Socio-economic Space Research Articles

Development of a conceptual framework for entrepreneurial culture

PurposeInnovation is key. It improves a nations’ standing in international competition and in-creases the productivity of the workforce – a significant aspect in aging societies with a declining entrepreneurial activity. But how can innovation be fostered? This paper argues that entrepreneurial culture is an underestimated solution to this difficult challenge. It therefore differs from common models in which other measures such as financial capital or networks play a predominant role and thus mask the influence of entrepreneurial culture on innovation in entrepreneurial ecosystems.Design/methodology/approachUsing a qualitative literature analysis, the paper links various interdisciplinary touch points to the entrepreneurial ecosystem – including the individual-focused cognitive aspects of entrepreneurs, the social and spatial communities and the ecosystem as a service model.FindingsThe framework is conceptualized as a multi-layer model, enabling a discussion of policy measures in socioeconomic spaces with a short- and long-term perspective. It dispenses artificial assumptions and considers the complexity of human behavior as a strong and reciprocal driver of entrepreneurial culture.Practical implicationsWith this framework, the paper tends to qualify policy makers and researchers in a de-tailed manner, when it comes to the formulation and application of culture-focused innovation policies.Originality/valueThe paper enriches the existing research with a new perspective on the relation between entrepreneurial culture and entrepreneurial ecosystems, which especially emphasizes the entrepreneurs experienced reality and its multi-level embeddedness.

On the role of digital solutions in the development of an innovative environment for high-tech production and ensuring the priorities of the national economy

The relevance of the study is determined by the recently increased role of digital services and technologies in shaping the architecture of high-tech production and ensuring the priorities of the national economy. The development of digital services and services produces the emergence of ecosystems and the spread of customeroriented business models in the high-tech sector, the importance of which in the country's economy will only increase.The purpose of the study is determined by the need to study modern trends in the development of digital services and technologies that influence the development of the innovative environment of high-tech industries and ensuring the priorities of the national economy.Objectives: to explore the role of digital services and technologies in shaping the architecture of high-tech industries and ensuring the priorities of the national economy; to identify the periodization and content of the digital transformation of the national economy; to analyze the basic indicators characterizing the dynamics of the spread of digitalization processes; to explore the content and key characteristics accompanying the spread of digital platforms and ecosystems.Methodology: the research methodology is based on historical, logical and economic-statistical analysis regarding the processes of digital transformation in the national economy.The results of the study show that digital transformation in the national economy is actively spreading, involving an ever-increasing circle of participants and setting new imperatives in doing business related to the emergence and spread of digital ecosystems. However, the architecture of the largest domestic ecosystems has not been fully formed and they have not achieved their growth potential.Conclusions obtained as a result of the study indicate that digital services and technologies are a factor contributing to a multiple increase in the capitalization of high-tech companies involved in the development of digital transformation processes. Digital ecosystems have prospects associated with increasing their impact on the national economy and deeper integration into the socio-economic space in connection with the development of new digital technological solutions.

Politicising the Public Space: On Dalit Women Sanitation Workers in India

Caste determines the life worlds of people in India in particular and South Asia in general. Historically, it is observed that caste has conditioned the nature of public spaces. Upper castes can appropriate the public spaces legitimized by caste ideology and practice. However, colonial and post-colonial India witnessed changes in the caste system due to its (modern) legal interventions. Paradoxically, caste persists in its crude and subtle forms. It has also acquired new forms in post-independent public spaces. Caste determines certain bodily dispositions within the so-called public spaces. The ambiguous nature of modernity and the weight of tradition have drastically transformed the public space. A socially regulated economy and public institutions are determining the people, space, and mobility of the castes, too. This article investigates the nature of the stigmatized labour of Dalit women sanitation workers (who come under the manual scavenging community) within diverse public urban spaces. It analyses the various questions related to the Dalit women sanitation workers who work in select public universities, urban housing colonies, and slums in Delhi, India. It probes the Dalit women sanitation workers’ day-to-day life in caste-ridden spaces of urban- “public” spaces. One of the central questions that needs to be addressed is whether the socioeconomic space of these Dalit women workers has changed in contemporary India. Why do Dalit women have to do stigmatized work in public spaces? How are purity and pollution reinforced in elusive ways? Thus, it initiates a critique of the Indian feminist understanding of public spaces. This article acts as a way to engage with the epistemic priority of women sanitation workers to problematize Brahmanic feminism in India. Can there be any social-political engagement with the public space in the case of Dalit women sanitation workers? At the level of theory, this article critiques the dominant-Habermasian idea of the public sphere and Nancy Fraser’s counter-public to reflect on conceptual practice grounded in the Dalit women sanitation workers and public space.

Professionally significant qualities of teaching producing in the context of digital development: Evaluating the effectiveness by education stakeholders

Introduction. The article is devoted to the problem of increasing the level of communicative culture in future economists in the digital era. The purpose of the research is to substantiate the effectiveness of professionally important qualities of teaching producing in universities of Economics, taking into account the digital format of interaction. Materials and Methods. The methodological basis of the study is the Pareto optimality principle (2080), which allows the authors to determine the necessary minimum of teaching resources in terms of modern communication knowledge for training economists in the digital age. During the study, an online survey was conducted in order to substantiate the effectiveness of professionally important qualities of teaching producing in the context of the digital specifics of the socio-economic space. The research sample consisted of students and academic staff of economics departments of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Omsk State Pedagogical University, and Omsk State Technical University. Results. The theoretical analysis of the research problem revealed professionally important qualities of teaching producing (communication skills, digitals kills, knowledge of the principles of teaching ethics to create an atmosphere of trust and psychological safety), which facilitate the development of future economists’ communicative culture (motivational, cognitive, and functional components). According to the results of the empirical part of the study, the education stakeholders highly appreciated the effectiveness of professionally significant qualities of teaching producing and their positive correlation. Conclusions. The use of the Pareto rule allows the authors to conclude that the formation of professionally significant t qualities of teaching producing, which make up about 20% of the professional qualities composition for academic staff at universities of economics, determines 80% of the productivity of educational outcomes in terms of developing future economists’ communicative culture. This, in turn, determines the ability of graduates to build communication taking into account the career prospects at various levels of digitalization and interaction with artificial intelligence systems.

The impact of digital transformation on the development of post-war regions of Ukraine

The relevance of the topic of studying the impact of digital transformation on the development of post-war regions of Ukraine is due to the need to improve the economic and social structures of these regions in the current changing environment. In this context, the study aims to identify the potential of digital technologies to support processes in business, education, healthcare and infrastructure, which will help increase competitiveness and ensure the development of these territories. To achieve the main goal, general scientific methods such as analysis, synthesis, induction and deduction were used to study the state of the digital economy and digital transformation of Ukraine's regions, as well as to assess the current state of the country's economy and trade. The results of the study confirm that digital transformation has a significant impact on the development of Ukraine's post-war regions, providing them with new opportunities for economic recovery and social growth. Thus, from 2019 to 2022, the export of IT services increased by 400 million US dollars, which indicates the importance of this sector. Despite a 10% decline in IT services exports in 2023 due to the war, the industry remains critically important to the country's economy. Trade deficits caused by restrictions on agricultural exports and blockades of sea routes can be partly solved by digital technologies that help develop new markets. The use of digital tools in education increases the level of professional skills of the population, and the IT sector continues to attract investments, creating new jobs. Digital technologies also increase the efficiency of infrastructure reconstruction, which contributes to the rapid recovery of regions. Thus, digital transformation is a key catalyst for the development of Ukraine's post-war regions, facilitating their integration into the European socio-economic space and improving the overall living standards of the population. The introduction of digital innovations helps to reduce the gap between the regions and national and global development standards, creating the preconditions for sustainable economic growth and social stability.

Современное состояние и тенденции развития сельскохозяйственной потребительской кооперации

Today, small forms of management in the Russian agro-industrial complex occupy a significant share in the structure of producers for certain groups of agricultural raw materials and food. Institutional transformations that have taken place over decades in the agro-industrial complex have shown the viability of such a form of organization as agricultural cooperation. The advantages that determine the competitiveness of cooperation include reducing transaction costs, economies of scale, increasing the share of rural producers in the final price of products, etc. Modern socio-economic trends dictate new conditions for the formation of food chains and the participation of economic entities in them. In this connection, there is an urgent need to analyze trends in the development of agricultural consumer cooperation. This will make it possible to determine strategic directions for development and justify relevant measures of state support for both small business forms themselves and the cooperative form of their organization. The purpose of the study is to comprehensively analyze and substantiate the development trends of the institution of agricultural consumer cooperation, as the most important component of ensuring food security in Russia in modern conditions. Achieving this goal involves the use of general scientific methods of cognition (historical and logical, comparative and system-structural) and traditional methods of economic analysis. The trends in the development of the Institute of Agricultural Consumer Cooperation have been studied. A comprehensive analysis of the competitive advantages and weaknesses of small business forms in the agro-industrial complex was carried out. The potential for growth of the institution of agricultural consumer cooperation in the conditions of transformation of the socio-economic space has been identified. The experience of supporting agricultural cooperatives in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation was studied. Measures of state support for the development of this institution that are relevant to current trends in economic development are substantiated. The results of the study and the conclusions drawn on their basis will be useful for supporting management decisions in the field of development of the agro-industrial complex, increasing the efficiency of planning and implementing state support for the small business sector in the agro-industrial complex

Researching the possibilities of using digital financial instruments by future economists for sustainable development purposes

Introduction. The authors explore the problem of developing digital financial literacy as the most important characteristic feature of positive financial behavior in the context of the transition to the digital economy. The purpose of this article is to identify priorities and trends in using digital financial instruments by future economists for sustainable development purposes. Materials and Methods. The methodological basis of the study is the strategy of sustainable development, the ideological foundations of which determine the need for readiness to live and act in changing conditions, to plan socio-economic development taking into account the limitations of activities and the consequences of decisions made. The main method of the empirical part of the study is T. Saaty’s scale which was employed in order to identify global priorities in the use of digital financial instruments. A sociological survey was conducted among students of the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Omsk State University named after F.M. Dostoevsky, Omsk State Technical University, schoolchildren of specialized economics classes (Gymnasia 19, Omsk) to identify priorities and trends in the use of digital financial instruments by future economists, taking into account gender and age preferences. Results. The ideas about the level of awareness about the problem of developing digital financial literacy are systematized, explaining the relationship between digital and financial literacy from the point of view of the prospects of the socio-economic space. Global priorities of the use of digital financial instruments by respondents were identified: the general sample prefers to work with optimal combinations of 2 banking payment systems. Analysis of correlations by gender shows that male respondents are better than the sample at the range limits, and female respondents are in the middle. The interpretation of the answers characterizes the women’s choice as stable, middle options of behavior (2-3 cards), which are less risky. Men, on the contrary, consider risk as a challenge that encourages activity, and go to the border of the sample (1-4 cards). A similar trend is typical for the age groups between 17 and 20 years. This, on the one hand, is explained by the psychological peculiarities of gender, and on the other hand, by active advertising campaigns of digital sets of financial services offered by leading Russian banks. An assessment of students’ awareness of new models of the digital economy has been obtained, demonstrating a good correlation as respondents grow older, which determines the positive dynamics of digital financial literacy of future economists (1-4 year undergraduate students) in the light of current labor market trends. Conclusions. The results of the research confirm that active use of digital financial instruments determines affirmative dynamics of positive financial behavior of future economists for the purpose of sustainable socio-economic development.

Nonparametric statistical analysis of system resilience migration and application for electric distribution structures

This paper proposes a set of nonparametric statistical tools for analyzing the system resilience of civil structures and infrastructure and its migration upon changes in critical system parameters. The work is founded on the classic theoretic framework that system resilience is defined in multiple dimensions for a constructed system. Consequentially, system resilience can lose its parametric form as a random variable, falling into the realm of nonparametric statistics. With this nonparametric shift, traditional distribution-based statistics are ineffective in characterizing the migration of system resilience due to the variation of system parameters. Three statistical tools are proposed under the nonparametric statistical resilience analysis (npSRA) framework, including nonparametric copula-based sensitivity analysis, two-sample resilience test analysis, and a novel tool for resilience attenuation analysis. To demonstrate the use of this framework, we focus on electric distribution systems, commonly found in many urban, suburban, and rural areas and vulnerable to tropical storms. A novel procedure for considering resourcefulness parameters in the socioeconomic space is proposed. Numerical results reveal the complex statistical relations between the distributions of system resilience, physical aging, and socioeconomic parameters for the power distribution system. The proposed resilience distance computing and resilience attenuation analysis further suggests two proper nonparametric distance metrics, the Earth Moving Distance (EMD) metric and the Cramévon Mises (CVM) metric, for characterizing the migration of system resilience for electric distribution systems.

Развитие экологического туризма в регионе: холистический подход к управлению стратегическими коммуникациями

In recent decades, there has been a change in the system of tourism development and its gradual integration into the socio-economic space of the regions of the Russian Federation, which requires comprehensive work with goals, risks, and target audiences and involves the use of strategic communication based on a holistic approach. The purpose of the article is to present the concept of the strategy and practice of regional ecological tourism development from the point of view of holistic marketing and strategic management. The issue reflects increased competition between Russian regions for leading positions in the domestic market and the attraction of incoming tourists. The empirical basis of the study is based on holistic marketing and analysis of ecological tourism indicators in the regions over time. The authors of the article conducted a study of modern approaches to the use of strategic communication in the development of ecological tourism in the Ural Federal District of the Russian Federation, as well as the identification of possible development vectors. In the article, the researchers assessed the impact of strategic communication on the ecological tourism management system at the regional level and also determined the role of strategic communication in management decision-making, as well as the use of technologies and tools to minimize risks. Based on the analysis carried out by the authors of the article, a model of strategic communication was developed to achieve the key goal, i.e., the effective development of ecological tourism in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation.

Study of the future economists’ readiness to use artificial intelligence based on the hierarchy analysis method

Introduction. The article examines the problem of increasing the level of digital literacy of future economists in the context of interaction with artificial intelligence systems. The purpose of the study is to assess the readiness of future economists to use artificial intelligence in the context of digital prospects of the socio-economic space. Materials and Methods. The methodological basis of the study is the sustainable development strategy, which identifies educational opportunities, resources and technologies as a global driving force for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The main research method is T. Saaty’s Analytical Hierarchical Process method, which enables to build a flexible hierarchical model for studying the dynamics of future economists’ readiness to use artificial intelligence in the context of developing digital literacy. The authors conducted an online survey of students from the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation, Astrakhan State University, Omsk State Technical University, and schoolchildren from economics classes (Gymnasium 19, Omsk) to assess the future economists’ readiness to use artificial intelligence in the context of the transition to a digital economy. Results. The authors identified gender differences in respondents’ preferences in the use of artificial intelligence: female participants show higher results than the general sample, when choosing one answer about the purposes of personal use of artificial intelligence, and lower, when choosing a combination of answers, male participants show the opposite results, which is explained by the attitude towards risk in terms of gender stereotypes of behavior. When comparing the choice of respondents’ answers for different age groups (16-20 years old), no age peculiarities were discovered, as well as the ambiguous nature of the influence of artificial intelligence on the younger generation of future economists in terms of a decrease in the natural intelligence of young people against the backdrop of digitalization reaching all spheres of life. A high level of awareness of students and schoolchildren regarding the prospects and problem areas of using artificial intelligence in the field of economics and finance was also revealed. Conclusions. The study concludes that future economists are actively interacting with artificial intelligence systems, promoting the formation of digital literacy in the interests of sustainable development.

Drivers and Impacts of Internal Displacement to Kano City, Nigeria: An Empirical Study and Strategic Recommendations

The increasing rate of internal displacement in Nigeria has raised significant concerns regarding its impact on urban management. Forced migration is often seen as an outcome of unpalatable experience in migrants’ communities. This study aims to identify the factors driving mass internal migration to Kano and to explore the relationship between forced migration and the evolving socio-economic conditions in the city. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, including surveys with 1,000 respondents, interviews with 30 individuals, and six focus group discussions (FGDs). Discussion is anchored on Lee’s push-pull theory of migration. The analysis reveals that insurgency, banditry, communal conflicts over socio-economic space, and herders-farmers conflicts are major factors contributing to unprecedented internal displacement, with Kano emerging as a significant recipient of these migrants. Socio-economic life of Kano slums has been altered and migrants are exposed to various risks, including unemployment, hunger, disease, drug abuse and poor upbringing of the young ones. Uncertain future and danger looms ahead if proactive measures are not taken to address conflicts and insecurity in the northern Nigeria. The government should develop strategies to resolve these crises and facilitate the return of forced migrants to their communities, thereby mitigating the socio-economic disruptions in Kano.

Inclusion of the military in the national social and economic space

Methods. In the course of study, the following methods were used: comparative analysis – in analyzing the inclusion of veterans in the socio-economic space of countries where there is a significant number of military personnel returning from conflict zones or discharged from military service; method of analysis and synthesis – in determining the directions of military inclusion in the national socio-economic space; method of classifications – in identifying the main types of business that may be most favorable for Ukrainian veterans in their integration into the national economy; induction and deductions – when formulating research conclusions. Results. The article defines the need and role of military inclusion in the social environment for the stability and development of the country. The reasons and directions for the inclusion of Ukrainian veterans in the socio-economic space of the country are identified to ensure the psychological and social well-being of veterans, the effective use of human capital, political stability, cultural integration and social justice. It is substantiated that Ukraine should develop measures to fight for a person and for the humanity in working with the military and the population affected by combat operational stress, and create a unified system for the treatment and socialization of war veterans. It is established that the choice of future business depends on the individual skills, interests and experience of veterans, as well as on market conditions and available resources in the country. The author emphasizes the need for support from the state and public organizations to ensure the successful start and development of business by former military personnel. The author summarizes that stimulating business for veterans in Ukraine requires a comprehensive approach that includes financial, educational, consulting, information and infrastructure support. This will help veterans successfully integrate into the economic life of the country and contribute to its development. Novelty. It is proved that the inclusion of former military personnel in the socio-economic space of the country in the context of the social, economic and political plane will shape Ukraine as a country dominated by inclusive development in general, and for veterans will facilitate their integration into civilian life and their active involvement in the development of the country. Practical value. The results of the study can be used by institutions in the process of developing strategies and programs for the inclusion of veterans in the socio-economic space at both the regional and national levels of the country.

Innovative development of small resort towns: the triad of science, business, and education

Urban areas are places associated with the transformation of ideas into practices, social initiatives, and spatial economics. The study aims to assess the triad interaction between education, science, and business as a multiplier on the socio-economic development in the region. The study built a conceptual model of socio-economic space in the context of innovative urban development: the unity of education, science, and business. The statistical analysis allowed the author to substantiate the peculiarities of the local triad. The study revealed correlations in the influence of education, science, and business on changes in the regional system. The paper suggests that the triad of education, science, and business rests on territorial specifics. This feature is the determining factor of innovative development in the field of resort towns. The presented research uses the quantitatively measured influence of the triad as a multiplier by combining values of the unity of education, science, and business. The study found that the mentioned indicator reflects the wellbeing and quality of the labor resources in the region. On the one hand, the multiplicative influence of the triad is a guarantee of an increase in the wellbeing level within the borders of the region. On the other hand, it requires adaptation of the innovative development of resort towns to the current growth of the workforce and a decrease in innovative advantages on a local scale. The findings provide policymakers with significant indicators on the way to stabilizing the regional economy and effective decision-making. The study of the interaction between education, science, and business in the context of socioeconomic development can become a crucial tool for formulating policies aimed at stabilizing the region's economy and improving the quality of life of its residents, particularly in resort cities. The obtained results can provide guidelines for the development of innovation support programs and the planning of investment strategies, taking into account the specifics of territorial conditions.

Analysis of determinants of the influence of the external economic sphere on economic security of the state

The object of research is a list of the main factors of influence of the foreign economic sphere on the level of economic security. The effective development of the national economy largely depends on the state and level of economic security of the country in the conditions of strengthening globalization and integration processes. An adequate level of economic security is the basis for the development of socio-economic systems of any level, stability in society in general. Therefore, assessment and analysis of factors affecting economic security at different levels (countries, businesses, enterprises and organizations) is an important direction of the analytical work of specialists. For its implementation, analysts need a methodology – to determine the goal and interests, the main influencing factors and principles, to choose methodological and analytical tools. In the scientific works of economists, the methodology, level, and indicators are given as separate aspects of the formation and management of the economic security of the state. Without denying the significant contribution of these developments, the conducted research sets out the systematization of factors influencing the state of the macroeconomic environment. The study of factors influencing the macroeconomic sphere on the level of economic security of the country is based on the use of indicators calculated from available statistical data. The last twenty years, which showed an increase in world GDP almost twofold (from 51.39 trillion USD in 2000 to 101.12 trillion USD in 2020), are characterized by the loss of opportunities for the Ukrainian economy to be present on the world stage a market where competition is intensifying and carried out at a new technological level. The work defines the national economic interests of Ukraine in the global socio-economic space, the directions of the realization of the national interests of Ukraine, the dynamics of indicators of the development of the macroeconomic sphere. This made it possible to form a list of the main influential factors of the macroeconomic sphere, which directly shape the level of economic security of the state. The results of the research can be useful for the formation or adaptation of development strategies of countries with similar conditions and economies, such as Georgia, Moldova, which also have conflicts with Russia and seek to join the European Union.

Face-to-face bullying in and outside of schools and cyberbullying are associated with suicidality in Kenyan high school students: a public health issue

BackgroundChildhood bullying has been classified as a major public health concern by WHO, with negative effects on the health education and social outcomes of both bullies and victims. There is no current Kenyan data on the prevalence of face-to-face bullying and cyberbullying co-occurring in the same cohort of youth and how they are associated with different aspects of suicidality and socio-demographic characteristics. This study aims to fill these gaps in the Kenyan situation so as to inform current policy and practice.MethodologyThis cross-sectional study involved 2,652 students from ten secondary schools in Kenya, selected from three regions representing different levels of public funded schools and socioeconomic spaces. The outcome variable was derived from the questionnaire which asked students questions related to self-harm, suicide thoughts, plans, and attempts. Predictor variables were based on response on experience of bullying in school, out of school, at home, and cyberbullying. Other variables such as gender, age, family background, and class were also collected from the self-reported questions. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 25, with descriptive summary statistics and chi-square tests used to examine variables, and logistic regression analysis used to determine the associations between suicidality and experience of bullying.ResultsThe mean age was 16.13 years. More than half of the participants were male, with the largest proportion living in rural areas. Face-to-face bullying was more prevalent than cyberbullying, with 82% of participants experiencing bullying and 68% experiencing it almost daily in the past six months. Both face-to-face bullying and cyberbullying were associated with suicidal thoughts, plans, and attempts. Predictors of suicidal attempts included being bullied outside of school and being a victim of group bullying, while being bullied every day and being bullied by adult men were predictors of suicidal attempts in cyberbullying.ConclusionThere is a high prevalence of face-to-face bullying both in and outside schools. There is also a high prevalence of cyberbullying. Both face-to-face and cyberbullying are associated with suicidality in Kenyan high school students.

Clustering of the Russian Federation regions by human capital development level

Subject. This article discusses the issues of heterogeneity of the socio-economic space of Russia. Objectives. The article aims to determine the priority areas of regional socio-economic policy depending on the level of human capital development. Methods. For the study, we used logical and statistical analyses. Results. The article finds that the regions of Russia differ significantly in terms of economic parameters and highlights general measures aimed at improving the quality of human capital. Relevance. The results of the study can be used to design programmes for the development of economic sectors.

Методические подходы к оценке развития региональной социально-культурной среды

Development of socio-cultural environment determines model formation of society behavior as a humanitarian and economic system. There is a close relationship between spiritual, moral and economic development of the society. Heterogeneity of socio-economic space of Russia determines differentiation of conditions of human capital reproduction in the regional context. In its turn, the formed set of cultural and moral values and behavioral models affects the development of economic interaction mechanism at the meso-level. The importance of quantitative estimation of socio-cultural environment development is determined by the necessity to specify the goals and objectives of cultural policy in the strategies generation of socio-economic development of the regions. The purpose of the study is to develop methodological approaches to assessing the development of regional socio-cultural environment, which is represented by three components: cultural and educational, cultural and informative and cultural and leisure activities. Specific assessment indicators are proposed and index of socio-cultural development of individual territories is calculated on their basis. Relying on the developed methodological approaches, a comparative analysis of socio-cultural environment development of the Central Federal District regions was carried out. The proposed methodology allows identifying the main directions for effectiveness improvement of regional cultural policy as one of the mechanisms of human capital formation.

Factors of Sustainable Development of Sports Infrastructure: Dynamism of Interaction and Regulated Self-Organization

In the context of the implementation of the infrastructure model and the formation of a creative economy, one of the priority areas for the development of the sphere of physical culture and sports is the provision of sports infrastructure. The severity and complexity of the problems of development of the infrastructure component of the industry the choice of the direction of this study and its relevance were determined. The purpose of the study: to identify the key factors for the sustainable development of sports infrastructure, the dynamism of the interaction of which forms the trajectory of its sustainable development in the conditions of regulated self-organization of the socio-economic space of sectoral development. The methodological basis of the study is a systematic approach from the standpoint of evolutionary dynamics and a set of scientific methods: process, classification, methods of adaptive control theory and complexity theory. The axiomatics of self-organization is taken into account, including the allocation of development factors. The normative basis of the study is federal laws and by-laws that regulate the activities of sports infrastructure facilities. In the process of research, the key factors for the sustainable development of sports infrastructure were identified, the dynamism and synergy of their interaction was characterized in conjunction with the regulated self-organization of the space of socio-economic relations of industry entities, a scheme of a layer-by-level ecosystem of the sphere of physical education, culture and sport infrastructure was developed, the need to improve the tools for a balanced mechanism of state regulation and entrepreneurial activities to achieve the goals of socio-economic development of the national economy were substantiated.

Small Cities: Results of The Struggle Between Two Positions

The destruction of the USSR led to the deindustrialization of Russia, particularly in small cities, including the closure of agro-industrial enterprises closely connected with the disrupted agricultural sector. The reduction/alteration of the labour market in small towns and rural areas caused population outflow, fundamentally distinguishing contemporary mass migration. The scale of moving to gas and oil production areas and capital cities has increased. Significant regional disparities in salaries also became a factor, even seen in the minimum wage (MROT), upon which many calculations and allowances rely. For instance, in Moscow in 2023, it stands at 24,801 rubles, while in the Yaroslavl region, it's 16,242 rubles. The formation of a "service economy" in the guise of a "servant economy" (security, cleaning, resale, catering, food delivery, tutoring, etc.), often yielding good income but not demanding specialised knowledge, is another factor propelling migration from peripheral areas.
 The depopulation of Central Russia, Siberia, the North, and the Far East, coupled with the loss of food security, demanded that the government formulate plans for the country's territorial development. This article analyses two development concepts characterising the discourse within the spatial infrastructure of the country. The first relies on the economic efficiency of investments in agglomerations and the unprofitability of supporting small settlements. Its proponents' arguments were most clearly articulated by E.S. Nabiullina in 2011 when she held the position of Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation. This concept continues the traditions initiated by the "young reformers" in the 1990s: what brings quick revenue and reduces costs is considered promising.
 The second concept is based on analysing the functions of small cities as elements not only of the economic infrastructure but also of the geopolitical, domestic political, geographic, and social infrastructure. The article particularly emphasises the works of scholars from related disciplines such as geography and economics, enabling a more comprehensive understanding of the role and position of small cities within the socio-economic space of the country.

Features of interethnic relations in the perceptions of residents of a multiethnic region (a case study of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic)

The aim of this article is to present the results of an analysis of interethnic relations among the population of the Kabardino-Balkar Republic, with a focus on identifying local peculiarities and key trends in everyday life that impact ethnic interactions. The research methodology is based on a comprehensive approach to the study of the phenomenon of interethnic relations in a comparative context. For the purposes of this research, this approach combines quantitative and qualitative methods of sociology, statistical data, elements of expert analysis, and personal interviews in various situations. The integration of qualitative and quantitative strategies allows us to examine interethnic relations in the republic from different perspectives. Comparative sociological analysis reveals the spatial levels of interethnic relations and the extent to which they are influenced by specific local-territorial contexts. The use of data from mass republican surveys and materials from interviews and group discussions has enabled the presentation of assessments of interethnic relations, the analysis of the specifics of ethno-cultural composition and land use, the historical memory of the people, the features of ethnic self-awareness, and issues related to ethnic representation. The heterogeneity of the socio-economic space, varying levels of urbanisation in the territory, persistent unemployment levels, and active migration processes were taken into account as circumstances that influence the interethnic climate in the republic. The analysis conducted revealed specific regional features and issues that directly and indirectly determine the level of interethnic tension and stimulate mobilisation strategies. The obtained results can be a part of the social diagnosis of development resources for the republic within the multiethnic North Caucasus macro-region and the development of an effective strategy for regulating interethnic relations that meet the needs and interests of the residents of Kabardino-Balkaria.