Аpproach to assessing the territorial differentiation of the digital economy development

An original model and methodology for the integral assessment of the territorial district's digitalization level is proposed. It is noted that modern studies in the subject area are mainly aimed at obtaining values of aggregated indicators (indices) based on expert judgments, which in some cases may be biased. The considered approach to the integral assessment of the territorial district's digitaliza-tion level uses expert opinion only at the stage of building a model. A generalized measure is formed on the basis of the model, which excludes subjectivity in the conduct of assessment studies. The proposed model is based on a functional network as a kind of a directed graph. The graph is structured by levels, selected on the basis of the types of data which is initially used and obtained during the calculations. The problem of determining the values of weight coefficients, which are used in the calculations of the generalized measure, is emphasized. It was proposed to eliminate the influence of the subjective factor moving away from the expert definition of measures by weighting the particular indicators, which are included in the integral evaluation. Further, it is proposed to proceed to the definition of indicators based on the calculation one of the measures of variability - the standard deviation. The proposed assessment model is based on the availability of data on digitalization processes. In addition, the basis of its construction is based on other principles that distinguish the described approach from the alternative ones: hierarchy, modularity and balance of evaluation. It is characterized by relative simplicity and transparency in terms of the original data's transformation, which reduces the possibility of manipulating the results. Approbation of the proposed approach was carried out to identify the differentiation of the Russian regions digitalization's level, as well as a comparison of European and Russian practice. As a scientific result, a methodological approach to defining an integral measure is positioned, which, according to many criteria, can be used to evaluate objects of the same type, identifying differences between them. The current level of digitalization of territories, which can be used to adjust the relevant policy, is also being positioned.

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