Purpose. The paper aims to examine the impact of the oblast center on regional socio-economic development in the context of the center-periphery relationship. Methodology / approach. The general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, generalization, systematization, graphic method) and special ones (statistical analysis, comparison, organizational and managerial modeling) were the basis of the methodological approach. The author improved the scientific-methodological approach to the comprehensive evaluation of a region’s socio-economic development in terms of the center-periphery relationships based on interrelated stages and methods. It stipulates the research of the impact each district of a region has on the major socio-economic parameters of an oblast; calculation of the District Socio-Economic Development Index and its comparison with the district’s distance to the oblast center; evaluation of interdependencies between the districts’ shares in major socio-economic parameters of respective oblasts and their distance to the oblast center; and analysis of the development intensity of the oblast districts depending on their distance to the oblast center. Results. Testing the scientific-methodological approach on the example of three oblasts of Ukraine (Lvivska, Poltavska, and Chernihivska), which are developing in different spatial-geographic, socio-economic, and demographic conditions, has contributed to substantiating the features of generation and development of the center-periphery relationships in the regions with different initial development conditions; outlining the areas of socio-economic centers’ impact on the districts; detecting the intensity of positive stimulus generation and their absorption in the region considering the role of local “growth poles” in the process. Originality / scientific novelty. The paper further develops the theoretical-methodological foundations of researching the center-periphery relationships in a region at the oblast center – oblast area level. The results of calculations following the author’s methodological approach have allowed developing the space structure for Ukrainian regions under research in the context of the center-periphery relationships. Practical value / implications. The conducted research based on the methodology developed by the author is quite important both in terms of the scientific-methodological aspect and in the context of addressing the important regional development tasks and searching for balanced and coherent spatial development.

<p><strong>Theoretical background</strong>: The main components of costumer value are the product, brand and image, personnel relationships and service activities, and offer availability. In retail, the important attributes of the products on sale are their range, price and terms of sale, relevant proximity and the benefit of obtaining, which includes spatial accessibility, emotional offer and time value. Modern trade solutions have created a wide range of opportunities for the client to facilitate access to the product offer through the introduction of various trading formats. The trade format should be understood as various concepts of retail outlet activity, which includes the formation of their infrastructure, immediate environment and the organisation of the sale of goods.</p><p><strong>Purpose of the article</strong>: The goal of the article is to classify the factors that create customer value using various formats of retail trade in consumer goods in the Ukrainian and Polish markets.</p><p><strong>Research methods</strong>: The following methods were used in this research: the abstract and logical method was used for generalising the theory and formulating conclusions; secondary research and survey were used for identifying the trends and patterns of efficiency in the studied factors; and the graphical method was used for visualising the results of the research.</p><p><strong>Main findings</strong>: In certain formats of sales points, the value for the customers is the breadth of the choice of goods and their quality, location and speed of purchase, the benefits arising from the level of prices and promotions, the service level and the general climate of the time offered by a store. The availability and possibility of goods choice has formed certain trends and customer habits among the buyers of consumer goods who are showing a preference for large purchases in hypermarkets and discount stores, supplementing purchases in specialised stores and only infrequently (in the Polish version) in markets/bazaars.</p>

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The article reveals the relevance of using new approaches in the management of supply processes, production and selling of final products based on the concept of logistics. This concept provides greater (than would be possible if the company applies the traditional principles of solving production problems) opportunities for specialization, cost reduction, improving performance and speed/flexibility to respond to customer needs. This was possible in an enterprise that operates on the basis of traditional approaches. Despite the weakening of competitive positions in the market of a number of companies, it was emphasized that such transport companies as Nova Poshta and Delivery managed not only to maintain their competitive positions, but also to increase cargo turnover compared to the previous period. Considerable attention in the article is paid to the challenges that have become relevant due to the spread of coronary heart disease COVID-19 in logistics. It was done by describing the following key elements: exit from the market of weak players; growing demand for outsourcing of warehouse logistics with a shift in priorities in the direction of small and medium business development, in particular, the use of the WareTeka On-Demand interface; development of the warehouse real estate market due to the growth of online sales; location of logistics centers in sparsely urbanized areas with developed road and/or railway infrastructure due to low labor costs, lower cost of renting/buying real estate; digitalization of logistics processes from physical processes to robotization of office activities; the development of e-commerce due to the rapid growth of online sales, which leads to the acquisition of strategic importance for the last mile; expanding the group of Internet buyers at the expense of older people; lack of binding of online stores to large settlements, accelerated development of infrastructural strong sparsely urbanized areas; personnel policy regarding remote working conditions; compliance with sanitary norms by logistics companies; conducting logistics activities in an online format.

The article presents the analysis of causes stimulating Ukrainian students of managerial studies to emigrate abroad in search of other places of education. Factors that influence the process of integration of Ukrainian youth in the international environment are analyzed and directions of activities for overcoming the negative trends in the area are proposed. As part of the research the level of participation of Ukrainian students − future managers, economists, and entrepreneurs − in international exchange programs is also examined. An important dimension of the study is to determine the expectations of Ukrainian students about the prospects of a career abroad and a comparison with the assessment of such prospects in Ukraine. The results of a comparative analysis of the structure of the assessment of employment opportunities for students studying abroad and in Ukraine have been presented. The level of perception of the main differences between the educational process in Ukraine and abroad by the test group has been determined. Recommendations relating to the problems identified and directed to the reform of higher business education in Ukraine have been made.