Old-industrial Regions Research Articles

Методический подход к согласованию стратегических приоритетов государственной региональной политики развития старопромышленных регионов Российской Федерации

The formation of strategic priorities of the state regional policy for the development of old-industrial regions is complicated by the multiplicity of its actors and the need to coordinate spatial and sectoral priorities of regulatory impact. The article presents a methodological approach to coordinating the priorities of spatial and sectoral development of old industrial regions in the format of a scheme reflecting the logic and sequence of actions aimed at achieving strategic goals of regional development in accordance with the strategic national priorities of the Russian Federation. The methodological approach was tested on the example of the Saratov region, one of the old industrial regions of Russia with growth potential within the framework of the industrial development model. The necessity of using two approaches in the coordination process is justified: the first should be used to achieve the strategic priorities of the federal Center in a coordinated manner, on the one hand, and the old industrial regions and enterprises and organizations of the "industrial core", on the other (coordination "vertically"); the second — in order to coordinate the regional priorities of spatial and sectoral development of the old industrial region (horizontal alignment). Proposals are presented for the formation of a list of agreed priorities for the spatial and sectoral development of the Saratov region, the implementation of which will contribute to the transformation of the region into a point of growth of the national economy of Russia.

Measuring Multidimensional Poverty of the Population of the Regions of Russia: A Hybrid Approach

The research paper is devoted to the measurement of poverty (and its depth) of the population of Russian regions on the basis of a hybrid approach. This approach involves both an objective assessment of the phenomenon under study (according to Rosstat data) and taking into account the subjective perception of poverty by the population. In the first case, the index method is used in combination with the method of self-organising maps by T. Kohonen and an ensemble of multilayer perseptrons of various configurations. Artificial intelligence allows not only to deepen the results of retrospective assessment of multidimensional poverty through cluster analysis, but also to realise the predictive function. In the second case, a sociological survey is conducted on the example of a certain region of Russia (the Republic of Bashkortostan). According to the results of the cluster analysis, taking into account the earlier retrospective assessment, we can conclude that there is a high degree of polarisation of Russian regions based on the actual level of ‘multidimensional poverty’. ‘Oases’ (St. Petersburg, Moscow and the Republic of Tatarstan) contrast with “centres” (the Republic of Ingushetia, the Republic of Tyva, the Karachay-Cherkess Republic and the Republic of Altai) of multidimensional poverty. At the same time, the Republic of Bashkortostan (one of the old-industrial regions with a rich mineral and raw material base) in the formed rating regularly occupied the median position among other constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The main (key) problems in the sphere of poverty for this region of Russia are specified based on the results of sociological research. Such a study also makes it possible to deepen the retrospective assessment of ‘multidimensional poverty’, since not all the necessary data for a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon under study are generated by Rosstat on a regular basis. The results obtained in the framework of the study can be used in the actualisation of the most important direction of the state social policy of modern Russia – the fight against poverty. In the long term, the top management of the country needs to ensure a significant reduction in the poverty level of the population regardless of the territorial factor (constituent entity of the Russian Federation).

‘It was my duty to change this place’: motivations of agents of change in Czech old industrial towns

ABSTRACT Although old industrial regions (OIRs) face many development obstacles and suffer from a rather negative image, there are many examples of human agency contributing to the transformation of these regions and the creation of a new development path. When implementing change agency, individuals and groups use various resources, such as money, knowledge and social networks. However, the motives initiating these changes are diverse. This paper seeks to identify the motivations that lead agents of change to initiate transformative activities in OIRs. After conducting 49 semi-structured interviews in four case study towns in the Ústí nad Labem Region (Czechia), we found that change agency is derived from a combination of social and local embeddedness, knowledge of local characteristics and extra-regional inspiration. On the basis of these findings, the specific characteristics and shortcomings of OIR can be understood as problems that must be solved or as regionally specific opportunities that can be used in the favour of agents and regions. When enacting change agency, individuals frequently draw on their past life experiences, which makes transformative agency at least partially path dependent.

ДЕТЕРМІНАНТИ СТАЛОГО РОЗВИТКУ СТАРОПРОМИСЛОВОГО РЕГІОНУ

Proceeding from the sustainable development paradigm, the old-industrial region needs innovative solutions in the economic, environmental and social sphere, which would provide prerequisites for the modernization of economic relations, territories, environmental protection, infrastructure, industrial production, etc. In this regard, the problem of studying the main determinants of sustainable development of the old industrial region is actualized. The aim of the research is to systematize the determinants of sustainable development of the old industrial region and the ways of its modernization. The basic determinants of sustainable development of an old industrial region have been defined and classified according to such classification attributes as finance, ecology, food safety, social-cultural condition, infrastructure, marketing of the region, industrial-production potential. The features of sustainable development of old industrial region have been pointed out: the concentration of cities (districts within cities, settlements) around large industrial enterprises and agglomerations; a critically dangerous state of environmental pollution; the use of Industry 3.0 (less often Industry 2.0) technologies in industrial production. It has been proved that the problem of modernization of Ukrainian old industrial regions, which is acute in most countries of the world, involves the transition to Industry 4.0 technologies, which ensure the competitiveness of industrial production. This problem is complex and its solution requires the necessary deliberate decisions at the level of state authorities, local authorities and industrial owners. At the same time, it is necessary to develop an adequate state policy to shift Ukraine’s industry to Industry 4.0, including preferential taxation, cluster development, and comprehensive attraction of both domestic and foreign investors.

Отраслевые аспекты развития старопромышленных регионов Российской Федерации

The relevance of the problem is that the policy of modernization of the country’s industrial complex has attracted attention to the problems of old industrial regions – territories where highly specialized industries associated with “outgoing” technological patterns are concentrated. The object of the study is the old industrial regions of the European part of Russia. The study aims to study the dynamics of the sectoral structure of old industrial regions and identify their contribution to the economic development of the respective federal districts. Foreign researchers of old industrial regions and their Russian colleagues associate the problems of functioning of territories of this type with the difficulties of introducing innovations into production processes, as well as with the specifics of their participation in global socio-economic processes. The study’s methodology is based on a systematic approach to the study of old industrial regions and the use of economic and statistical analysis. This allows us to specify the most critical trends in the dynamics of their sectoral structure and on this basis assess their contribution to the development of the federal districts of the European part of Russia. It is shown that due to the specifics of the industry structure, it is increasingly difficult for old industrial regions to ensure competitiveness in comparison with other types of regions, in particular, resource and service territories. It is proved that the old industrial regions of the European part of Russia with a more diversified economy, particularly Vologda and Nizhny Novgorod regions, make a more significant contribution to the development of the federal districts in which they are located, compared with other regions of this type. In order to increase the role of old industrial regions in the development of federal districts and the country as a whole, the necessity of intensifying the participation of the state in the processes of diversification of their regional economies is justified, which consists in the formation of an institutional environment in which regions of this type will be able to achieve competitive advantages. The sources will be not traditional, but new abilities and resources that allow oldindustrial regions to introduce innovations into traditional branches of the regional economy more actively.

Роль старопромышленнных регионов в пространственном развитии Российской Федерации

The urgency of the problem under consideration is since the policy of modernization of the industrial complex of the Russian Federation has drawn attention to the problems of old-industrial regions - territories where highly specialized industries associated with “outgoing” technological structures are concentrated. The work aims to analyze the contribution of old-industrial regions to the spatial development of federal districts and macroregions. As a result of the study, it was found that the most significant contribution of regions of the old-industrial type to the development of the Siberian, Ural, and Far Eastern federal districts, and in the leading regions, it is mainly provided by the industry of the second technological order - metallurgy, the predominance of which in the sectoral structure of regional economies casts doubt on the possibility of ensuring their competitive advantages in the context of the entry of the sixth technological order based on nano- and biotechnologies. It was stated that, in general, the contribution of the old-industrial regions to the development of the corresponding federal districts could not be considered significant. Using the example of the Northwestern Federal District, it is shown that the current system of statistical observation does not make it possible to diagnose the contribution of regions of various types, in particular, old-industrial territories, to the socio-economic and spatial development of federal districts and macroregions of the country. Solving the problem of increasing the contribution of old-industrial regions to the development of the Russian Federation requires strengthening the non-resource and service sectors of their regional economies, increasing the share of deep processing in the main industrial sectors, and implementing large-scale projects in the transport sector.

Improvement of Regulatory Policy and Investment and Financial Calculations for the Formation of a Favorable Investment Environment in the Old Industrial Region

Based on the review of program documents on the development of Donetsk and Luhansk regions, the article analyzes the shortcomings of the state strategies of economic development of Donetsk and Luhansk regions as an old-industrial region. Identified the main shortcomings of regulatory policy in terms of increasing transaction costs, and proposed modified formulas for improving the investment and financial calculations carried out during the justification of investment projects, in order to create a favorable investment environment in the old industrial region. An assessment of changes in the investment environment and changes in the role of industry as a leading type of economic activity. A number of shortcomings in the formation of favorable investment opportunities and weaknesses in state regional development programs have been identified. The list of subjects of the special regime of investment activity in the old industrial regions is revealed. On the basis of the components of the rating of doing business according to international comparisons, negative trends in the formation of the business climate in Ukraine have been identified. The need to adjust the standard set of measures to ensure the effective implementation of TPD within Donetsk and Luhansk regions has been proved. The necessity of taking into account transaction costs when calculating well-known criteria for the feasibility of investment projects is substantiated.

Strategic Path Dependence and State Management: Exploring Historical Roots of Regional Lock-In

Studies on regional and organizational path dependence have provided significant insights into processes of lock-in and path renewal, which hold particularly dire implications for old industrial regions (OIRs). However, this literature, with an emphasis on regional resilience and reindustrialization, has less systematically explored the strategic elements of these processes, which play a central role in the regional development of authoritarian and state-managed economies. In this paper, I study the implications of state management and strategic path dependence for regional lock-in processes in the context of the Soviet Union. Conducting a historical analysis focused on critical junctures, I demonstrate how strategic lock-in processes directed the development paths of Soviet heavy industry districts by restricting the scope of regional path renewal and thus contributing to a persistent structural lock-in. The results of the paper demonstrate how the interplay of state-level strategic path inscription and regional-level self-reinforcing mechanisms can produce long-term constraints for regional path renewal.

Resilient or resistant? Critical reflections on resilience in an old industrial region

Despite criticisms that emphasize the ambiguity surrounding its definition and applications, the concept of resilience is featured prominently in studies of regional economies and regionally-based industries. This paper builds on this literature through a case study of Canada’s automotive industry, an old industrial region (OIR) situated primarily in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. It also provides heightened definitional rigour to the concept of resilience and in so doing, advances the concept of ‘resistance.’ We argue that resistance better characterizes regional economies and regionally-based industries whose competitive advantages have eroded, are resistant to change, and remain locked into trajectories of slow decline but persist through shocks, disruptions and interventions, policy-oriented or otherwise. The clarification of resilience as distinct from resistance carries significant implications for policy.

Управління структурними трансформаціями у старопромислових регіонах України: концепт державної політики

The concept of public policy of structural transformations in old-industrial regions of Ukraine has been grounded. The necessity to separate old-industrial region as an object of public regional policy has been proven, as well as to manage structural changes with the obligatory orientation on the principles of “new regionalism”. This grounding is based on the studies of historical and economic prerequisites of old-industrial regions’ emergence in the world and in Ukraine; on the theoretical generalization of the essence of a category “old-industrial region”, clarification of the characteristics of old-industrial regions, specifying its properties, generated by the regularities of long-time development of these regions at the industrial basis; on the critical generalization of world experience of structural reconstruction old-industrial regions, rethinking this process based on practical faults’ analysis, finding out its causes and evolution of approaches to economic structure of the regions improvement; on the determination of specific features of old-industrial regions (structural and social inertia, endogenous depressiveness, low adapting capacity, low inclusiveness of development) as structure-creating determinants, that set general and specific imperatives of overcoming structural contradictions of its economic development (diversification, smart-specialization, restructuring of “basic” industries of economy of the regions); on finding out of the basic features of post-transformation model of the economy of old-industrial regions of Ukraine – the “post-industrial synthesis” model – as the result of structural changes in its economy. The implementation of the model is indicated by the formation of a number of substantial features (structural lability, social initiative and adaptiveness, territorial cohesion and economic inclusiveness, capacity to endogenous growth).

Reindustrialization of Old Industrial Regions in the South of Russia: Trends, Potential, Risks

In modern conditions, re-industrialization in Russia is aimed at leveling the trend of reducing the share of the manufacturing industry in the GRP of a number of old-industrial regions in recent years due to the implementation of the strategy of restoring the leading role of industry, transition to a new technological structure, the formation of productive forces. The article deals with the problem of modernizing the economy of the old industrial regions of the South of Russia based on the restoration of the industrial sector of the economy on a modern technological basis. It was noted that during the years of market reforms in the South Russian regions (Rostov, Volgograd, Astrakhan regions) almost all mining enterprises were closed, the activities of many enterprises of mechanical engineering, machine-tool construction, instrument engineering, enterprises for the production of bearings, fabrics, footwear were curtailed, which led to the destruction of existing industrial chains and provoked a new liquidation of production in other regions, the loss of its southern industry positions in the structure of the national economy. The main trends in the industrial development of the South Russian regions, which are reflected in a change in the distribution of economic activity and population in space, as well as in a change in the properties of the economic space of the region, are identified. The specific development factors are defined. They include multistructured regional economy and high dependence on economic instability factors in neighboring countries. It was concluded that it is necessary to move from the implementation of point projects to a comprehensive solution of the problems of structural imbalance in the regional economy related to increasing the capitalization level of the industrial modernization potential. The authors concluded that the strategy of re-industrialization should be based on the priority development of industrial production, allowing to enhance synergistic effects through a rational combination of the economic potentials of industrial production in central and peripheral territories of southern Russia.

Тенденции развития экономики старопромышленных регионов России

Тенденции развития экономики старопромышленных регионов России

The cross-industry cluster formation as a reengineering mechanism for the production relations of the old-industrial regions

The article considers the formation of a strategic regional industrial policy in conditions of the new technological order occurrence on the basis of trends in the global technological development, conducts a strategic analysis of industry of the Republic of Bashkortostan on types of economic activities: mining, production of petroleum products, chemical production, manufacture of rubber and plastic products and construction, identified positive and negative trends and proposed future directions of development taking into account assumed scenarios of regional, national and global markets development. The study proposed options for the sectoral and cross-sectoral clusters establishment, the estimation of the resulting synergies in terms of creating inter-industry construction cluster based on the element wise estimation method of clustering efficiency and performed the benefits of the cross-sectoral cluster formation for all market participants.

Історико-економічна ґенеза структурних диспропорцій економіки старопромислових регіонів України

Історико-економічна ґенеза структурних диспропорцій економіки старопромислових регіонів України

Актуальные направления исследований старопромышленных регионов в Российской Федерации

With use of Internet data basis of scientific electronic library eLIBRARY.RU the
 most actual areas of scientific and practical researches of old-industrial regions
 in the Russian Federation are defined: studying of foreign experience of state
 regulation of development of territories of old-industrial type; research
 of environmental problems of regions; research of problems of the cities located
 in old- industrial regions; research of specific problems of development
 of concrete old-industrial territories. It is proved that problems of social and
 economic development of territories are most actively investigated; the special
 attention is paid to justification of adequate approaches to their decision
 in modern conditions. The common and specific problems interfering sustainable
 social and economic development of old-industrial regions are revealed. It is
 shown that the main directions of the solution of the revealed problems are:
 realization of policy of reindustrialization, cluster policy, diversification of structure
 of economy, improvement of strategic planning. In the conclusion the perspective
 directions of scientific researches of old-industrial regions in the Russian
 Federation are defined.

Self-Development Territorial Systems as the Institute of Spatial Modernization of Old-Industrial Region

Opportunities and advantages of self-development territorial systems as the institute of spatial modernization of old-industrial region are justified in this article. Priority directions of formation and functioning, criteria for evaluating self-development territorial socio-economic systems are suggested in this paper (STSES).

New firm formation in old industrial regions – a study of entrepreneurial in-migrants in Bergslagen, Sweden

The article examines new firm formation in the old industrial region (OIR) of Bergslagen in Sweden, and in particular the role of in-migrants. The study is based on longitudinal georeferenced microdata (1993–2008) compiled by Statistics Sweden and providing information on individuals' attachments to the Swedish labour market, as well as workplaces and firms, education, income, and family composition. This specially commissioned database enabled the characterization and analysis of emerging forms of entrepreneurship and self-employment, as well as the socio-economics of the labour market. The longitudinal data allowed the authors to trace actions taken by individuals over time. The results indicate that new firm formation is related to private services, rather than to the traditional manufacturing sector and public services that currently dominate the regional labour market. Self-employed in-migrants are active in other sectors than non-migrants, and show some distinct features in terms of their lower age, better education, and more often non-Nordic background. The study showed that both in-migration and return migration had a positive, significant, and substantial effect on migrants' decision to start a business when a number of other individual characteristics had been controlled for.

Transforming old industrial regions: Constructing collaboration within the Black Country, England

During recent decades capitalist forces have altered the geography of economic production and intensified the de-industrialisation of old industrial regions (OIRs). Various regional development prescriptions have followed including place-based concepts centred upon the stronger involvement of local and regional actors. Yet in promoting a shift beyond overly centralist responses, important questions remain about local institutional capacity, especially within OIRs given frequent attention to institutional paralysis and fragmentation. Although more fruitful evolutionary perspectives can be identified, ground level outcomes remain uncertain. This paper focuses on the Black Country OIRs within the English West Midlands where a transformational vision resulted from sub-regional joint working during the 2000s. Whilst acknowledging important external drivers, not least state support for new spaces of governance, a constructivist perspective is presented to more fully understand why a transformative collaborative approach emerged. Particular attention is given to the role of Black Country advocates in creating dilemmas, questioning traditions and challenging existing beliefs. Place-based development approaches therefore do emerge in a latent sense but must be actively constructed. Even then, substantial limitations exist stemming from continuing institutional influences.

Инновационный кластер как фактор модернизации экономики старопромышленного региона

Инновационный кластер как фактор модернизации экономики старопромышленного региона

Skill-relatedness und Resilienz: Fallbeispiel Saarland

The resilience of a region depends crucially on the extent to which industry-specific human capital can be redeployed across regional economy’s industries. To this end, we present a toolbox to analyze a region’s industrial structure, development prospects and economic resilience that highlights the human capital similarities, or skill-relatedness, among industries. The core of these analyses is the so-called industry space, a network that connects industries with similar human capital requirements. In a case study, we use this toolbox to identify the risks and opportunities for the economic perspectives and resilience of Germany’s state Saarland based on the time period 2008 to 2012. This analysis shows that one important concern for this former old-industrial region is that its traditional manufacturing base is almost unconnected in terms of skill-relatedness to the emerging high-technology activities that are central in the region’s innovation agenda.