Factors of Spatial Differentiation of Non-Observed Economy: Regional Aspect

摘要

The article typifies factors influencing the spatial differentiation of the non-observed economy and provides grounds for grouping them together. The author also details the specific features of the factors' occurrence in the constituent regions of Russia. The grouping approach is special due to the degree of aggregation applied, while the combination of the features being analyzed depends on the study objectives, the mapping of problem areas (elements) and the subject of research. The first group is made up of economic factors (spatial and sectoral structure of the economy; taxation (tax burden), population well-being; and available investment resources). The group of institutional factors includes corruption, administrative barriers, the stability of the legal and regulatory framework. The group of social factors encompasses population's expectations, established stereotypes etc. The most important economic factor that is considered in the article is the economic well-being of the population in Russia's regions. By comparing data for all constituent regions of Russia, the authors have established an inverse correlation between per-capita income and the number of people employed in the informal sector. There is a stronger tendency towards non-observed economic activities in poorer regions and vice versa. The authors also draw a conclusion that cause-effect relationships in the spatial differentiation of the non-observed economy are rarely manifested vividly, and that factors pertaining to the occurrence and spread of this phenomenon vary by region and change over time. This makes the described factors of the spatial differentiation of the non-observed economy region-specific, too.