The System of Integral Indices for Assessing Regions by the Level of Digital Economy Development

The combination of sustainable development and digital economy in regions contributes to the more efficient use of resources, the development of new technological solutions, improvement in the quality of life for citizens, and the maintenance of environmental sustainability. The purpose of the study is to assess regions according to the level of development of the digital economy, based on the calculation of the system of integral indices. The indices characterize the conditions of the use of digital technologies in commercial organizations, public sector and in households. The article analyzes existing approaches to assessing the level of the digital economy at the federal, regional and local levels. We presented a methodology for assessing Russian regions by the level of digital economy development based on the calculation of single, group and integral indices, which made it possible to analyze 85 constituent entities of the Russian Federation and identify current trends. 10 leading regions were identified, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, the Republic of Tatarstan, Stavropol and Perm territories. The index of the integral indicator exceeded the value of 0.758. On the basis of the comparative assessment we determined the presence of high differentiation between Russian regions in the use of digital technologies in organizations and public sector. Moreover, we concluded that regional digital economy increases if at least 45% of organizations in a region use specialized equipment designed to run service software without human intervention, and the “digital maturity” of government authorities is assessed at least 60 points.