Interregional Levels Research Articles

Trade and Urbanisation in Early Medieval Southern Karnataka: As Reflected in the Western Ganga Inscriptions

The present study is an attempt to reconstruct the condition of trade and urbanisation under the Western Gangas (c. fourth to early eleventh century ce), the founders of the first indigenous state in southern Karnataka. Primarily based on the inscriptions issued by them, the study tries to trace the processes leading to the emergence of urban centre under the Western Gangas. It is argued that the Western Ganga rule did not coincide with any phase of decline in trade and commerce, as argued by the proponents of Indian Feudalism model. The state under the Western Gangas contributed to the process of urbanisation in a number of ways. The state restructured the economy of the territories under its control by promoting agrarian expansion, creating new networks of revenue collection and its redistribution. The demand for the goods and services created by the state and its agents, particularly religious establishments, necessitated their movement at intra-regional and inter-regional levels, and thus resulted in the expansion of the already existing centres of exchange as well as the creation of new ones. In other words, the process of urbanisation in the region may be attributed to the processes related to agrarian growth and the emergence of a complex indigenous power structure. The argument has been substantiated with the help of the study of urban centres, namely Perura, Kovalalapura, Manyapura, and Talavanapura.

The Fragmented Inclusion of Gender Equality in AU-EU Relations in Times of Crises

Facing internal and external crises, the European Union and the African Union have revitalized their interregional cooperation. This article theorizes interregional norm dynamics and explores how, in times of crises, gender equality norms are shaped in interregional relations between the African Union and the European Union. The question is all the more relevant because gender equality is shaped very differently in the European Union and the African Union policies. The African Union has adopted a rather holistic understanding of gender equality, while the European Union approach is constrained by a market-making logic. Also, since the 2008 economic crisis, gender equality policies within the European Union seem to stagnate while they seem to expand in the African Union. Our analysis of core texts shows that at interregional level attention to gender equality is fragmented. Even though in some respects the African Union gender equality norms are more encompassing, and gendered effects of crises in the European Union would merit renewed attention to gender equality, the European Union norms and interests dominate the agenda. Showing how power asymmetries between and disjointed logics of regional organizations impact interregional gender equality norms, the article contributes to the scarce literature on interregional norm dynamics.

Zoning of agroecological potential areas for agricultural land assessment of the Saratov region

The standard yield model recommended for land assessment and certification of land according to the degree of suitability for agricultural use is based on the assessment of agro-ecological potential (AP) as characteristics of the territory 's water and thermal resources. The quality check of the model according to the data of the class testing areas for the period 2007-2018 showed an overestimation of the standard grain yield for the conditions of the Saratov region by 1.2-1.5 times. The error is due to the use of the most available agro climatic parameters in the model, which establish their connection with productivity at the interregional level, but do not meet the conditions of adequate differentiation of conditions of moisture supply of crops at the regional level.
 Correction of the AP model, when using the parameters of water and thermal resources provision by the coefficients of annual moistening and the sum of biologically active temperatures, is achieved by reducing the AP level by 1.2 times and fixing the standard value of the climate continental index - 187. A new version of estimated zoning is proposed based on the corrected model of AP, at which the number of agro climatic subzones is reduced from 9 to 6. The adequacy of the assessment of land productivity is ensured by the use of AP parameters that are individual for municipal areas rather than medium-sized ones.

Mapping provincial steel stocks and flows in China: 1978–2050

China’s unprecedented industrialization and urbanization have boosted tremendous steel use nationwide, making it the global largest steel producer and consumer. However, there is a limited knowledge on the historical evolution and future transitions of China’s provincial steel use, which prohibits more specific resource management policies. We applied dynamic material flow analysis to estimate and predict the provincial steel stocks and flows during 1978–2050 in 31 provinces of mainland China, with a bottom-up data collection on over 100 categories of steel-containing products. We find steel stocks have reached 5.9 ± 1.5 tons per capita (t/cap) in 2018, and identify a significant gradient decline of steel stocks from eastern coastal regions to western inland regions. By 2050, steel stocks will be around 12.3 Gt, ranging from 9.3 Gt to 15.3 Gt. It is expected that the regional disparity of steel stocks will be narrowed in the near future. Our spatial analysis reveals the coming steel demand peak occurring during 2016–2022 and scrap boom after 2030. However, such patterns differ among provinces. The scrap in some eastern provinces will exceed demand around 2030, while central and western provinces will become larger suppliers of scrapped steel after 2040. China should tailor its circular economy policies to local and inter-regional levels to boost inter-regional scrap circulation for more sustainable and balanced development.

Organization of the social and economic space of territories employing cluster and network structures

Successful development of the regional economy is impossible without creating special conditions and forming a mechanism ensuring balanced and sustainable socio-economic development of the regions of the Russian Federation. To achieve the goals outlined above, the authors propose a solution based on the creation of a conceptually new model for organizing the socio-economic space of territories through cluster-network structures designed to improve the life quality of the population and increase the competitiveness of the regional economy. Various methodological approaches and a number of general scientific and unique research methods were used, including the system-structural approach, as well as analysis, synthesis, generalization, comparison, and modeling. As a result of the research, the advantages of the cluster-network model, in contrast to the cluster model of organizing economic interactions, are justified. A conceptual model of the organization of socio-economic space through cluster-network structures is presented. The organizational and economic mechanism of functioning of cluster-network formations is developed. It is established that the cluster-network model, in contrast to the widely used cluster model, increases the competitiveness of the economy on a larger scale due to the multiplicative effect of clustering and networking processes. The innovations proposed in this paper are intended to complement or expand existing scientific approaches to clustering and networking of the economy both at the regional and interregional levels.

Coherence and cooperation as pillars of sustainable development

Regional integration has significantly impacted sustainable development processes at the sub-national, supranational and interregional levels. Regions & Cohesion here has highlighted the complexity of interactions between policy arenas and actors/stakeholders at different levels of governance. Past articles have examined how regions can build bridges between policy arenas and levels of governance in different world regions with the objective of promoting sustainability.

Convergence and growth – conflicting goals of economics policy – A case study of Georgia

Abstract Over the years, it has been the subject of discussions whether efficiency-oriented interventions contribute to an equity distribution of wealth across regions and whether equity orientation is a source of inefficiency. While efficiency refers to the maximization of growth in the national economy, convergence-oriented policy is focused on equalizing the level of development at interregional level. The case of Georgia was studied as a developing country facing various challenges in terms of economic growth and regional divergence. This article provides an overview of the economic development trends taking place in the regions of Georgia and reveals the high level of divergence within the country. A logarithmic model was created and used to run simulations to predict the possible results of convergence-oriented policy in Georgia. In order to make the forecast we estimated GDP per capita and average growth rates in all the Georgian regions. Use of the model allowed us to answer two main questions: (1) If the last 5 and 10 year average growth rates are maintained, how long will it take for the poorest region to converge to the wealthiest one? (2) What should be the minimum growth rate in the poorest region for the upcoming 5, 10 and 20 years in order to converge to the wealthiest capital? Results of the calculations showed that convergence between regions can only be achieved by slowing down economic growth in relatively wealthier regions and by focusing on the development of the poorest ones. The results of the study revealed that the convergence process will be faster for the regions with medium or big cities and growth centres. Therefore, creating competitive growth centres would be a reasonable regional policy objective to promote fast economic growth and future convergence without redirecting the growth process from more developed areas to lagging ones.

Этнический фактор в сфере городского управления, хозяйства и занятости: Кишинёв в конце XIX в.

The ethno-confessional dimension of the urban economics, employment, and management in the late imperial period of Russia has been obviously understudied, with there being no generalized data. The cities of Bessarabia, particularly Chișinău, have not been investigated in this aspect either. The adequate comparative assessment of the ethnic factor in various spheres of management and economics of Chișinău is based on the indices of ethnic representation and diversity used to precess the data of the 1897 census. The analysis has shown that the factor of multiethnic urban population of Chișinău clearly manifested itself in governance, economics, and employment. Ethnicity, the corresponding cultural capital, skills, communication resources, ethno-confessional ties (within the city, region, on the intercity and the interregional level), as well as the legal conditions for certain ethno-confessional groups (mainly, Jews) remained an important factor for modernizing urban governance, economics, and employment. The comparison of ethnic representation indices has shown that the three major ethnic groups – Jews, Great Russians, and Moldovans – have debeloped a kind of mutual complementarity in the distribution of employments. The Chișinău urban minorities (Little Russians, Poles, Bulgarians, Germans, and Armenians) occupied separate niches, complementing the basic sectoral distribution of the major groups. A more detailed sectoral analysishas shown a significant number of niches with primary specialization of all – major and minor – ethnic groups in the city.

Специфика инновационного развития приморских регионов России: дивергенция севера и юга

Coastal regions are territorial social systems whose socio-economic and innovative development is strongly influenced by the factor of coastalisation. The effect of movement to the sea determines the dynamics of settlement systems as well as their economic and infrastructure development. This holds for transport, logistics, information and communications, industrial, and other infrastructure. Coastal regions are so diverse that it is impossible to construct a development model that will fit all of them. One can speak only of general trends. This study focuses on identifying differences between the innovation systems of northern and southern coastal regions within the same country. The geographical scope of the study is four Russian coastal territories: Murmansk and Arkhangelsk in the Baltic Sea region and Rostov and Krasnodar in the Azov-Black Sea region. Methodologically, this study carries out a comparative assessment of heterogeneity of innovative development at municipal and interregional levels, using four groups of indicators: human capital, economic growth and clustering, innovation and digitalisation, and quality and standards of living. All these components are vital for regional innovative development. A statistical assessment is supplemented by a qualitative analysis of spatial patterns of innovation capital accumulation; the agglomeration factor is taken into account. It is shown that northern and southern coastal regions perform very differently on innovative development, the latter doing better than the former. Three main models of innovation generation, implementation, and accumulation of coastal regions are described. Each is associated with a different way to benefit from proximity to the sea. These are maritime activities, maritime transport, and the economic use of recreational, natural and climatic resources.

Theoretical and methodological foundations of metrology health science research in conditions of sustainable development

The article describes the theoretical and methodological principles of the study of the impact of metropolitan health care on health infrastructure in three zones of gravity under conditions of priority of sustainable development in order to provide quality and affordable medical care. The first – up to 15 km – at the community level; the second – up to 50 km – at the level of hospital districts; the third – up to 250–300 km – at the interregional level. Unlike EU countries, Ukraine lacks the proper legislative and governmental institutionalization of metropolitan areas and regulates their impact on medical infrastructure in the abovementioned areas of gravity. In our view, the metropolitan medical space is an organized and controlled through the Regional Department of Health, the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, the National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, local self-government and departments the infrastructure of provision of preventive (PRMС), primary (PMС), secondary (TMС), tertiary (TMС), emergency (NMС), emergency (EMС), palliative and hospice (PHС) and rehabilitation (RMС) medical care within the responsibilities of communities, districts and regions with a well-established system of statistical and economic reporting. The metropolitan function in health care is a complex of TMС, PIC, RMС services that provide patients with 1–3 gravity zones and in other regions based on high integration into the existing health care network both in the region and beyond. the purpose of accumulated control of information and financial space. On the other hand, the metropolis healthcare sector in the metropolitan environment is the process of strengthening the vertical and horizontal integration of healthcare institutions – PMС, PMС, Specialized Medical Assistance (SMA) and EMС without merging them with eHealth-based TMС medical institutions, The National Health Service of Ukraine (NHSU), due to the intensity and nature of labor migration from suburban areas.

Розвиток туристичної сфери регіону на засадах формування територіально-виробничих інтеграційних структур

The integration mechanism for developing tourism industry is among the ways of increasing the competitiveness of the region, reducing the impact of negative factors, ensuring the diversification of the regional tourism product. Territorial production structure of tourist integration is a regional or interregional association created to combine the potential of tourism and service infrastructure, tourist and recreational resources, tourism goods and services, and human potential of the industry in order to create a single territorial tourist space capable of offering competitive goods in the regional, national and global tourism market. Features of the Mykolaiv oblast determine the possibility of creating specific cluster formations in the tourism sector in this area. From the socio-economic viewpointiew, tourist and recreational clusters form the preconditions for regional development. Thus, the formation of a tourist and recreational cluster actually determines the market positioning of the region and largely affects its image. Among the entities participating in a tourism and recreation cluster, one can not only name the enterprises and organizations acting in the tourism industry and producing and selling tourism products and services, but also the regional authorities (represented by their representatives or specially created regulatory and / or supervisory structures), scientific and educational institutions, associations of entrepreneurs, etc. A tourism and recreational cluster can be formed at different territorial and branch-wise levels, e/g/ local, regional, interregional levels. The development of a tourism and recreational cluster in the region includes several successive stages: a) the initiation of its creation by the authorities («from above»), by business («from below») or by society; b) the creation of a management company; c) drawing up a strategic plan for the cluster development and coordination with the regional development strategy; d) the daily management of the cluster enterprises; e) further development based on self-organization. This model for designing a tourism and recreational cluster makes it possible to take into account the interests of all its participants and create conditions for sustainable development of a tourist area.

ПРОСТРАНСТВЕННОЕ РАЗВИТИЕ И ИНФРАСТРУКТУРНАЯ СВЯЗАННОСТЬ ДАЛЬНЕГО ВОСТОКА РОССИИ

The article deals with the spatial development of the Russian Far East in the context of infrastructure connectivity and migration. The construction of a new railway network, the renovation of highways and the modernization of airports are the most important conditions for the successful functioning of the state, ensuring competitiveness, socio-economic growth and capitalization of territories. The coordinated and progressive development of infrastructure not only contributes to the retention of the local population, but also increases the investment and migration attractiveness of the territories. Taking into account the territorial conditions of Russia-first of all, its length and spatial disproportion-the problems of transport and logistics infrastructure are of particular importance. The conclusions obtained as a result of the study can be used both in strategic planning at the level of macro-regions, and in conducting further research at the national and interregional levels. Keywords: spatial development, territorial planning, migration, The Russian Far East, airfield infrastructure, railway network, regional highways, port facilities.

The human capital rationale behind the economic growth of the European Union countries: application of the advanced methods to enhance an efficiency of national human capital stocks

Human capital is an important factor of economic growth, as has been underlined by recent theoretical models. The main goal of this article is to elucidate the relationship between human capital and dynamics of economic growth in the European Union (EU). For the purposes of this article human capital is defined as knowledge, skills as well as other individual factors which lead to higher productivity. Therefore, the greatest attention is focused on the multi-dimensional assessment of human capital in the processes of economic development of the European countries. A detailed evaluation of human capital in the EU is represented at interregional and international levels. Furthermore, author suggests a guidance for designing and planning strategies aimed at sustainable economic development by using the model predictive control algorithms.

Problems of Formation of a Multipolar Financial System under the Centralisation of Global Capital

Topic. The active transnationalisation of the U.S. business after the end of the Second World War became possible thanks to the creation of the American-centric framework of the world monetary and financial system. The U. S. and the United Kingdom have become leaders in financial globalisation by monopolising global financial intermediation and creating institutional barriers to other countries’ access to international liquidity. With formal non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states, they made the latter dependent on the activities of informal institutions (American rating agencies, Anglo-Saxon offshore centres, Anglo-American law, etc.) that determine the rules of access of sovereign countries to world financial resources. Such a state of affairs is a significant obstacle to the establishment of a multipolar monetary and financial system.Purpose. The purpose of author’s research was the identification of the institutional features of the centralisation of global capital at the present stage of development of financial globalisation processes and identification of China’s potential, as a leader of the global economy, in creating a systemic counterweight to Anglo-Saxon domination in the global monetary and financial system.Methodology. The author based his study on a dialectical approach, the systemic, institutional approaches, and the method of comparative analysis.Results. The active inclusion of China in the global value chain has led to a complex change in the global balance of power mirrored by weakening US international influence. However, the increasing influence of China in the global economy has not yet been adequately reflected in the system of international economic and financial institutions, in which the dominant positions continue to belong to Western countries.Conclusion. The institutional reforms undertaken by the G‑20’ aimed at bringing the world economy back to the path of healthy, sustainable, balanced and inclusive growth are not quite adequate since they practically do not take into account the increased economic and financial role of the most dynamically developing countries. Such disregard for the interests and importance of developing countries (BRICS, EAEU) requires the elaboration of alternative approaches to regulating the global monetary and financial system at the regional and interregional levels.

THE FORMALIZED ASSESSMENT OF EFFICIENCY OF THE REGIONAL HIGHER SCHOOL THROUGH THE PRISM OF THE RATIO OF ENTRANCE AND OUTPUT STREAM SIZES

In the context of globalization, the growth of the competitive environment at the interregional, national levels in the field of innovation development, the role of higher education as the main source of human resources and the formation of the innovation environment increases. The low level of development of higher education deprives the region of a certain independence, placing it in additional dependence on other systems - regional, national, economic, etc. In this regard, the study of trends in the development of higher education at the interregional level is an extremely urgent task, the solution of which will provide a process of monitoring and forecasting the prospects for the development of socio-economic systems in the medium and long term. At the same time, despite a wide range of scientific works devoted to the problem, there is still no unity in the scientific space in the sphere of formal evaluation of the effectiveness of the development of regional higher education systems. In this regard, this study proposes approaches aimed at methodological support of solving the problem. The main feature of the work is the use of methods of comparison of input and output stream values, characterizing the parameters of the regional higher school. Using the approaches of rationing of the analyzed indicators and the subsequent development on this basis of the efficiency indices, multicomponent calculations are carried out, evaluating the indicators, characterizing the return on invested capital of regional higher education systems in the form of an integrated assessment of their effectiveness per 1 ruble of financial costs. As a result of the implemented assessments, the regions of the Volga Federal district are identified, characterized by moderate and strong positions in the field of generating effects, characterizing their effectiveness in comparison with the invested financial resources.

International Legal Format for Trans Regionalisation of Trade and Economic Partnership within BRICS in Global Development

An integral part of globalisation is the emergence of a multipolar world. Strategic partnership at the regional, interregional and trans-regional levels is becoming a new institution and an instrument of modern international relations. The research discusses the international legal cooperation framework of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) as a trans-regional association. The importance of rapprochement of the positions of the BRICS countries in the global political and economic system is emphasised. Particular attention is paid to assessing the BRICS countries economic potential and condition of their national economies, as well as analysing the foreign trade partners of Russia with the BRICS countries, development opportunities and prospects. The following results were obtained: positive factors contributing to the BRICS countries’ trade and economic cooperation strengthening are common interests in trade, export activity and export complementarity of some economic sectors, and the absence of direct competition. The measures to increase and expand mutually beneficial trade and economic partnership within BRICS will enable the countries to most effectively use their resource, technological and trade and economic potential to ensure sustainable growth of the national economy and competitiveness in world development. The results obtained can help formulate a trade and economic cooperation strategy within the BRICS framework.

Development of Transport Systems in Siberia and the Far East of Russia: Socio-Economic and Natural - Climatic Factors

The study is devoted to the development of the transport system of Siberia and the Far East of Russia. Renovation of railways, the laying of a new network of highways and the modernization of airports is the most important condition for the functioning of the state, its economic connectedness. Taking into account the territorial conditions of Russia – first of all, its length and spatial disproportionality – the problems of the transport and logistics infrastructure are of particular importance. The article describes the main trends in the development of the modern transport complex of Siberia and the Far East, identifies key problem areas of its operation and suggests practical measures to improve the development of transport infrastructure in the context of the tasks of spatial development of Russia. The findings of the study can be used both in strategic planning at the level of federal districts, and in further research at the national and interregional levels.

Instrumental and Methodologicalaspects of the segmentation of Regional Labour Markets Using Qualification characteristics

Purpose: the main purpose of this article is to improve forecast-oriented management of the segmentation of regional labour markets for the professions that are in greatest demand in the main groups of the All-Russian Classifier of Occupations. The following tasks should be addressed towards this goal: 1) to group Subjects of the Russian Federation and identify, on forecast basis, the influence factors behind the dynamics of the vacanciesposted; 2) todevelopatoolkitandprioritisetheinfluencefactorsestablishedandtheirinter-relationshiplevel; 3) to preparegroupingsof the regions with the maximum number of vacancies posted in the All-Russian Database of Vacancies for the most needed professions, specialities, and occupations as per the ОК010-2014 All-Russian Classifier of Occupations using the results of two waves of longitudinal investigation; 4) to justify the methodology and toolkit for calculating the integral ratings of Subjects of the Russian Federation; 5) to find out, on an expert basis, the level of high technology employers’ interaction with job centres; and 6) to summarise the instrumental and methodologicalaspects developed and the proposed measures for qualification-based management of the segmentation of regional labour markets.Methods: this article is based on the introduction of elements of a forecast-oriented approach to employment support using the results of regular monitoring efforts by the Russian Ministry of Labour in this area.Results: the article shows that the increase in the number of the vacancies posted by employers in the “Work in Russia” All-Russian Database of Vacancies results from their active engagement with job centres, raises the level of the realisation of businesses’ needs for skilled and professional employees and relieves tensions in regional labour markets. Support of employment is closely related to labour productivity growth, particularly in high technology sectors.Conclusions and Relevance: the materials discussed in the article present elements of forecast-oriented management of job centres aimed at regional labour markets’ segments for the professions and skilled levels required by them. The studies presented develop labour market economics with a view to better regulation of demand for and supply of employees with the required qualifications in the light of the current challenges, including the digitalisation of the economy. The practical use of the results of this article will help update the practice of management of the employment authorities at the federal, inter-regional and regional levels in the light of the results of the “Labour Productivity and Support of Employment” national project that is being implemented.

Demographic projections and accuracy of the spatial development statistics of Siberia and Far East of Russia

The subject of the research is spatial development statistics (as a system of indicators of regional analysis and management) on the example of the Siberian and Far East Federal districts. The correlation of the indices of migration and the state of the infrastructure deficit of these districts is considered. The importance of a qualitative change in the system of placement of population and productive forces in the country (in accordance with the adopted and agreed economic model) for the creation of an internationally competitive network of settlements is emphasized. The relevance of this topic, which characterizes qualitative territorial planning and sustainable-safe spatial development at the level of federal districts of Russia (as established macro-regions) and their constituent entities, is due to several key factors. First, the territory, being itself a complex subject of research, involves development and use of a significant number of statistical metrics for a comprehensive assessment, systematization and current management organization of spatial development potentials. Secondly, it becomes possible to unify coordination of macro-regional and interregional planning, interconnection of sectoral plans, and development of recommendations for formation of long-term tariffs. Thirdly, on the basis of such indicators, there is predicted the basis of the qualitative changes, which are fixed both in strategies, targeted and regional programs, and resettlement schemes at the federal and regional (in the long term, macro-regional) levels. At the same time, primarily because of the extremely high price of managerial errors, there is a practical need for correct forecasting activities, studying best practices and finding consensus, especially in demographic projections as the basis for further long-term planning. The findings of the study can be used in further research at the national and interregional levels.

Network dynamics of Chinese university knowledge transfer

Social networks are increasingly considered to be influential in explaining the knowledge transfer process. Despite scholarly efforts to integrate knowledge transfer and social network research, we lack understanding on how knowledge transfer networks emerge and evolve. We draw upon resource dependency theory and inter-organizational networks and collect patent data of 42 Double-First Class (DFC) universities to study structural properties of the Chinese university knowledge transfer network over time. Our results point to the existence of an increasingly complex yet remarkably efficient network. Universities and co-patent collaborations emerge in the network and act as knowledge bridges between other universities. The network moves from an early-stage single-centered network to a mature multi-centered network through a power-law pattern. Such movement allows for an aggregation phenomenon to appear as oligopolistic communities emerge and rule the network. While knowledge is more easily shared and accessible within communities, their existence also brings along control over knowledge bases embedded in those communities. Key universities take central positions within the expanding network, which allows them to gain control and easier access to knowledge. It also hints that it might be difficult for other DFC universities to become key players in the network. On an inter-regional level, our findings point to steadily increasing knowledge transfer activity, which is key to overcome the underdevelopment of some Chinese regions. Overall, this paper contributes to our understanding on the theoretical connection between knowledge transfer and social network dynamics, on how universities evolve through knowledge transfer networks, and on how their embeddedness translates into knowledge control, knowledge access, and knowledge bridges.