Introduction. Accelerated introduction of modern IC technologies in all areas of the country's social life, development of the digital economy and the national information infrastructure, integration to the global information space and improvement of information security conditions are the strategic objectives of the development of information society in Ukraine. Furthermore, recent years are characterised by active creation of new network organisation forms and cluster cooperation in the IT sphere based on joint endeavours of IT companies, scientific and educational establishments, NGOs and other actors. Organisation of clusters in the IT sphere contributes to not only the optimisation of economic processes management in the course of creation, introduction and use of information technologies and products and services of IT companies, but also to forming of powerful integrated groupings with high economic capacity, which is essential for the development of the national economy.Purpose. The paper aims to analyse both the institutional and investment environment, in which regional IT-clusters develop, in particular the features, tendencies and priorities of their functioning to assess the role of venture capital in the development of the IT sector in Ukraine and to define the strategic directions to improve the instruments of public policy relevant to the development IT clusters in forming of an innovation ecosystem. Methods. Fundamental provisions and principles of innovative development theories and concepts of clustering, economic convergence and integration, diffusion of innovations and place-based innovation systems constitute the methodological basis of the research. Structural-functional and factor analyses are applied in order to reveal major tendencies and preconditions of the development IT sector in Ukraine and to evaluate the impact of venture capital on its establishment and activation. A Multi-factor regression analysis is conducted to perform econometric modeling of the impact of institutional features peculiar to the impact of the entrepreneurship activity environment on the development of the IT sector and forming of its investment capacity in Ukraine. The measures to improve the mechanism to assist the development of IT clusters in forming of an innovation ecosystem are suggested as a result of using the system approach.Results. The authors of the article have elaborated suggestions relating to the improvement of the public IT sector development policy in Ukraine. The intensity of the impact of venture capital on the establishment and development of the IT sector in Ukraine is assessed. The dynamics of exports of Ukrainian IT outsourcing products is researched. It shows that IT outsourcing is one of the most dynamic and leading directions of the IT sector in Ukraine. The evaluation of the impact of entrepreneurship activity and institutional environment on the development of the sphere of information technologies and forming of its investment capacity (the system of venture investment) is conduct...

The insurance sector plays a critical role in the economy, providing protection and security of the state and influencing its social and economic development. However, having a significant potential for development, the sector cannot fully realize it due to many problems, including its shadowing. Using the method of unprofitable enterprises analysis, which is applied by the Ministry for Development of Economy, Trade and Agriculture of Ukraine to determine the level of the shadow economy, considering the type of economic activity, the level of shadowing of the insurance services sector in Ukraine and its regions in 2013 and 2018 was calculated. The calculation results showed an increase in the shadow level of the insurance services sector both in Ukraine as a whole and in the separate regions. To evaluate the effectiveness of the insurance sector potential, given the calculated level of shadowing, a comprehensive assessment was carried out by standardizing the values of selected indicators characterizing the potential of the insurance sector in the context of Ukraine’s socio-economic development. The indicators of the efficient use of the insurance services sector potential in Ukrainian regions, calculated using an integrated assessment, showed an increase in the efficiency of using the potential of the insurance sector in three out of five analyzed regions. Zaporizhzhia region demonstrated the most significant growth. It has been proven that an increase in the volume of services provided is a key factor in increasing the social and economic efficiency of the insurance sector.

Abstract. Concentration of financial, socio-cultural, economic and informational flows of society development in large cities and areas of their influence in the region (regional metropolises), as well as realisation of socially significant functions in modern conditions, are important determinants of the country's efficient mechanisms of spatial policy development. The authors analyse the basic preconditions and determinants of spatial development of regional metropolitan cities. They explain the necessity of development, as well as the conceptual basis of spatial policy of regional metropolises. The priority areas, strategic priorities and objectives of the spatial policy for the development of regional metropolises as units of concentration of development potential and core elements of economic growth are identified. It has been emphasised that an increase in the economic potential of regional metropolises will not only contribute to the territorial balance of Ukraine, but will also ensure the connection of its regions to global communications and processes through the transfer of development impulses in the surrounding areas and will have a positive impact on the transformation of the economic structure and development of promising new spatial forms of business activity. Keywords: Metropolisation; Spatial Policy; Metropolitan City; Regional Metropolis; Metropolis Area; Development JEL Classification: R12; R19; R58 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21003/ea.V159-09 Мельник М. І. доктор економічних наук, професор, завідувач сектору просторового розвитку, ДУ «Інститут регіональних досліджень імені М. І. Долішнього НАН України», Львів, Україна Синютка О. М. кандидат економічних наук, голова Львівської обласної державної адміністрації, Львів, Україна Кушнірецька О. В. кандидат економічних наук, старший науковий співробітник сектору просторового розвитку, ДУ «Інститут регіональних досліджень імені М. І. Долішнього НАН України», Львів, Україна Просторова політика розвитку регіональних метрополій в Україні: концептуальні засади формування Анотація. У статті проаналізовано основні передумови та детермінанти просторового розвитку регіональних міст-метрополій. Обґрунтовано необхідність розробки та охарактеризовано концептуальні засади просторової політики розвитку регіональних метрополій. Представлено пріоритетні напрямки, стратегічні пріоритети та завдання просторової політики розвитку регіональних метрополій як вузлів концентрації потенціалів розвитку та ядер економічного зростання. Ключові слова: метрополізація; просторова політика; місто-метрополія; регіональна метрополія; метрополійний ареал; розвиток.Мельник М. И. доктор экономических наук, профессор, заведующий сектором пространственного развития, ГУ «Институт региональных исследований имени М. И. Долишнего НАН Украины», Львов, Украина Сынютка О. М. кандидат экономических наук, председатель Львовской областной государственной администрации, Львов, Украина Кушнирецкая О. В. кандидат экономических наук, старший научный сотрудник сектора пространственного развития, ГУ «Инс...

The article examines the features of current trends in the digitalization of the economy of Ukraine and Poland at the national and regional levels. The essence of digitalization of the economy, its relationship with economic growth, the position of the world on the level of development of the digital economy, and its components (Internet access, cyber security, digital competencies of the population, etc.). The positions of Ukraine and Poland in the international ratings of digitalization, innovation, and competitiveness are compared, Ukraine lags behind Poland in places in the respective rankings. The main reasons for this lag have been identified and the possibilities of improving Ukraine’s position through the implementation of state initiatives of strategic and program nature have been substantiated. National and regional differences in providing the population with Internet access in Ukraine and Poland are assessed. Taking into account the current trends in the digital economy in both countries, proposals have been developed for state assistance to intensify the mechanism of accelerated digitalization for Ukraine’s economy, in order to converge digital indicators (distribution and access to broadband Internet, use of European integration opportunities through EU4Digital at the present stage.

The development and efficient functioning of entrepreneurship is the basis of a market economy, as well as the key to the country’s innovative socio-economic development and growing competitiveness on an international scale. The formation of a transparent and qualitative business climate is an incentive for the efficient entrepreneurship development. The paper is aimed at identifying structural-institutional transformations in the business environment and their impact on the development of small businesses. The analysis of socio-economic parameters of the business environment is based on the elasticity method and the system approach, which have been tested on the example of cities in the Western region of Ukraine. Outlining the features of setting up the business environment and its functioning has provided the grounds for detecting major problems hampering efficient business development. The comparative analysis has confirmed a close relationship between socio-economic transportation processes and conditions created for businesses. The evaluation of institutional environment has confirmed that cities striving to improve transparency in climate regulation and urban environment management achieve the growing investment activity and positive dynamics of small businesses development. The calculated elasticity coefficients prove that the growing investment activity positively impacts the number of small businesses and the volume of products sold by them. However, the expected growth in employment was not achieved due to the high level of shadow activity on the labor market and migration activity of the population.