Regional Differentiation of the Human Potential in Russia

The study assessed the readiness of federal subjects for modernization processes in the Russian economy based on the qualitative characteristics of human potential. The relevance of these processes had escalated even before the epidemiological crisis of COVID-19 and modern geopolitical challenges. At present, it continues to increase due to a serious change in the structure of social needs for modernization transformations, and, accordingly, requests for quality human potential. Since this varies significantly across federal subjects, it should also be assessed in the regional context. This article focuses on methods for assessing the quality of human potential by region, including dynamics, which make it possible to perform assessments in a changing socioeconomic environment. At the interregional level, these were done by comparison, using characteristics common to regions, including demography, health, education, and sociocultural behavior. The demographic component is included as a qualitative characteristic of the population’s ability to reproduce. For the comparison, the index method was chosen, which involves calculating the composite index for indicators for each characteristic and an integral one for federal subjects. The results of the calculations are applied to rank regions based on the average Russian integral index (at, above, and below the average level); thus, the adequacy of the human potential of federal subjects for modernization was assessed. With a general increase in readiness in the period under review, a high level was detected in only 19 regions, an average level in 23 regions, and a low level in 43 regions. According to the composite indices, the demographic problem remains the most urgent, which is currently expressed in the depopulation that began in 2018.