Practical aspects of the assessment of economic space

Abstract

The subject of this research is determination of the peculiarities of assessing spatial characteristics of the development of socioeconomic systems of different scales. Special attention is given to the author’s approach towards assessment of economic space, which can become the basis for universal methodology suitable for comprehensive characteristics of spatial specificity of the economic phenomena and processes. The methodological framework of this research is comprised of the general scientific methods of theoretical and empirical cognition (scientific abstraction, analysis, and synthesis), as well as special methods of comparative analysis (Theil index and Hall-Tideman index). As a result of generalization, systematization and critical reevaluation of the methods of assessing the characteristics of economic space presented in the scientific literature, the author offers an original approach. It is based on the analysis of such spatial characteristics as asset security, homogeneity, and coherence. The peculiarity of this approach lies in consideration of the parameters of localization of objects, as well as the specificity of socioeconomic conditions established in the territory. Testing of the author’s approach allowed comparing the spatial characteristics of the development of foodservice industry in the regions of Middle Ural. It is revealed that Sverdlovsk Oblast outstrips Perm Krai in the level of foodservice industry (although its regional space is more heterogeneous), and the Perm Krai is characterized with a higher concentration of food services. It is proven that the proposed approach towards assessing the economic space can underlie the applied in practice methodological toolset; and thus, is promising for implementation in managing spatial transformations of the country and its separate territorial units.