Spatial characteristics of transportation infrastructure provision in the context of global competitiveness of Russian regions
Abstract. The objective of this study is to identify spatial features of the region`s transport infrastructure provision in the current context of reorientation to East Asian markets. The set objective required solving a number of tasks: conductinga retrospective analysis of the transport network development by length, density, structure of transported cargo, and road surface condition; compiling a list of indicators and conductinga cluster analysis to identify the relationship between the state of the transport infrastructure and the implementation of the region`s export potential; conductinga cluster analysis based on the criteria of "industry -transport - trade" and identifying groups of regions with similar characteristics. It was revealed that the infrastructure factor is of decisive importance for the global competitiveness of the region in the system of criteria of "industry - transport - trade". Most of the regions form groups of neighbors, which is a consequence of the long-term policy of forming a transport network. In addition, long-term orientation toward Western markets has exacerbated the disproportions and discrepancies between the goals of reorientation to new markets and the current state of transport provision. The regions bordering Kazakhstan (the Samara, Saratov, Orenburg regions, the Altai Krai) are in the most advantageous position. Disproportions in transport provision lead to the fact that many regions will not be able to maintain the level of global competitiveness in the medium term. Developed regions of Western Russia will reduce their level of global competitiveness due to the lack of access to European markets, and the regions of Siberia and the Far East will not be able to increase it quickly enough, since, in addition to other factors, the problem of transport provision has worsened due to the increased load on the main transport arteries. Recommendations are presented for improving the level of balance in transport provision, which will contribute to increasing the level of competitiveness of the regions.
Keywords: spatial characteristics, transportation infrastructure provision, global competitiveness, region.
Highlights:
- it was revealed that transport infrastructure has a dominant influence in the system "industry -transport - trade";
- the current state of provision with transport infrastructure creates high risks not only for the traditionally more developed regions in terms of global competitiveness in the western part of the Russian Federation, but also for the regions of Siberia and the Far East;
- in connection with the increased load on the East Asian direction, it is necessary to accelerate work on modernizing the existing and building new transport infrastructure in order to balance and bring it into line with the goals of reorientation to new markets.
Galina A. Khmeleva, Nikita I. Skreblov - Samara State University of Economics, Samara, Russia