Spatial and sectoral determinants of regional productive capacity: theoretical genesis and methodological principles of the study

Abstract

In the pre-war period, the stagnation of economic productivity was observed in Ukraine. It was manifested by a decrease in the annual growth rates of labor and capital productivity. The natural consequences of this include the inability to increase the growth rate of employees’ wages and their purchasing power, the increase in the share of raw material exports in the total volume, the country's growing dependence on energy imports, etc. The lack of positive productivity dynamics is related to the lack of active encouragement of domestic enterprises to improve resource efficiency. The article aims to substantiate the theoretical and methodological foundations of the study of the productive capacity of the regional economy in Ukraine and determine its potential growth accelerators across spatial and sectoral determinants. The evolution of the theoretical basis of the concept of economic productivity at the national and regional levels is examined. Based on the interpretation of the concepts of “productivity” and “capacity”, the authors offer their definition of the meaning of the term “regional productive capacity”. The article characterizes the achievements of foreign researchers regarding the study of regional development features and problems of productivity; identification and assessment of the impact of spatial factors on the productivity of the economy of territorial systems of different hierarchical levels; identification of spatial determinants of regional productive capacity. Based on the analysis of the experience of empirical research on assessing the impact of spatial factors on economic productivity, the article outlines a number of its growth patterns. The specific nature of interregional and intraregional productivity disparities is presented. The article proves that the interaction of spatial and sectoral determinants determines the level of productivity of the national, regional, and individual territorial communities’ economies. Special attention is paid to the issue of resource productivity. Ways for further theoretical and practical studies of regional productive capacity are suggested.