial to sustain economic development. In the present study, firstly, we will emphasize the vital role of dams in promoting economic growth through analyzing the relationship between large dam development and GDP growth at both global and national scales. Secondly, based on the projection results of future large dam development, we will preliminarily predict the future economic development represented by GDP. The results show that the impacts of large dams upon GDP are more significant in countries with higher levels of socioeconomic development, which generally supports large dams as the vital factor to promote economic development.

Gravitational Interaction between the Center and the Periphery in an Agro-Industrial Region: Diagnostics of Spatial and Economic Drift of Territories

Introduction. The study is of relevance due to the need to expand the theoretical developments in the field of spatial economics within the regional system in order to form adequate and flexible measures to stimulate and support the subjects of the intraregional environment. With regard to the state authorities’ growing interest in the tendencies of spatial development of territories, a careful analysis of the full diversity of processes and connections that take place within individual regions is necessary. The purpose of the study is to identify and analyze these processes. Materials and Methods. The information and empirical base of the study included statistical data presented on the official website of the regional Department of Statistics in the Stavropol Territory and its municipal units. Fundamental methods of scientific knowledge were employed, the gravitational model was applied, and the tools of correlation and regression analysis were used to test hypotheses and calculated conclusions. Results. For the first time, analytical data were obtained on the level, strength and direction of the spatial gravitation between the center and the peripheral territories in an agro-industrial region – the Stavropol Territory. The gravitational model adapted for studying the spatial processes of interaction of the ‘center–periphery’ system was for the first time tested in the conditions of an agro-industrial region. On the basis of the theory of gravitational environments, conclusions were drawn about the presence of specific processes in the region in the form of establishment of ‘the second-order’ gravitation centers, which are ‘beacons’ for the periphery due to a higher level of socio-economic development and general territorial remoteness from the main regional center. Discussion and Conclusion. The implementation of the presented diagnostic approach made it possible to put forward a number of hypotheses about the presence and specificity of the spatial connections between the objects of the regional ‘center–periphery’ system. The force of gravitation, the direction and type of the spatial drift can have a direct impact on the level of socio-economic development of the periphery. The specified factors affect the overall ‘survival’ potential of the peripheral territories. The results of the study are of practical importance and can be used as the empirical justification for program projects aimed at stimulating development of regions.

CHANGES IN RURAL POVERTY AFTER POLAND’S ACCESSION TO THE EUROPEAN UNION

The purpose of this paper is to assess changes in the risk of poverty in European Union Member States and the extent of poverty in rural areas and farming households after Poland’s accession to the EU. The above aspect was consid- ered against the background of urban residents and other so- cioeconomic groups of households. The study was based on EU-SILC, Eurostat and CSO data. For a comparative assess- ment across EU countries, the poverty and/or social exclusion risk index was used. For a comparative assessment of rural and urban areas, the following basic poverty thresholds (as es- timated by the Central Statistical Office), were used: extreme poverty (subsistence minimum), relative poverty and statutory poverty. Despite the high level of socioeconomic development in the European Union, the risk of poverty or social exclusion is widespread and varies strongly across countries, regions and social groups. In Poland, rural areas are more affected by poverty than urban areas, mainly because rural households have lower incomes than urban households. The risk of pov- erty in the EU has declined. After the accession to the EU, Poland has experienced a decrease in the extent of poverty. This positive change was the combined result of many factors, mainly including an increase in incomes of the farming and rural population. In Poland, income disparities between rural and urban residents and between farm and landless families have decreased. Reducing poverty and social exclusion is one of the most important goals of the EU social policy.

Estimation of Impact of Crime the Development on the Human Potential (the Case of Russia’s Regions)

On the basis of the modified HDI index proposed by the author, the influence of crime rate on the development of human capital in the regions of Russia is estimated. It is shown that the high level of socio-economic development in Russia's regions does not always positively affect the reduction of crime rates, since the high or low crime rate in Russia's regions may be associated with other factors: historical, cultural, etc. We believe that for each region it is necessary to develop its own socio-economic policy aimed at creating conditions for the development of basic socio-cultural attitudes for the harmonious development of society.

Resisting the extortion racket: an empirical analysis

While the contributions on the organized crime and Mafia environments are many, there is a lack of empirical evidence on the firm’s decision to resist to extortion. Our case study is based on Addiopizzo, an NGO that, from 2004, invites firms to refuse requests from the local Mafia and to join a public list of “non-payers”. The research is based on a dataset obtained linking the current administrative archives maintained by the chambers of commerce and the list updated by the NGO. The objective of this paper is twofold: first, to gather sound data on the characteristics of the Addiopizzo joiners; second to model the probability to join Addiopizzo by a two-level logistic regression model. We find that the resilience behavior is likely to be the result of both individual (firm) and environmental factors. In particular, we find that firm’s total assets, firm’s age and being in the construction sector are negatively correlated with the probability of joining AP, while a higher level of human capital embodied in the firm and a higher number of employees are positively correlated. Among the district-level variables, we find that the share of district’s population is negatively correlated with the probability to join, while a higher level of socio-economic development, including education levels, are positively correlated.

Spatially explicit assessment of heat health risk by using multi-sensor remote sensing images and socioeconomic data in Yangtze River Delta, China

BackgroundThe increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme heat events, which are potentially associated with climate change in the near future, highlights the importance of heat health risk assessment, a significant reference for heat-related death reduction and intervention. However, a spatiotemporal mismatch exists between gridded heat hazard and human exposure in risk assessment, which hinders the identification of high-risk areas at finer scales.MethodsA human settlement index integrated by nighttime light images, enhanced vegetation index, and digital elevation model data was utilized to assess the human exposure at high spatial resolution. Heat hazard and vulnerability index were generated by land surface temperature and demographic and socioeconomic census data, respectively. Spatially explicit assessment of heat health risk and its driving factors was conducted in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), east China at 250 m pixel level.ResultsHigh-risk areas were mainly distributed in the urbanized areas of YRD, which were mostly driven by high human exposure and heat hazard index. In some less-urbanized cities and suburban and rural areas of mega-cities, the heat health risks are in second priority. The risks in some less-developed areas were high despite the low human exposure index because of high heat hazard and vulnerability index.ConclusionsThis study illustrated a methodology for identifying high-risk areas by combining freely available multi-source data. Highly urbanized areas were considered hotspots of high heat health risks, which were largely driven by the increasing urban heat island effects and population density in urban areas. Repercussions of overheating were weakened due to the low social vulnerability in some central areas benefitting from the low proportion of sensitive population or the high level of socioeconomic development. By contrast, high social vulnerability intensifies heat health risks in some less-urbanized cities and suburban areas of mega-cities.

Second-hand smoke prevalence in 252 regions of South Korea in three exposure locations.

The association between regional contextual factors and second-hand smoke (SHS) prevalence is important, but is unclear. This study investigated the changes of SHS prevalence from 2011 to 2013 and explored the correlations of SHS prevalence and regional contextual factors by exposure location. The data were obtained from the 2011 and 2013 Korean Community Health Survey and the Development of Health Indicators for Community Health Ranking report. A t-test was used to examine and compare the SHS prevalence in 2011 and 2013 by exposure location (home, workplace, and public places). A correlation analysis and linear regression were used to investigate the impacts of the regional variables on SHS prevalence by location. The prevalence of SHS in all three locations had a decreased trend overall, but remained high in public locales. There were clear differences in the prevalence of SHS and its change by region between 2011 and 2013. The SHS prevalence in the workplace and public places had increased in the high social and economic characteristic regions, compared to the other regions in 2 years. The SHS had an increased trend in regions featuring a high level of socioeconomic development. It was observed that regional factors affecting SHS prevalence differed in the three locations. The differences and changes of regional SHS prevalence by location were influenced by specific social contextual factors of the particular region. Local government initiatives regarding special SHS protective measures or tailored regulations, according to specific regional status and location, are recommended, with attention to high socioeconomic regions in particular.

SOCIO-ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF UKRAINE:NEW CHALLENGES AND THREATS

Urgency of the research. The world global processes and the international integration of the national economy stimulate to the scientific consideration the socio-economic development of different countries, and in particular of Ukraine. Target setting. The modern information society dictates new challenges for each state. It obliges all countries to take care of the socio-economic development of a high level and to work constantly for its improving. Actual scientific researches and issues analysis. Such scholars as V. Bazylevych, M. Dolishny, V. Heiets, E. Libanova and others studied the peculiarities of socio-economic development of Ukraine. Uninvestigated parts of general matters defining. The main directions of economic policy with external and internal threats need to be adjusted. The research objective. The research of socio-economic development of Ukraine in modern conditions and the suggestion of basic ways to increase its level. The statement of basic materials. The article examines the current state of socio-economic development of Ukraine and defines the main factors of its providing. Conclusions. Natural resources potential and favorable geopolitical position provide a high level of socio-economic development of Ukraine. The correct state policy plays here a decisive role, which involves: carrying out of the systemic reforms (institutional and structural transformation); macroeconomic stabilization (fiscal, monetary, price policy, etc.); promotion of innovation and investment development; intro-duction of high social standards of living of the population; European integration and membership in the European Union.

Markedness of language signifiers as a gender sensitivity indicator

We are used to perceive the unmarked forms as primary and dominant ones due to their generality and bigger presence within a corpus. That is why we understand them as natural and neutral, while the marked forms are present within a concrete and specific meaning. The use of masculine gender as generic (unmarked) in names of professions is a realisation of dominant social attitudes during the past and of dominant values in a society. Social movements against the discrimination had the tendency of linguistic discrimination effacement as a direct result, especially in English. Related to that, the high number of neologism appears. They find their way to the broader public through the media, while the public is the one who choose whether to accept or reject them. Reasons for this can be intralingual and extra lingual. We can assume that the societies with higher level of socio-economic development will be more sensitive with regard to political correctness in language and that they willrecord a bigger number of specific, marked terms. Although the use of each of them can be accepted by broader public, their use do not necessarily have to be registered in dictionaries. We decided to analyse the corpus of 50 „common“ profession names to see whether the feminine genderforms used by public will be registered in dictionaries. The analysis has shown that Croatian recognises more specific forms for professions and functions in feminine gender in comparison to French in regard to their presence in dictionaries.

СЕРЕДНІЙ КЛАС У ГЛОБАЛЬНОМУ ВИМІРІ

World practice has shown that countries that have reached a high level of socio-economic development have a strong middle class, which is the main productive force of society, the main consumer of goods and services, a component of investment and innovation potential of the country. Using general scientific research methods, a multi-criteria approach and the Global Index of the Middle Class, the author carried out a country-by-country comparative analysis of social and property status, parameters of the quality of life of the middle class. Based on statistical data and geometric graphics built model class structure of society. The paper identifies the main determinants and functions of the middle class, which is a stabilizer of society and a catalyst for its evolutionary development. The middle class is a large social group that performs such important tasks. The economic functions of the middle class include ensuring sustainable economic progress; filling the state budget; implementation of the country's investment policy. As for social functions, the middle class acts as a stabilizer, a buffer between the upper and lower strata of society. It is characterized by high social stability, social inclusion and a high level and quality of life. In political life, the middle class acts as a stabilizer, the bearer of democratic freedoms, liberal political values. He is aware of their civil rights, is able to protect them, is the driving force of reform. In the educational, cultural and technological spheres, the middle class performs the following tasks: disseminates knowledge and information, leads a healthy lifestyle, rationally organizes its working life and leisure, provides sustainable technological progress and high productivity, is able to adapt and change profession, carrier of basic components national culture. The social function of the middle class is realized through civic activity. The middle class exercises public control over the government and representatives of big business, promotes the development of the welfare state and social partnership. In the socio-economic policy of the state it is important to strengthen the priority of the development of the middle class.

Factores asociados al logro académico en regiones desarrolladas y en desarrollo de Colombia: una aproximación a partir de un modelo de combinación de corte transversal

En este trabajo, se analizan los determinantes del rendimiento académico de la educación media, al comparar los resultados en el área de matemáticas de la Prueba Saber 11° de los estudiantes de grado once de las regiones con mayor y menor nivel de desarrollo socioeconómico de Colombia. La metodología utilizada se desarrolló a través de la aplicación de un Modelo de Combinación de Corte Transversal para el periodo de estudio de 2008 a 2013. Los resultados muestran que existen importantes diferencias entre los determinantes del rendimiento académico en regiones con mayor y menor nivel de desarrollo socioeconómico, las características personas de los estudiantes, tales como la edad y la etnia, así como las características de las escuelas tienen mayor impacto sobre los estudiantes de las regiones con menor nivel de desarrollo, mientras que las características familiares y del hogar, tales como educación de los padres, disponer de computador en casa y los ingresos familiares, presentan un mayor impacto sobre el rendimiento académico de los estudiantes de regiones con mayor nivel de desarrollo socioeconómico.

Anomalous authoritarianism: what, which, why?

Research on autocracies has gained new momentum in the last decade. One element of this research is the observation that some autocracies are characterised by structural conditions that are normally conducive for democracy. These ‘anomalous autocracies’ have high levels of socioeconomic development and democratic neighbour countries. The study of these cases might expose factors that are decisive for autocratic stability and studying them might give us a better understanding of barriers towards democratisation. This paper contributes to the growing literature on autocracies by mapping anomalous autocracies during the third wave of democratisation, thereby paving the way for systematic case selection in future studies. A large-N analysis of 159 cases (1975–2008) identifies Belarus, Chile, China, Cuba, Morocco, North Korea, Peru, Singapore, Swaziland, Togo and Zimbabwe. In a second step, the paper lays out a theoretical framework that centres on actors and institutions. Rulers must establish elite–elite and elite–mass interaction, and this papers argues that they can do so through quasi-compliance of elites and the masses based on traditional institutions woven into a dominant party. The paper uses the framework to tentatively examine the resilience of authoritarian rule in Swaziland and Morocco, two most-different anomalous cases. In both cases, an elaborate traditional institution has co-opted government, business and rural elites and coordinated interaction within elite circles and with the masses, in turn enabling the remarkable regime resilience.