Comparative competitiveness of Russian regions: the main factors and modern trends

The study presents the results of multifactorial integral evaluation of the economy competitiveness of regional (the subjects of the Russian Federation) in 2010-2013. Regional competitiveness is seen as actually implemented competitiveness in real market conditions, from a perspective of practical implementation in the current economic activity of the entire complex of competitive advantages and limitations of economic growth of regions. This approach to definition is conceptually different from the content interpretation in other analytical studies characterizing competitiveness exceptionally as a potential competitive ability. An important feature of the assessment of regional competitiveness in this study is a priority not only achieved its comparative level of characteristics, but also their current dynamics. This assessment of the regions is carried out on the basis of the calculation of the integral index of competitiveness, which allows comparing its current level, not only with other regions, but also with average Russian background. Integral index of competitiveness of regions synthesizes assessments due to the most important components, including the overall effectiveness of the regional economy, the level of real income of the population, investment activity of private investors, the level of small enterprise development, the current financial standing of the enterprises, the level of activity of enterprises in the international commodity markets, the level of fiscal capacity of the regions, the innovative activity in the regions. For each component of regional competitiveness the most representative indicator has been identified. This indicator is built on the basis of statistical reporting on the Russian regions. The results of the calculations showed a significant differentiation of the current level of competitiveness of Russian regions. On the one hand, the leading position occupied the major economic centers of the country, the cities of Moscow and St. Petersburg, a number of industrialized regions of the Central Volga and Urals federal districts, as well as some regions of Siberia and the Far East, specialized on the production of hydrocarbons and non-ferrous metals. On the other hand, the extremely low level of the current competitiveness of the economy observed in several regions of the European part of Russia, in the North Caucasus, in the border regions of the eastern part of the Russian Federation. Along with this assessment of trends in regional competitiveness in recent years reflects the stable character of the serious problems in the competitive development of the economies of the majority of Russian regions.