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The paper considers a method for studying panel data based on the use of agglomerative hierarchical clustering — grouping objects based on the similarities and differences in their features into a hierarchy of clusters nested into each other. We used 2 alternative methods for calculating Euclidean distances between objects — the distance between the values averaged over observation interval, and the distance using data for all considered years. Three alternative methods for calculating the distances between clusters were compared. In the first case, the distance between the nearest elements from two clusters is considered to be distance between these clusters, in the second — the average over pairs of elements, in the third — the distance between the most distant elements. The efficiency of using two clustering quality indices, the Dunn and Silhouette index, was studied to select the optimal number of clusters and evaluate the statistical significance of the obtained solutions. The method of assessing statistical reliability of cluster structure consisted in comparing the quality of clustering on a real sample with the quality of clustering on artificially generated samples of panel data with the same number of objects, features and lengths of time series. Generation was made from a fixed probability distribution. At the same time, simulation methods imitating Gaussian white noise and random walk were used. Calculations with the Silhouette index showed that a random walk is characterized not only by spurious regression, but also by “spurious clustering”. Clustering was considered reliable for a given number of selected clusters if the index value on the real sample turned out to be greater than the value of the 95% quantile for artificial data. A set of time series of indicators characterizing production in the regions of the Russian Federation was used as a sample of real data. For these data only Silhouette shows reliable clustering at the level p < 0.05. Calculations also showed that index values for real data are generally closer to values for random walks than for white noise, but it have significant differences from both. Since three-dimensional feature space is used, the quality of clustering was also evaluated visually. Visually, one can distinguish clusters of points located close to each other, also distinguished as clusters by the applied hierarchical clustering algorithm.

The paper considers the basic model of competitive interactions and its use for the analysis and description of social processes. The peculiarity of the model is that it describes the interaction of several competing actors, while actors can vary the strategy of their actions, in particular, form coalitions to jointly counter a common enemy. As a result of modeling, various modes of competitive interaction were identified, their classification was conducted, and their features were described. In the course of the study, the attention is paid to the so-called “rough” (according to A.A. Andronov) cases of the implementation of competitive interaction, which until now have rarely been considered in the scientific literature, but are quite common in real life. Using a basic mathematical model, the conditions for the implementation of various modes of competitive interactions are considered, the conditions for the transition from one mode to another are determined, examples of the implementation of these modes in the economy, social and political life are given. It is shown that with a relatively low level of competition, which is non-antagonistic in nature, competition can lead to an increase in the activity of interacting actors and to overall economic growth. Moreover, in the presence of expanding resource opportunities (as long as such opportunities remain), this growth may have a hyperbolic character. With a decrease in resource capabilities and increased competition, there is a transition to an oscillatory mode, when weaker actors unite to jointly counteract stronger ones. With a further decrease in resource opportunities and increased competition, there is a transition to the formation of stable hierarchical structures. At the same time, the model shows that at a certain moment there is a loss of stability, the system becomes “rough” according to A.A. Andronov and sensitive to fluctuations in parameter changes. As a result, the existing hierarchies may collapse and be replaced by new ones. With a further increase in the intensity of competition, the actor-leader completely suppresses his opponents and establishes monopolism. Examples from economic, social, and political life are given, illustrating the patterns identified on the basis of modeling using the basic model of competition. The obtained results can be used in the analysis, modeling and forecasting of socioeconomic and political processes.

This article is about the organization of the cluster management using puppet. It tells about: safety of usage, from the point of view of mass apply at a computing cluster wrong configuration (by reason of human factor); collaboration work and the creation of opportunities for each cluster administrator, regardless of others, writing and debugging your own scripts, before include them in the overall system of cluster managment; writing scripts, which allow to get as fully configured nodes, and updates the configuration of any system parts, without affecting the rest of the nodes components, regardless of the current state of the node of computing cluster.

The article compares different methods of the creation of the hierarchy of puppet scenarios, describes problems associated with the use of “include” for the organization hierarchy, and tells about the transition to a system of sequential call classes through shell-script.