The paper considers the methodology of systemic regional studies including the peculiarities of the object and method of analysis; identifies the reasons of mismatching a basic model of regional studies and the most critical regional problems, and describes the contradiction between the new objectives of regional development, on the one hand, and Russian regional policy, on the other hand. The paper analyses the relation of regional and economic policies, and the issues of how to ensure the adequate information support for studies and to provide the management of regional development processes.
Proceeding from a view that a municipal level of governance seems to be a matter-of-course basis both for federate relations and an effective decentralized decision-making system in modern economy, we consider the development issues of municipal units and population settlement patterns. We also discuss what informational base is required to make good strategic decisions on of population settlement patterns, and try to identify what threats the recessionary events, which are progressing in Russian economy, may pose to municipal units and what capacities municipal units have to resist.
The paper analyses the statistical assessments concerning Russian regional development in 2007-2008, and gives a forecast of the socio-economic regional development for the period of time up to 2011. The scale of the recovery growth by 2012 is presented here as well as the basic trends in spatial structure. Our calculations show that most RF regions, within the framework of an experts' moderately optimistic scenario of possible development in the Russian Federation, will overcome an active phase of their economic recession by 2012.
The paper analyses how the regional differentiation of real sectors of the economy and intergovernmental relations changed over the last few years. We consider the links between economic growth and regional differentiation as well as the trends of how regional fiscal equilibrium changes including those changes caused by regional merging processes.
We assess some indicators of regional economic activity which can show the competitiveness of a region, and analyze key factors which are of importance for their higher competitiveness and which we consider to be an empirical basis for assessing regional competitiveness. Factors and impetus to higher regional competitiveness are classified. To illustrate our conclusions, we compared some competitive positions of the Novosibirsk Oblast with those for other regions of the Siberian Federal District.
The intersectoral instruments proposed to assess disbenefits of a project being implemented in a region allow analyzing not only the effect of the project on a local economy, as a limited number of contiguous and visible links are taken into consideration, but also its effect on a national economy. To illustrate this, we applied here the natural gas development project for Yamal peninsula. In our opinion, the intensive implementation of this project is required even if the world's demand for gas drops.
The paper analyzes the regional legislative improvements of external economic relations made by the Sakhalin Oblast's authorities, and shows that this process should be intensified since the potential of the region, being a frontier one, has not been fully realized despite its positive dynamics in foreign trade and foreign investments.
This sociological research is devoted to the analysis of labour market and educational services in the Novosibirsk Oblast, and shows employers' demand both for professional training (types and levels) and employees' competences (professional and social).
We show how the labour behaviour and stuffing models are shaping in an innovation sector of the economy as well as the incentives and factors of such shaping. We also assess to what degree the educational, professional, labour and personality potential of the professionally trained youth is presently utilized.
The paper shows what the project connecting the Trans-Korean and Trans-Siberian railways contributes to the Russia-Republic of Korea cooperation aimed at the development of the Far East and Siberia natural resources. We identified the alternative variants of implementing the project as well as the advantages that the Republic of Korea would have in comparison with other potential parties of the project. We consider the project to be of high risk.
