Strengthening the Competitiveness of Regional Labor Markets in Ukraine as a Mechanism for Countering Security Challenges

Abstract

The article updates the issue of ensuring the competitiveness of regional labor markets of Ukraine in conditions of critical instability caused by the consequences of the full-scale war. The aim of the study is to substantiate the priorities and tools for strengthening the competitiveness of regional labor markets in Ukraine as a mechanism for confronting security challenges. It was noted that the war became a systemic challenge not only to the functioning, but also to the preservation of the civilized labor market. It has been proven that, in the current situation, the State administration and local self-government bodies should activate, first of all, the economic tools of regulation in order to preserve the key structural characteristics of the labor market, existing jobs and opportunities for employment, self-employment, available human and, in particular, labor-resource capital, but also rational use of potentially new opportunities. At this, the main focus should be on preserving the human potential of the country and its regions against the background of high migration activity of the population. Four key directions of the regional policy of strengthening the competitiveness of the regional labor markets of Ukraine have been identified: 1) structural; 2) normative and legal; 3) infrastructural; 4) security. It is shown that from the point of view of subjects of regulation, regional policy should be oriented towards overcoming the main challenges, risks and threats to the functioning of the labor market and their impact on the regional economy. From this position, the entire range of economic levers and means of management is contrasted with the factors and consequences of: 1) the full-scale war; 2) post-war reconstruction of national and regional economies; 3) the preservation of systemic problems and obstacles to the functioning of the labor market; 4) the development of its structural asymmetries, on the one hand, and, on the other hand, the specifics and impact of migration processes on the regional socioeconomic system. It is decided that this method is characterized by timeliness and systematicity, adaptability to the existential challenges of the existence of Ukraine, its integrity and security.

Keywords

• labor market
• region
• competitiveness
• security
• challenges
• threats
• war