All issues

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 article considers the problem of forecasting the number of employed and unemployed persons in a multisectoral labor market using a balance mathematical model of labor force intersectoral dynamics.

The balance mathematical model makes it possible to calculate the values of intersectoral dynamics indicators using only statistical data on sectoral employment and unemployment provided by the Federal State Statistics Service. Intersectoral dynamics indicators of labor force calculated for several years in a row are used to build trends for each of these indicators. The found trends are used to calculation of forecasted intersectoral dynamics indicators of labor force. The sectoral employment and unemployment of researched multisectoral labor market is forecasted based on values these forecasted indicators.

The proposed approach was applied to forecast the employed persons in the economic sectors of the Russian Federation in 2011–2016. The following types of trends were used to describe changes of intersectoral dynamics indicators values: linear, non-linear, constant. The procedure for selecting trends is clearly demonstrated by the example of indicators that determine the labor force movements from the “Transport and communications” sector to the “Healthcare and social services” sector, as well as from the “Public administration and military security, social security” sector to the “Education” sector.

Several approaches to forecasting was compared: a) naive forecast, within which the labor market indicators was forecasted only using a constant trend; b) forecasting based on a balance model using only a constant trend for all intersectoral dynamics indicators of labor force; c) forecasting directly by the number employed persons in economic sectors using the types of trends considered in the article; d) forecasting based on a balance model with the trends choice for each intersectoral dynamics indicators of labor force.

The article shows that the use of a balance model provides a better forecast quality compared to forecasting directly by the number of employed persons. The use of trends in intersectoral dynamics indicators improves the quality of the forecast. The article also provides analysis examples of the multisectoral labor market in the Russian Federation. Using the balance model, the following information was obtained: the labor force flows distribution outgoing from concrete sectors by sectors of the economy; the sectoral structure of the labor force flows ingoing in concrete sectors. This information is not directly contained in the data provided by the Federal State Statistics Service.

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.

The article describes a model of a human in the informational economy and demonstrates the multicriteria optimizational approach to the metric analysis of model-generated data. The traditional approach using the identification and study involves the model’s identification by time series and its further prediction. However, this is not possible when some variables are not explicitly observed and only some typical borders or population features are known, which is often the case in the social sciences, making some models pure theoretical. To avoid this problem, we propose a method of metric data analysis (MMDA) for identification and study of such models, based on the construction and analysis of the Kolmogorov – Shannon metric nets of the general population in a multidimensional space of social characteristics. Using this method, the coefficients of the model are identified and the features of its phase trajectories are studied. In this paper, we are describing human according to his role in information processing, considering his awareness and cognitive abilities. We construct two lifetime indices of human capital: creative individual (generalizing cognitive abilities) and productive (generalizing the amount of information mastered by a person) and formulate the problem of their multi-criteria (two-criteria) optimization taking into account life expectancy. This approach allows us to identify and economically justify the new requirements for the education system and the information environment of human existence. It is shown that the Pareto-frontier exists in the optimization problem, and its type depends on the mortality rates: at high life expectancy there is one dominant solution, while for lower life expectancy there are different types of Paretofrontier. In particular, the Pareto-principle applies to Russia: a significant increase in the creative human capital of an individual (summarizing his cognitive abilities) is possible due to a small decrease in the creative human capital (summarizing awareness). It is shown that the increase in life expectancy makes competence approach (focused on the development of cognitive abilities) being optimal, while for low life expectancy the knowledge approach is preferable.

This paper presents a model of replenishment of bank liquidity by additional income of banks. Given the methodological basis for the necessity for bank stabilization funds to cover losses during the economy crisis. An econometric derivation of the equations describing the behavior of the bank financial and operating activity performed. In accordance with the purpose of creating a stabilization fund introduces an optimality criterion used controls. Based on the equations of the behavior of the bank by the method of dynamic programming is derived a vector of optimal controls.