Smoothing interregional disparities in the digital economy

• Bushueva M.A.

  Marina A. Bushueva. Plekhanov Russian University of Economics (Ivanovo branch). Ivanovo. Russia

• Masuk N.N.

  Natalya N. Masyuk. Vladivostok State University. Vladivostok. Russia

• Куликова Оксана Михайловна

  Oksana M. Kulikova.Vladivostok State University. Vladivostok. Russia

• Aleksander A. Bogomolov

  Aleksander A. Bogomolov. Vladivostok State University. Vladivostok. Russia

Abstract. Smoothing interregional disparities in the realm of a digital economy implies reducing differences as to economy development, access to resources and regions capacity within the country. The relevance of the study results from the issue crucial for achieving balanced development and sustainable growth of the regions. International organizations like UN and OECD have emphasized the importance of
bridging the digital divide so that no region is left behind in the digital economy. The authors argue that smoothing interregional disparities in the digital economy depends on the level of technological progress, which can contribute both to eliminating and exacerbating regional disparities. The paper topic has arisen from the growing gap between the regions as to their economic development, which is further influenced by
the progress in digital technologies. In a more and more increasingly digitalized world a digital economy has the capacity to either exacerbate or mitigate that regional inequality. The subject of the study is the concept of smoothing interregional disparities, which involves the adoption of policies, technologies and strategies that can narrow the economic gap between more and less developed regions. Disparities at the
regional level effect broader national or global patterns. Some regions in the country being digitally developed and others lagging behind, the overall economic structure of the country becomes uneven. It turns out to be a challenge for politicians that causes increasing economic concentration in more developed regions and stagnation or decline in less developed regions. Revealed in the paper are key challenges and reasons of interregional disparities. Suggested here is the methodology of grouping Russian regions by their development level with the tools of cluster and geospatial analysis applied. Defined in the research are strategies for smoothing interregional disparities.
Keywords: smoothing, interregional inequality, interregional disparities, regional development, clusters, cluster analysis, geospatial analysis.