Home – Home – Jornals – Region: Economics and Sociology 2025 number 1

The modern concept of regional policy emerged during the early post-Soviet period, a time characterized by radical reforms and acute crises. The outcome of numerous reformative and anti-crisis “trial-and-error" approaches was a fragmented conglomerate of goals, objectives, institutions, and regulatory measures that addressed individual aspects of regional development in an uncoordinated and inconsistent manner. This lack of synergy in regulating spatial development resulted in an unsystematic framework dispersed across various legal acts and institutions. Such fragmentation complicates the effective organization and functioning of regional policy, fosters departmental disunity and inconsistency, and results in contradictory actions. As a consequence, regional policy is perceived as cumbersome and costly; it is often criticized for ineffectiveness. Years of partial innovations have further complicated this framework without delivering substantial overall improvements. To radically enhance the efficiency and impact of regional policy, a systemic streamlining of it as an integral phenomenon is required, transforming it into a cohesive and consistently evolving framework. This need is reinforced by the formal conclusion of the current Fundamentals of State Regional Policy in 2025. This article substantiates the rationale, prerequisites, and conceptual provisions for this proposed systematization and outlines its critical directions.

The current structure and parameters of energy supply and fuel consumption in the Arctic zone of Krasnoyarsk Krai reveal specific features of energy provision. The Arctic zone of the region is predominantly urban, with 88% of the population under study residing in cities. Its majority is concentrated in Norilsk, where the energy supply is supported by local resources and closely tied to the extraction and processing of non-ferrous and precious metal ores. The Arctic zone of Krasnoyarsk Krai hosts a large, technically isolated energy system comprising thermal and hydroelectric power plants, power transmission lines, and a gas pipeline. In contrast, remote and hard-to-reach areas, where the population mainly lives in rural settings, rely on diesel power plants for energy. These areas also have small boiler houses that supply thermal energy to social facilities such as schools, hospitals, and kindergartens. The development prospects of the Arctic zone in Krasnoyarsk Krai are linked to mineral resource development projects. These projects necessitate the enhancement and expansion of the energy infrastructure, which will drive not only industrial growth but also improvements in the social environment. As a result of our analysis, a change in the structure of energy generation capacity is expected to support both production processes and a higher quality of life for the population. Socio-economic and environmental assessment have been conducted to evaluate the current state of the region's Arctic zone and the potential impacts of promising projects.

This study presents a methodology for assessing challenges and threats to a region’s sustainable development as manifested in the sphere of population income. It outlines the theoretical foundations and historical aspects of the concept of sustainable development. The methods and criteria for identifying challenges and threats in the population income sphere are highlighted. These criteria include deviations of indicators from normative values, exceeding thresholds, significant lags from national averages for positive trends, surpassing averages for negative trends, prolonged negative dynamics, and/or a negative trend as opposed to positive nationwide patterns. Based on global and national Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Russia’s national SDG indicator framework, we identify the main indicators of challenges and threats in the population income sphere. The methodology is tested using state statistical data over more than 30 years, focusing on an agro-industrial region, namely Altai Krai. Normative and threshold values are determined, guided by the concepts of sustainable development, economic security, and social reproduction, to assess the severity and persistence of challenges and threats in the population income sphere in Altai Krai. The study identifies the following key challenges and threats: (1) Excessively low incomes, reflected in a sustained and significant lag in the growth of real incomes and wages compared to 1990 levels and national averages, as well as in the low purchasing power of per capita monetary incomes and average monthly wages; and (2) Widespread poverty and persistently high income inequality that exceeds established thresholds.

Human activities are influenced, among other factors, by the value systems to which individuals adhere. These values develop gradually, change minimally, and depend on national, regional, and industry-specific characteristics. For the most part, their impact on people’s behavior and perceptions is stable and difficult to control. However, understanding these values and managing people effectively can enhance work efficiency. Sverdlovsk Oblast, as a distinct territory in Russia and the Urals, has a unique history and diverse landscapes, it plays a significant role in the country’s economy and industry. This has historically shaped a specific system of values among the people of the Urals, which can and should be leveraged in personnel management to improve employee performance. The purpose of this study is to identify and substantiate the key foundational values of the “mining civilization" that have emerged in the Urals and explore their application in managing personnel at regional enterprises. The research employs several methods, including a retrospective and historical analysis of industrial enterprises’ activities across different historical periods, interviews with managers of enterprises in Sverdlovsk Oblast and government officials interacting with them, and focus groups with experts in personnel management. The findings reveal that the workforce of Ural enterprises exhibits particular values that complement, rather than replace, the core values of the average Russian worker. Due to the region’s importance and historical context, workers here demonstrate a sense of selectivity and the special role of Ural enterprises in the country’s development (e.g., “The Urals as the backbone of Russia", “The Urals as the stronghold of mining civilization", “The Urals as the crossroads of civilizations "). These values are distinctive to the region’s inhabitants. Incorporating the Urals ’ unique value system into personnel management strategies can, in our view, boost employee productivity and facilitate effective career guidance for young people, encouraging them to remain in the region.

This article examines the challenges of “macro-regionalization" in the international relations of the Russian Federation, using the economic and scientific-technical interactions between Siberia and Central Asia as a case study. The potential for economic development in Central Asia, one of the rapidly growing macro-regions of the Eurasian continent, is analyzed. The study emphasizes the need to abandon outdated myths and stereotypes when evaluating economic and scientific-technical interactions between Central Asian countries and the regions of Siberia. Two key misconceptions are highlighted: a) Siberia is merely a “resource colony" of Russia with an underdeveloped technological system, still trapped in a “resource curse"; and b) Kazakhstan and the former Central Asian republics are economically underdeveloped post-Soviet states. The article concludes that, within the evolving framework of Russia’s transboundary interactions in recent years, Central Asia should become one of the most significant areas for international cooperation. The outcomes of the 2nd International Conference “Siberia-Central Asia: Economic, Historical, and Humanitarian Interactions" (Novosibirsk, October 2024) are reviewed. Additionally, we discuss approaches to forming the strategic initiative “Siberia-Central Asia Economic and Scientific-Technical Bridge" and establishing an international consortium of analytical centers on this issue as a tool for scientific support.

Central Asia, as defined by most international organizations, comprises five independent states: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Russia has historically been an important partner for this region, with deep-rooted foundations for interaction. However, despite the economic rationale for closer integration, the relationship remains fragmented. Over the 30 years of independence, only partial integration mechanisms have been established with no signs of a coherent economic space due to considerable obstacles to integration. This article analyzes the economies of Central Asian countries and the challenges facing the region that hinder interactions. The obstacles include disparities in economic development levels among the states, the instability of their political systems in response to external and internal shocks, and the incomplete nature of reform processes. These challenges are further compounded by rising geopolitical tensions in neighboring areas. The study evaluates the outcomes of cooperation between Central Asian countries and Russia up to 2015 and examines the reforms initiated since 2016 that have contributed to strengthening interactions. It highlights the need for a country capable of systematically leading integration efforts in the region at this modern stage. Based on an analysis of internal and external barriers to economic rapprochement, we identify Kazakhstan as the most suitable candidate to assume this role.

The article provides an expert opinion on the development of transport infrastructure in Western Siberia, which expands and strengthens foreign economic relations with China and Central Asian countries. It presents current data on freight volumes and the development of the transport and logistics infrastructure of the Novosibirsk transport hub. The figures cited are based on an analysis of transport operations in Novosibirsk Oblast conducted by the Union of Transport, Forwarder and Logistic Companies of Siberia at the request of the Government of Novosibirsk Oblast. The analysis of existing freight transportation schemes reveals that the infrastructure of the Novosibirsk transport and logistics hub serves not only the economic needs of Novosibirsk Oblast itself but also those of neighboring areas in Western Siberia, including Omsk, Tomsk, and Kemerovo Oblasts, Altai Krai, parts of Krasnoyarsk Krai, and some adjacent districts in Kazakhstan. Established routes include connections from Novosibirsk to Russia’s Far Eastern ports and further to China and Asia-Pacific countries, as well as Novosibirsk-Vladivostok-China, Novosibirsk-Zabaykalsk-China, andNovosibirsk-Kazakhstan-China. New logistics chains are also emerging, extending to countries in the Global South, such as Novosibirsk-Central Asian countries-Iran-India. The continued expansion of these transport links largely depends on the development level of the transport and logistics infrastructure at the Novosibirsk hub.

Awareness of the need to shift the development paradigm has led to the formation of the circular economy (CE) concept and the search for practical ways to transition industries and business sectors to this new model. Despite the limited research on the applicability of the CE concept in tourism, as noted by many authors, there is growing recognition that the circular transition and the application of CE principles by participants in the tourism sector are inevitable. However, there are several significant organizational, economic, and institutional barriers - both general and specific to the tourism sector - that hinder CE formation and development. Studies on triggers and barriers identify underdeveloped institutional conditions as the primary obstacles to the circular transformation of tourism. These include the failure to incorporate transition goals into strategies and plans for the development of tourism and tourist destinations, as well as the insufficient infrastructure needed to support CE functioning. The current research seeks to assess the maturity level of these conditions in the Russian economy’s tourism sector. It aims to determine the extent to which the goals and objectives for environmentally oriented infrastructure modernization and the creation of tourism CE infrastructure are reflected in official strategic planning documents at various levels of governance. The research findings indicate that, at the federal level, goals and objectives are being set for CE formation and certain components of CE infrastructure. Measures are being taken to establish the necessary institutional and organizational conditions, although there remains a lack of deep understanding of the CE concept and awareness of the need for a systematic approach to building CE infrastructure. At the regional and municipal levels, such goals are not set, even in the long term. This represents a significant barrier to the implementation of federal initiatives and highlights the need for meaningful coordination of goals and strategies to ensure their achievement.

The relevance of this study stems from the need to accelerate the transition of the Russian tourism industry, particularly the accommodation sector, to the principles of sustainable development. This transition emphasizes the rational use of resources, preservation of cultural values, and engagement of local communities. The study aims to identify challenges and determine the conditions and tools necessary for promoting ESG principles in the Russian tourism sector. The focus of the research is on the current level of environ-mentalization (“greening") in domestic accommodation facilities, as well as the factors that hinder or stimulate the industry’s transition toward eco-friendliness and sustainable development. The study methodology involved a survey of accommodation industry representatives, including owners, managers, and line staff, from various regions of the Russian Federation. A total of 73 questionnaires were collected and analyzed. Additionally, data from open sources, including information on tourists’ preferences regarding sustainable tourism, were utilized. The results indicate that, at present, Russian accommodation facilities primarily implement measures that yield direct savings of resources such as energy and water. However, expert organizations’ recommendations have minimal influence on their “green" agenda. The main obstacles include a lack of domain-specific knowledge, concerns about high costs, insufficient incentives, and low demand for ecotourism products among tourists. The study revealed a strong demand for state support and the creation of a “best ESG practices " repository of in tourism. Most respondents expressed support for establishing a national certification system for eco-friendly and sustainable accommodation facilities. The conclusions and recommendations of this study can be used by government bodies to develop relevant policies, as well as by industry associations and accommodation managers in formulating sustainable development strategies.

The article examines the main results and prospective research directions of the Department of Regional and Municipal Administration at the Institute of Economics and Industrial Engineering SB RAS, including the methodological foundations of the strategic planning and management system, the principles and structural elements for forming a new model of managing a region’s socio-economic processes in the context of global economic transformations, the key components of a new strategic management mechanism for the economy, and the justification of management models for the development of Russian regions under geopolitical and economic challenges and threats. Through the analysis and synthesis of institutional aspects of state and municipal authorities’ activities, the study identifies the features of the modern management structure and proposes directions for establishing a coherent system of regional and municipal development management. It also determines the main elements of the state and municipal governance mechanism under new socio-economic conditions in the Russian Federation. The article discusses the key provisions of the regional and municipal management concept under current conditions, which include considering economic interests and contradictions in regional economic development, analyzing interactions between state and market structures, developing an institutional system for managing regional development, assessing the efficiency of regional economic management, and studying formation of a socio-economic environment that enhances the competitiveness of cities and districts. This is achieved by increasing investment attractiveness and ensuring the effective use of budgetary funds. These measures will create the prerequisites for transitioning to a management model that ensures real economic autonomy and strengthens the role of municipal entities in implementing regional economic development strategies.

Digital transformation is a key factor in improving the productivity of Russian enterprises. The national project titled “Labor Productivity” aims to stimulate productivity growth at the enterprise level, including through the adoption of digital technologies. A digital platform, эффективность.рф, developed by the Autonomous Non-Commercial Organization Digital Productivity Technologies (CTP), operates as part of this project. The platform provides enterprises with tools for digitalizing business processes, helping to optimize production chains, reduce costs, and improve management efficiency. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the government-proposed digitalization mechanism and its demand among enterprises. The subject of the research is the interaction of enterprises with the эффективность.рф digital ecosystem. The study formulates the hypothesis that a systematic and comprehensive approach to state regulation and support measures is essential for advancing enterprise digitalization. The article employs methods of structural and dynamic analysis using data from the Unified Interdepartmental Statistical Information System (UISIS), the digital platforms производительность.рф and эффективность.рф, and the SPARK-Interfax analytical system. We have conducted semi-structured interviews to gather feedback from enterprises participating in the national project regarding the effectiveness of the digital platform. The study analyzes the performance metrics of the эффективность.рф digital ecosystem over the period 2021-2024. The survey results reveal low awareness and interest among enterprises regarding the эффективность.рф platform. The research identifies the challenges enterprises face in digitalizing within the framework of this interaction mechanism. Despite the availability of domestic IT solutions, many enterprises remain unprepared or uninterested in adopting them. The findings of this study can contribute to identifying ways to improve enterprise engagement with the platform, facilitating the successful implementation of digital technologies within the framework of the national project.