Aim. To study the peculiarities of different approaches to the construction of the mechanism of digital transformation of industrial enterprises and to identify the key elements, the creation and (or) development of which is necessary for the realisation of successful digital transformation.

Tasks. To study the Russian and world experience in the field of building the mechanism of  digital transformation of enterprises; to generalise and systematise various approaches; to form an integral set of key elements, the transformation of which is necessary to ensure competitiveness in the digital environment.

Methods. The subject of the study are mechanisms, models and methods of digital transformation of enterprises developed by large global and Russian companies, mainly consulting companies. The analysis takes into account the presence of a clear system of principles (priorities), substantive aspects, structuring of various mechanisms by stages and elements of digital transformation, the level of specificity of proposed solutions, as well as additional features (for example, the presence of a model for assessing the digital maturity of the enterprise).

Results. The key elements of the mechanism of digital transformation of an industrial enterprise are identified: digital strategy, business model, digital core and digital technologies, operating model, people and organisational culture, orchestration. It is shown that when developing a digital strategy, it is necessary to maximise the use of the enterprise’s competitive advantages (e.g., developed partner network, unique equipment and technologies, a wide range of goods and services, customer databases, etc.), as well as ecosystem opportunities. To increase the flexibility of the strategy, it is proposed to focus on the concept of strategic priorities. Emphasis is placed on the importance of aligning digital strategy with the operating model of an industrial enterprise. As a promising direction of digital transformation, the creation of a “digital core” of the enterprise, which unites all information systems, applications, services and data through the cloud in order to integrate technological and organisational aspects of digital transformation across the entire value chain, including partners and customers, is highlighted.

Conclusions. The presented developments can serve as a reference point for managers of industrial enterprises developing and implementing digital transformation programmes.

Aim. To conduct a rating assessment of digital transformation managers (DTM), as well as to identify the relationship between the DTM score and indicators of gross regional product (GRP), budget expenditures on information and communication technologies (ICT) in the conditions of sustainable ESG-development of the economy.

Tasks. To show that in modern conditions one of the most important factors in the formation of the digital economy of regions and their digital transformation is the strategic management of sustainable ESG-development of economic entities; to perform a rating assessment of the level of RCT of regions and establish its dependence on GRP and ICT-costs; to offer practical recommendations to the criteria for assessing RCT.

Methods. The research is based on the application of standard methods of collecting and processing statistical data from open sources and correlation analysis.

Results. In modern conditions, one of the most important factors in the formation of digital economy of regions and their digital transformation is the strategic management of sustainable ESG-development of economic entities. The necessity to develop a strategy of digital transformation of the region’s economic model, which should be based on strategic management of sustainable ESG-development of cyber-physical and cyber-social enterprises and ecosystems, including cluster-type. It is shown that at the end of 2022 the leading places in the RCT rating among all subjects of the Russian Federation (RF) are occupied by Tatarstan, Belgorod, Tula regions and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug. In 2021, significant amounts of budget funds for ICTcosts, compared to other subjects of the Russian Federation, are allocated in megacities — Moscow and St. Petersburg. A linear correlation between the level of RCT and GRP indicators, budget expenditures on ICT was established. A significant influence of the criterion “IT industry support measures” on the assessment of responsible RCT in the regions was revealed.

Conclusions. Under the conditions of economic sanctions, including restrictions on the supply of high-tech products, the processes of modernization in the field of digital technologies and accelerated implementation of software import substitution will be reflected in further assessments of RCTs of federal ministries and constituent entities of the Russian Federation. It is recommended to take into account the ESG-development indicators of economic entities and the level of professional training in the field of digital technologies in the criteria for rating RCTs.

Aim. To study new challenges and priority tasks facing universities within the framework of the new priority of the state scientific policy of Azerbaijan, as well as to identify problems related to scientific activity in universities of the republic in the context of world experience, and to make proposals on issues related to their solution.

Tasks. To determine approaches and priorities for ensuring the effectiveness of scientific and pedagogical activity in modern universities, opportunities to develop new strategies of activity.

Methods. In developing the conceptual provisions of the study within the framework of dialectical and systemic approaches used such methods of general scientific knowledge as historical and logical, abstraction, analysis, synthesis, the unity of objective and subjective in the development of economic processes. Economic and statistical, factor, functional and comparative methods of analysis were widely used. The methodological basis of the study also served as a systematic approach to the disclosure of institutional development of the state science policy of Azerbaijan. The author applied methods of scientific analysis, in particular, statistical; methods of comparative, fundamental and functional analysis. The article reflects the ideas stated in the scientific works of scientists-economists devoted to the problems of institutional development of the state science policy of Azerbaijan.

Results. The triad “education — science — innovation” in universities forms the basis of their activity. Therefore, there is a need to rid scientific activity from its formal character and abstract content, as well as to change the traditional approach to the management of scientific activity in universities. Recommendations and proposals for improving educational-research-innovation efficiency in higher education in accordance with the requirements of the modern period, adequate to the peculiarities of the national economy development, have been developed.

Conclusions. It is expected that by 2030 Azerbaijan will become an economically more developed and competitive country. Achievement of this goal depends on the presence of national scientific-innovative universities that ensure the use, assimilation and dissemination of new knowledge and technologies in Azerbaijan.

Aim. Formation of measures for training in-demand specialists in the field of engineering in accordance with modern requirements to their competences.

Tasks. To analyze the global and domestic market of engineering services; to identify the key problems of formation of competencies demanded by the labor market in engineering specialists; to propose measures to introduce effective mechanisms for the formation of basic engineering competencies in the training of engineering personnel; to consider examples of effective engineering in Russia.

Methods. With the help of general methods of scientific cognition the requirements to specialists in the field of engineering, conditioned by modern global trends, are defined, the key problems in the formation of competencies in engineering personnel are identified and the main directions of their solutions are proposed. The authors also present examples of effective engineering in Russia.

Results. Based on the primary research of the current state of engineering staffing in Russia, a number of problems have been identified. The main trends determining the list of key competencies demanded in the engineering sphere are shown. Significant discrepancy between the Russian standardization system and the best international practices, professional standards and federal educational standards can be traced among the significant problems hindering the formation of demanded professional competencies in the field of engineering.

Conclusions. To form future specialists’ understanding of the dependence of economic results of the project on their decisions, it is proposed to introduce case-based learning technologies in the educational process. The basic list of necessary competencies in the field of engineering services proposed by the authors will promote the specialist’s career advancement.

Aim. To identify changes in the institutional mechanisms of exchange of goods and resources caused by the digital transformation of economic processes in the modern economy.

Tasks. To determine the features of institutional mechanisms of exchange of goods, services and assets; to analyze the types of transactions and sources of uncertainty that affect the conditions of exchange within each mechanism; to formulate the priority directions of changes in institutional mechanisms of exchange in the conditions of digital transformation of the economy.

Methods. The theoretical basis of the study is formed by general scientific methods such as analysis, synthesis, generalization, systematization, as well as neoclassical, institutional and comparative approaches.

Results. The features of the traditional market, “thin” market (on the example of auction), direct transaction and digital platform as institutional mechanisms of exchange are determined. The specificity of the realization of market, hierarchical and network transactions, as well as the possibilities of reducing uncertainty associated with neoclassical, post-industrial and fundamental sources by means of various institutional mechanisms of exchange are shown. On the basis of pairwise comparative analysis the directions of changes in institutional mechanisms of exchange in the conditions of digital transformation are formulated.

Conclusions. In the evolution of institutional mechanisms of exchange in the conditions of digital transformation, the digital platform, offering innovative technological solutions and opportunities that simplify the process of exchange and creating conditions for improving its performance, has competitive advantages over other mechanisms and significant potential to ensure the functioning of the economy in the near future.

Aim. To substantiate the feasibility of using the method of system identification of the objects under study and the corresponding technology in the system modeling of the structural organization of the sustainable economy of Russia.

Tasks. To argue the choice of methodological approach to the systemic modeling of the structural organization of the sustainable economy; to characterize the method of systemic identification of the objects under study; to form the structural organization of the sustainable economy of Russia.

Methods. In the process of solving the research problems the methods generally accepted in economic science in their totality were applied: system-structural, abstract-logical, functional-logical and economic analysis, method of scientific abstraction, dialectical method, method of comparison, system modeling, as well as the method of system identification of the studied objects.

Results. The methodological approach to conducting systemic modeling of structural organization of sustainable economy has been substantiated. The method of system identification of the objects under study was chosen as the main modeling method, which allows to reflect the characteristics of the Russian economy under study as fully as possible and successfully replace this process when conducting its modeling. The application of this method allowed us to identify the state strategy of economic development, state regulation and market self-regulation as the key components of the structural organization of a sustainable economy, the principle of synergy of which is the basis of the idea behind its formation.

Conclusions. The application of the method of system identification of investigated objects has conditioned the embodiment of the research idea by means of extrapolation of the logic of information flows movement in the cybernetic system at the formation of the structural organization of the designed object, which makes it possible to structure the sustainable economy of Russia as a set of market environment, state economic policy, state economic strategy, state regulation of the economy, market self-regulation, social production and society.

Aim. To identify objective reasons for the slowdown of ESG-transition, as well as a list of risks and limitations of the current vector of development of the climate agenda, which are often ignored by developers of “green” standards and taxonomies.

Tasks. To evaluate ESG transition initiatives during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic; to identify non-obvious barriers and constraints to ESG transition; and to uncover the reasons that have shaped the current vector of the climate agenda.

Methods. The study is based on the analysis of empirical data. Their processing showed that ideas of the international climate agenda are often broadcast regarding the ESG topic, but there are very few critical articles and reviews about it.

Results. The current vector of development of the climate agenda is primarily conditioned by the goals of its initiators - international economic organizations. These include the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). The propagated notions of global environmental crises that future generations will inevitably face unless measures are taken to facilitate the transition to sustainable development are only a political tool for competing in the hydrocarbon market. Given the lack of strong technological solutions, investments in green assets can be seen as high-risk given their speculative nature.

Conclusions. Despite the priorities of the global economic agenda, there are doubts about its integrity, as it fails to take into account a number of constraints and circumstances, including failure to take into account the scale of the raw material strain required to transform the global energy system; the lack of technologies to efficiently process large volumes of retired so-called renewable energy sources; the lack of energy technologies for which demand is not yet evident; and the “rebound” effect, i.e. the question of what happens next. As a result, market participants often use so-called greenwashing (or “green camouflage”) to formally meet the requirements, or rather, to portray the “greenness” of their technology/products.

Aim. To study theoretical and methodological aspects of the phenomenon of “social innovation”.

Tasks. To systematize the existing knowledge about social innovations, to identify the genesis of the concept of “social innovation”; to establish how the content of this concept has changed and in connection with what, what importance scientists assign to this concept at present.

Methods. The research was carried out with the help of methods of scientific knowledge (analysis of scientific works of foreign and domestic authors in the field of economics and management, synthesis of concepts and approaches).

Results. Theoretical aspects of social innovation have been studied. International and domestic works of scientists of different time periods and countries were analyzed. On the basis of the study the following definition was obtained: social innovations are innovations that are an effective tool to stimulate the solution of acute problems in society (in case of short impact), a trigger of transformations and/or a driver of economic development (in case of long impact), affecting the quality of institutions in order to improve the quality of life of people.

Conclusions. Despite the fact that the concepts of “innovation” and “sociality” developed independently and independently of each other, they have always evolved simultaneously. This is evidenced by the works of thinkers of all historical epochs, starting from the Ancient World. Moreover, with the passage of time there is a scientific “splicing” of these two concepts, which becomes most noticeable at the turn of the late XIX - early XX century, when the world is experiencing significant socio-economic and political events. More and more scientists raise pressing questions about what social innovation is - a derivative or a producer, an indicator or a tool, influencing institutions or being influenced by institutions. The significance of this study lies in the attempt to systematize theoretical and methodological aspects for further study of this phenomenon.

Aim. To propose an algorithm for structuring the economy of municipalities, allowing to determine their economic profile and classify them.

Tasks. To generalize the available approaches to the structuring of the economy on the basis of the analysis of the types of structures, structural features and evaluation parameters identified in the scientific literature; to identify the limitations of the structural analysis of the economy due to the level of the object of study (municipal entity); to propose a methodology for analyzing the structural features of the economy of municipal entities, allowing to classify them in accordance with their inherent economic specifics.

Methods. Theoretical and methodological basis of the study was formed by a set of scientific ideas in the field of regional economics, economic analysis, statistics. The author applied general scientific methods of theoretical and empirical cognition (logical, dialectical, comparative, cause-and-effect method, method of analysis and synthesis, method of scientific abstraction).

Results. The algorithm of economic structuring is described, which includes such stages as defining the logic of this process, identifying the most significant structural features, selecting indicators for analysis, proposing a methodology for working with the selected indicators and determining approaches to the interpretation of calculation results. It is shown that the most significant problem of the study of economic structure at the municipal level is the limited number of indicators available for analysis. A methodological approach to analyzing the structural features of the economy of municipalities is proposed, which involves the use of data on the number of employed in their economy in terms of types of activities (taking into account small and micro-enterprises) and their subsequent classification, i.e. the allocation of agrarian, industrial, service types (with the possibility of combining them and designating subtypes in relation to the objects for which industrial activities are significant), as well as a separate category of municipalities, which do not have a pronounced economic structure.

Conclusions. The proposed algorithm for analyzing the structural features of the economy of municipalities, taking into account the existing approaches and limitations of the statistical apparatus, can be used in practice (in determining the economic profile of municipalities, their economic specifics). This makes it useful for governing bodies of territories of different levels, responsible for the implementation of economic and spatial transformations.

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of using the tools of employer brand promotion among the youth audience on the example of students and graduates of the economic specialty.

Tasks. To analyze the information about the events held with the participation of company representatives at the Faculty of Economics of the Lomonosov Moscow State University (MSU) with the help of the Employment Assistance Service of the Faculty of Economics, based on the data on the formats and number of such events.

Methods. The study applied general logical methods of cognition: dialectical, systemic, logical and comparative analysis; sociological methods, including surveys.

Results. Recent events such as the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic and the withdrawal of foreign companies from Russia have significantly affected the structure of the labor market and, consequently, the employment of students and graduates. Using the 2019-2023 graduate employment data collected upon graduation, the top employing companies for graduates of bachelor’s or master’s degree programs of the MSU Economics Department were compiled. As a result of analyzing the activities of the Department of Employment Promotion and Alumni Relations, as well as student units, the key forms of employer brand promotion at the Faculty of Economics were identified: academic and extracurricular events with the participation of representatives of partner companies and Career Day.

Conclusions. It is proved that active promotion of the employer brand has a direct positive impact on the employment of young people in these companies. The most effective was the organization of educational and extracurricular activities during the year. Career days had less impact, which is explained by the dominant number of internships and practicums offered at such events, while graduates by the time of the survey are already trying to find a permanent job. In this regard, there are prospects for extending the study to include more junior students.

Aim. To identify the key stages of sanctions pressure on Russia and the formation of the financial sovereignty model.

Tasks. To identify the main stages of sanctions pressure on the Russian economy; to identify general regularities and key stages of sanctions against the Russian Federation (RF); to develop a functional model of Russia’s financial sovereignty.

Methods. In the present study with the application of general scientific methods, as well as systemic and comparative approaches, statistical analysis, the peculiarities of formation and establishment of financial sovereignty of Russia are considered.

Results. The stages of sanctions pressure on Russia are systematized. It is shown that the most important prerequisite for the creation of financial sovereignty were the sanctions imposed on Russia. The conclusion about the impact of sanctions on the domestic economy is substantiated. It is shown that the components of financial sovereignty form a functional model with feedback, and this determines the possibilities for further research. The results of this study can be used to develop new approaches to the formation of financial sovereignty in Russia, to improve the efficiency of interaction of elements in the system.

Conclusions. The main drivers of the formation of financial sovereignty were the sanctions imposed against the Russian Federation. At the same time, the impact of sanctions will be weakened due to the financial policy of the state.

Aim. To perform a comparative analysis of the topics and volumes of publication activity in the field of artificial intelligence (AI) of Russian authors in journals indexed in such databases as the Russian Science Citation Index (RSCI) and WoS/Scopus, in relation to the fields of AI technologies, scientific directions and organisations of the place of work.

Tasks. To create a list of publications by authors with Russian affiliation in journals indexed in WoS/Scopus, including those categorised as Q1 and Q2 quartiles, as well as in the proceedings of A* level conferences, the topics of which are related to the AI sphere; to create a list of publications by Russian researchers devoted to the AI topics in journals indexed in RSCI, including those categorised as Q1; to carry out a comparative analysis of the topics and structure of publications by Russian authors in journals indexed in WoS/Scopus and RSCI in relation to the fields of AI technologies, groups of scientific specialties, and organisations of the authors’ place of work.

Methods. The methodology of the study is based on expert analysis of publications in scientific journals indexed in WoS/Scopus, including Q1 and Q2 quartiles, in proceedings of A* level conferences, scientific journals indexed in RSCI for 2017–2021, the subject matter of which relates to the field of AI, based on selections from open databases of publications using libraries and packages for data processing and analysis. The criterion for attributing an article to the AI subject was the presence of word combinations from the fields of AI technologies and subtechnologies in the search fields “publication title” and (or) “Keywords”, “Abstract”.

Results. Comparison of highly rated WoS/Scopus, Q1, Q2, A* and RINC K1 publications shows that among WoS/Scopus, Q1, Q2, A* publications “Machine learning: knowledge representation, ontology, interpretation, explanation” (32 %) and “Computer vision” (30 %) dominate. Among RINC Q1 publications, “Responsible Artificial Intelligence (ethics and philosophy, legal regulations, security)” (34 %), “Machine learning: knowledge representation, ontology, interpretation, explanation” (28 %) and “Intelligent analysis of data and processes, making sense of patterns” (13 %) dominate.

Conclusions. The analysis of publication activity of Russian authors in relation to AI topics on the basis of comparison of scientific publications from WoS/Scopus and RINC databases can serve as an information basis for selection of AI competence centres and formation of lists of best practices in the field of AI.