DIGITAL EMPLOYMENT: UKRAINE’S RANKINGIN THE GLOBAL DIVISION OF DIGITAL LABOUR

Abstract

The paper reviews information on the formation and development of a new form ofemployment – digital one – and identifies its impact on the country’s place in the globaldimension. The overall objective of the study is to verify the trends of digital employmentin Ukraine and assess its place and role in the global distribution of the digitalworkforce. The literature review indicates a lack of research on the gap between thelevel of technological development of the country and the use of digital employees inthe national economy. This is particularly imperative for developing countries, whichtechnologically remain far behind, and to which Ukraine belongs. The scholars used a certain sequence to conduct the study of this issue, particularly: atfirst, in accordance with the characteristics of digital employment, the authors identifiedthe types of business where the largest number of digital workplaces is concentrated.Secondly, the researchers analyzed the statistical indicators of digital employment inUkraine for 10 years and revealed the development tendencies of this segment. Thirdly,the study compared the data on employment, wages and the obtainability of the favorabledomestic talent development environments for the country of reference and aneighboring country with a higher level of economic development. Fourthly, the researchidentified the factors influencing the spread of digital employment and definedthe place and role of Ukraine in the global digital landscape. The study uses methods of analysis and synthesis, abstraction and generalization in theverification of digital employment trends, statistical and analytical methodologies in thestudy of the state and trends inherent in the digital segment of national employmentmarkets. The knowledge base of the research consists of the official statistics of Ukraine,Poland, analytical materials of UNIDO, The World Economic Forum, OECD, Eurostat. The object of the study is the digital segment of the labor markets of Ukraine andPoland, as these countries have similar preconditions for economic development, theyare geographically located in Eastern Europe and border each other. At the same time,Poland has a higher level of economic development and is a recipient country for Ukrainianmigrant workers. The paper presents the results of empirical analysis, which showed that technologicallag is the major precondition for the low demand for digital employment in Ukraine.Accordingly, this determines that Ukraine is basically a resource colony in the digitalglobal environment, which supplies highly qualified digital workers. The experts andpractitioners can use the results of the study to elaborate a strategy for the developmentof Ukraine’s economy in the context of digitalization.