Spatial Assessment of the Digital Economy at the National and Sub-National Level

Abstract

The study examines the concept of the digital economy, highlights the challenges in measuring it, and explores the development of indexes as a tool for assessing its growth and the effectiveness of policies and strategies. The proposed index is suitable for both national and sub-national spatial assessments, and it was tested and validated using examples from regions in Russia and European countries. The selected indicators comprehensively capture the geographical distribution of digital economic activity, including the concentration of digital businesses in specific regions, the availability of high-speed internet and mobile networks, the distribution of ICT-related jobs across different regions, and the level of e-commerce activity. The authors initiated an analysis and comparison of available data sources, which resulted in a list of indicators that allows for a sufficient assessment of the levels of digital economy development. The resulting index was used to assess the digital economy’s development in regions in Russia and European countries. The top-ranking countries were Scandinavian, while Moscow dominated the rankings among Russian regions. The results also highlighted significant disparities in the development of the digital economy within Russia and Europe. The study’s findings align with those of other international and domestic studies, confirming the reliability of the proposed methodology.