The relevance of the considered scientific problem is determined by the need to quantitatively assess the relationship between the uneven development of the ICT sector and the economic development of regions and the country as a whole. The aim of the research is to develop a methodology for assessing the mutual influence of the levels of ICT development and the economy of the RF. The theoretical aspect of the problem is disclosed, based on the results of which our methodology of analysis is proposed. The methodology is tested in the case of 14 subjects of the Volga Federal District. Our methodology includes 4 consecutive blocks: 1) preparatory stage: selection of indicators reflecting the level of ICT sector development and its justification, as well as data collection in statistical databases for 5 years; 2) calculation of the level of ICT-activity in the regions; 3) assessment of the economic development rate; 4) construction of a matrix and grouping of regions by the nature of stability of the relationship between the levels of ICT-activity and economic development. The results of approbation of our methodology made it possible to identify 4 groups of regions with regard to the RF constituent entities included in the Volga Federal District, which confirms the hypothesis about the impact of ICT-activity on the economic development of regions. The obtained results are not indisputable, although they fully reflect the existing difference in the levels of ICT-activity and economic development of territories. At the same time, the identification of the nature of the influence can be based on the inclusion in the analysis of additional indicators for both the level of ICT-activity and the level of economic development, which is one of the advantages of the proposed approach and the corresponding methodological support, as well as the basis for our further research
Keywords
grouping of regions, ICT-activity, ICT adoption, algorithm for quantifying the degree of ICT-activity, impact of ICT on economic development