The article examines the concept of "competitiveness". Based on the analysis of indicators of disability in the regions of the North, it was determined that disability as a social phenomenon is inherent in all northern regions. The main economic aspect of disability is the termination of work when disability is established at working age, which causes serious economic damage to the state and is a determining factor in the competitiveness of the region.
disability, competitiveness, northern regions, older generation, migration outflow, social benefits
Introduction
Today disability is viewed as a complex social phenomenon, where the quality of life is the main indicator of the well-being of society [1].
In the countries of the world, more than a billion people (15% of the population) live with some form of disability, of which almost 200 million experience serious difficulties in functioning. Recently, the disability of the population has been increasing due to demographic aging and a concomitant increase in the prevalence of chronic diseases. As of 01.10.2020, the number of disabled people in the Russian Federation amounted to 11,027,720 people, of which 395,883 people. falls on the regions of the North zone, which is 3.6%.
Around the world, people with disabilities show lower health outcomes, lower educational attainment, lower economic activity and higher poverty rates. [2].
Hence, the competitiveness of any economic entity (region) can be considered as its potential to compete, and competitive advantage - as the presence of certain characteristics of the entity that are most attractive in comparison with other opponents (in this case, the indicator of public health).
Research of the content of the concept of "competitiveness"
The health of the population is the basis for determining the competitiveness of the region and is the main factor in the successful implementation of its socio-economic development.
Let us consider how the concept of "competitiveness" is interpreted by foreign and domestic researchers. Increasing the competitiveness of a firm in modern conditions M. Porter reduced it to an extremely meaningful formulation: "To be different", i.e. find an alternative solution to the problem that favorably distinguishes this economic entity from other similar entities in the market and thereby reduce the level of competition [3].
In their theory, he is echoed by the researchers J. Robinson and E. Chamberlin, who believed that competitiveness is the ability to bypass the struggle by developing new markets for differentiated products. [4].
In the works of J. Schumpeter and P. Romer, the competitiveness of an enterprise is also "determined by the ability to create new technologies, new markets and ideas." [5].
All the above mentioned interpretations in their basis point out the most important innovative role of competitiveness, based on intellectual leadership and excluding struggle.
In Russia, the concept of "competitiveness" has been studied relatively recently. Economists identify the main features that reveal the essence of the category of "competitiveness":
- competitiveness is manifested in the market (goods, works, services) [6];
- applies to both the object and the subject of market relations [6];
- has a certain competitive environment (quantitative assessment of economic objects, with the help of which the level of competitiveness is determined) [7];
- the basis for determining competitiveness is the identical key indicators of a competitor, which determine the social effect (the ability to meet human needs) [8];
- has a common legislative, legal, regulatory, scientific and methodological base and information space [9];
In this work, the basis for determining the competitiveness of a region, we will choose an identical key indicator - disability, where the health factor of the population will act as a competitive advantage and a favorable opportunity for socio-economic development in the competitive struggle.
Analysis of disability indicators in the regions of the North
At 01.10. In 2020, the share of the number of disabled people in the regions of the North in the total number of disabled people in the Russian Federation was 3.6%. The largest number of people with disabilities was observed in the Republic of Karelia - 59,572 people, which amounted to 9.6% of the population of this region, followed by Arkhangelsk Oblast - 84,250 people. (7.7%) and the Komi Republic - 60,885 people. (7.3%). The next in the ranked order is the Nenets Autonomous Okrug - 2,916 people. (6.7%) and the Republic of Sakha - 53,025 people. (5.5%).
The lowest number of disabilities was noted in Yamalo-Nenets (2.5%), Khanty-Mansiysk (3.2%) and Chukotka (3.3%) Autonomous Okrugs, Magadan (3.6%) and Murmansk Oblasts (3.8%) ) (fig. 1).
Figure 1 – Share of the number of disabled people in the total population of the regions of the North
An analysis of disability indicators by age groups in the regions of the North as of 01.10.2020 shows that the leading position, as in the Russian Federation, is occupied by citizens from 60 years old, whose number has reached 229,458 people. (57.97%). Representatives of the older generation significantly predominate in the Republic of Karelia (71.24%), followed by Arkhangelsk Oblast (68.36%), Nenets Autonomous Okrug (60.53%), Komi Republic (59.23%), Murmansk Oblast (58.80%), Kamchatka Krai (56.55%) and Sakhalin Oblast (55.20%). Among the disabled in these regions, this age group was more than 50%.
Chukotka (34.64%), Yamalo-Nenets (45.22%) Autonomous Okrugs, the Republic of Sakha (47.69%), Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (48.48%) and Magadan Oblast ( 49.42%). However, I would like to note that in these regions the number of citizens over 60 years old is constantly growing and, starting from 01.01.2019, representatives of the older generation increased from 1.03% (Chukotka Autonomous Okrug) to 4.62% (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug). In general, over this period in these regions, this age group increased by 12.8% (tab. 1).
It should be noted that a large contribution to the aging and disability of the population of the northern regions is made by the migration outflow from the North zone, which leads to a significant excess of the all-Russian rate of increase in the percentage of the population over working age [10].
Table 1.
Table 1. Number of people with disabilities by age groups, as of 01.10. 2020 year,
in the context of regions of the North, people
|
Territory |
disabled |
18-30 |
31-40 |
41-50 |
51-60 |
over 60 |
|
||||||
|
People |
% of RF |
% of population |
People |
% |
People |
% |
People |
% |
People |
% |
People |
% |
|
|
Russian Federation |
11 027 720 |
100 |
- |
483 652 |
4.39 |
793 710 |
7.20 |
1 058 466 |
9.60 |
1 804 229 |
16.36 |
6 887 663 |
62.46 |
|
Regions of the North: |
395 883 |
3.6 |
- |
21 870 |
5.52 |
33 179 |
8.38 |
40 537 |
10.24 |
70 839 |
17.89 |
229 458 |
57.97 |
|
Regions of the North, age structure |
100 |
- |
- |
- |
6 |
- |
8 |
- |
10 |
- |
18 |
- |
58 |
|
Republic of Karelia |
59 572 |
0.5 |
9.6 |
1 998 |
3.35 |
3 272 |
5.49 |
4 436 |
7.45 |
7 427 |
12.47 |
42 439 |
71.24 |
|
Komi Republic |
60 885 |
0.6 |
7.3 |
2 751 |
4.52 |
5 160 |
8.47 |
6 481 |
10.64 |
10 431 |
17.13 |
36 062 |
59.23 |
|
Arkhangelsk Oblast |
84 253 |
0.8 |
7.7 |
2 903 |
3.45 |
5 127 |
6.09 |
7 016 |
8.33 |
11 615 |
13.79 |
57 592 |
68.36 |
|
Nenets AO |
2 916 |
0.0 |
6.7 |
136 |
4.66 |
212 |
7.27 |
311 |
10.67 |
492 |
16.87 |
1 765 |
60.53 |
|
Murmansk Oblast |
28 247 |
0.3 |
3.8 |
1 512 |
5.35 |
2 447 |
8.66 |
3 288 |
11.64 |
4.39 |
15.55 |
16 608 |
58.80 |
|
Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug |
52 978 |
0.5 |
3.2 |
3 915 |
7.39 |
5 849 |
11.04 |
6 783 |
12.80 |
10 745 |
20.28 |
25 686 |
48.48 |
|
Yamalo-Nenets AO |
13 771 |
0.1 |
2.5 |
1 269 |
9.22 |
1 471 |
10.68 |
1 774 |
12.88 |
3 030 |
22.00 |
6 227 |
45.22 |
|
The Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) |
53 025 |
0.5 |
5.5 |
4 124 |
7.78 |
5 575 |
10.51 |
6 961 |
13.13 |
11 079 |
20.89 |
25 286 |
47.69 |
|
Kamchatka Krai |
13 323 |
0.1 |
4.2 |
822 |
6.17 |
1 201 |
9.01 |
1 557 |
11.69 |
2 209 |
16.58 |
7 534 |
56.55 |
|
Magadan Oblast |
5 040 |
0.0 |
3.6 |
324 |
6.43 |
584 |
11.59 |
694 |
13.77 |
947 |
18.79 |
2 491 |
49.42 |
|
Sakhalin Oblast |
21 454 |
0.2 |
4.4 |
1 367 |
6.37 |
2 152 |
10.03 |
2 823 |
13.16 |
3 270 |
15.24 |
11 842 |
55.20 |
|
Chukotka AO |
1 628 |
0.0 |
3.3 |
174 |
10.69 |
223 |
13.70 |
286 |
17.57 |
381 |
23.40 |
564 |
34.64 |
Source: Federal Register of Persons with Disabilities.URL: https://sfri.ru
A less significant group is made up of disabled people from 51-60 years old - 70 839 people (17.89%), the number of disabled people from 41-50 years old - 40 537 people, or 10.24%. (tab. 1). [11]. However, it should be noted that in a number of regions there is a rejuvenation of disability with a smaller proportion of citizens over 60 years old among the northern regions. Here, the largest share of disabled citizens aged 18-30 years was observed in the Chukotka (10.69%), Yamalo-Nenets (9.22%) and Khanty-Mansiysk (7.39%) Autonomous Okrugs, as well as the Republic of Sakha (7.78%). While in Karelia (3.35%) and Arkhangelsk Oblast (3.45%), on the contrary, their number is much lower.
According to the groups of disability, the maximum number of inhabitants of the north has group II, then disabled of group III and disabled of group I.
Conclusions and offers
Disability as a social phenomenon is inherent in all northern regions. Disability is the most important indicator of human health, and the health of the population is a determining factor in the competitiveness of a region, since it contributes to a decrease in the quantitative characteristics of resources for labor activity. Hence, it is most often viewed in the context of negative transformations in the composition of the population.
The main economic aspect of disability is the termination of work when disability is established at working age, which causes serious economic damage to the state. This is due to the fact that the state is forced to bear large costs for various types of social benefits, such as social security for people with disabilities (pensions, employment, vocational training, etc.) and measures for their social protection, including various programs aimed at the rehabilitation and habilitation of the disabled citizens, guaranteed by the state.
The reasons that contribute to the growth of disability, researchers include:
- deterioration of the ecological situation;
- changes in the age structure of the population towards its aging;
- unfavorable working conditions by industry and by region;
- an increase in the number of chronic diseases;
- the growth of household and transport injuries;
- lifestyle [12].
Eliminating these reasons will help reduce the growth in the number of disabled people and increase the competitiveness of the regions.
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