Discussing the ecological-economic substantiation techniques for the region's development

The Department was established in 1968 as the structural subdivision of the Institute of Economics and Organization of Industrial Production USSR SD AS

Its former Directors:

(1968–1975) – Dr. Sci. (Geogr.), Professor V.A. Krotov
(1975–1989) – Cand. Sci. (Econ.) G.I. Filshin
(1989–1998) – Cand. Sci. (Econ.) А .P. Chernikov
(1998–2008) – Dr. Sci. (Econ.) I.I. Dumova

Research areas:

The Department’s primary research focus area is concerned with the issues relating to balanced socio-economic development of a subject of the Federation which are considered in the context of taking into account the entire gamut of its intrinsic interests. Along this line of inquiry we are working out programs and mechanisms for implementing the development strategies at the sectoral and territorial level, and for individual enterprises. We are carrying on research into the linkages in the “economy-environment” system. Approaches seeking to resolve the problems relating to the region’s financial security, and to an optimization of the generation and management processes of the territory’s budget appropriations are being developed.

During the period of existence of the Department, its staff members have prepared the methodological regulations of economic regionalization, and formation of Territorial Production Complexes (in the1970s), programs of comprehensive development of the Angara-Yenisei region and economical development of the Baikal-Amur Railway zone, based on economic-mathematical modeling (in the1980s). Research was done on improvement of the technique of preparing the ecological-economic feasibility study for the development of the region and its separate areas. The institutional reforms were analyzed to substantiated the lines of improvement of the pattern of production in Irkutsk oblast in an economy in transition, and of the influence of foreign economic activity on regional socio-economic development.

Recently the Department has created the analytical model for assessing the current status of the social sphere in the region, based on a comprehensive approach in studying the poverty problem as the chief cause of social collisions, and proposed the ways to mitigate poverty.

Matrices have been constructed for assessing the effectiveness of budget services, drawing on the relationship between the value of the social load level and the specific amount of budgetary expenditures for the sectors in the context of municipal formations of Irkutsk oblast. The risk management system as an element of the balanced development strategy for the region’s timber complex has been elaborated.

Currently the Department is working on the issues related to the socio-economic development of the Baikal region, stemming from the contemporary forms of the state regional policy. They include strategic planning, project approach, and private-state partnership. The substantiations and rationales are being prepared in support of the need for institutional transformations for materializing the internal potential of the region’s regional communities, and for creating favorable conditions for improvement of the life quality and for the human potential reproduction.

The Department has developed:

- the Program of socio-economic development of the city of Baikalsk, and of the industrial conversion of the Baikalsk Paper and Pulp Plant (2001),

- the Program of development of the light industry in Irkutsk oblast (2001),

- the Concept of tourism promotion in Irkutsk oblast (2002),

- the Concept of demographic development of Irkutsk oblast (2004),

- the Comprehensive Regional “Struggle against poverty in Irkutsk oblast” Program (2005), and

- the Concept of “Comprehensive development of Tofalaria as a model territory of inhabitation of the indigenous people of the North” (2005).

The Department has participated in:

International contacts in the context of regional research have been maintained with Birmingham and Bonn Universities, the Canadian Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, and with the Jena ( Germany) and Poznan ( Poland) Universities.