Dominants of Socio-economic Regional Development in Ukraine

Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to study the current dominants of socio-economic regional development in the context of Ukraine’s entry into the European community. By analyzing, systematizing and summarizing the scientific work of many researchers, it has been discovered that one of the key reasons for the increase of regional disproportions in Ukraine is the fragmentation of the use of existing potential (natural resources, human capital, perspective geographic location). The study found a high level of disproportionality in the regional development in Ukraine, which leads to a violation of the unified integrated economic space of the country. Thus, the share of interregional turnover in the GDP of the country in recent years does not exceed 25 %, and economic growth continues to be localized in industrial, financial and transport-transit centers within the regions. On this basis, trends of local isolationism are formed, which further inhibit interregional exchange and the spread of interregional cooperation. In analyzing the dynamics of the ratios of the minimum and maximum values of the indicators of socio-economic regional development, it was established that the reduction of the size of the disproportions is due to the absence of an increase in the indicators of weak regions, and a decrease in the indicators of strong regions. In addition, the high proportion of Kiev for each of the indicators reflects the excessive level of centralization of the economy. Based on the results of the analysis, as an instrument for balancing the development of individual territories, the implementation of the concept of smart specialization strategy into the domestic business practice is proposed, since it is on its grounds that it is possible to unlock the regional potential for structural and technological changes, as well as to increase the level of social inclusion of the inhabitants of certain territories through the development of the necessary infrastructure for quality provision of their needs and interests directly at their place of residence.

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