At present, the competitiveness of regions plays a significant role in regional development. Competitiveness is the key to the ability of regions to ensure high level of income for their residents. In order to increase the competitiveness of regions, factors driving competitiveness need to be supported. The primary objective of the paper is to contribute to the body of knowledge on regional competitiveness disparities in the regions of the Visegrad Four (V4) nations. Moreover, the authors seek to offer to offer a new, both theoretical and practical, approach to evaluating regional efficiency and competitiveness. In addition, two secondary objectives were set. The first objective is to identify the most competitive regions in the Visegrad Group. The second objective is to find whether there is a correlation between the two approaches chosen. The paper uses data envelopment analysis models (DEA) are used in order to evaluate the competitiveness of the regions. DEA models evaluate the efficiency with which states and regions can transform inputs into outputs. Thus, DEA models assess how large outputs the states or regions can achieve in spending a unitary amount of inputs (sources). Tobit regression method is used to identify regression relationships. Regional disparities are analysed at NUTS 2 level. The Bratislava region seems to be the most competitive region in the Visegrad countries as it follows from DEA models analysis. The practical importance of assessing regional competitiveness with a less traditional method of DEA models lies in the adjustment of basic inputs, such as the number of persons with tertiary education, employment rate and research expenditure.

The relevance of this study is determined by the problem of providing the population with high-quality and safe dairy products that is becoming increasingly acute in the modern Russian economy. Milk and dairy products are the main food products and have a number of specific features due to the chemical and microbiological composition, which affects the quality and safety of products. The article summarizes the results of a some-year-long research by the authors in the field of formation and development of the milk and dairy products market in the Russian Federation. The purpose of this study is to analyze the current state of the milk and dairy products market in the Russian Federation and identify problems and development trends in the near future. The article details the features of the milk and dairy products supply in the Russian Federation, identifies the reasons for its change, analyzes the price dynamics, and critically considers measures of state support for the dairy industry. The analysis of trends and prospects for the development of the Russian market of milk and dairy products allows us to make the main conclusion that, unlike the markets of a number of other agricultural products, this market segment is one of the most dynamic, profitable and promising, but at the same time as other segments of food. The market cannot develop effectively without state support. The prevention of risks and the solution of emerging problems will require manufacturers, both raw milk and dairy products, to strengthen their work in ensuring high quality products while maintaining price stability.

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