To Building a Single Economic Space of Russia: Current Accents of the “Coherence” Category

Based on the rather well-known features of Russia, size, physical-geographical and economic-geographical position of the territory, the task of organizing business activity in the country, both at the national and subnational levels, remains constantly relevant. The interactions that developed during the Soviet period in the development of the state, which included Russia, have largely lost their significance by now. For modern actors of business activity in the time being, the difficulties of interaction are obvious, the reason for which is a significant spatial differentiation and polarization of the economic space. In this respect, the article analyzes scientific ideas regarding the category of “coherence”, presented in modern economic studies of the last three decades, during which there was a decrease in the coherence of the economic space of Russia, which in the time being began to act as an acting factor restraining economic growth at the national and subnational (regional) levels. The modern idea of coherence is inseparable from such categories as “economic space” and “interaction.” The authors identified a number of significant concepts associated with the key category of “coherence.” The dynamics in the content saturation of this category are revealed, which can be interpreted as a continuous process of updating development priorities and the need for new emphasis in understanding this category. The multidimensional nature of the application of the “coherence” category requires specification of its subject area to clarify additional characteristics of coherence. With the focus on the economic space coherence, we note the significance of such an indicator as the intensity of interactions between spatial structures that receive the status of “centers” that influence the maintenance and development of their environment. Clarifications in the interpretation of the concept of “coherence” are closely related to its quantitative assessment. Differences in the concept of “coherence” in domestic and foreign studies are revealed.