Abstract: Economic zoning is an important instrument of regional policy; however, its impact upon solution of the territorial issues of macroregions that are built on other (noneconomic) grounds remains quite ambiguous. This research is dedicated to verification of the hypothesis on possibility of reducing the discrepancy between the parameters of territorial development as a result of their unification into a macroregion, which is formed primarily on the administrative principles. Research methodology leans on assessment of the parameter variations of interterritorial disparities in retrospect; methodological toolset includes the calculation of coefficients that characterize the degree of heterogeneity of cumulative data (coefficients of variation, asymmetry, and excess). The article uses the example of the Ural Federal District. The conducted analysis reveals that the scale of intraterritorial disparities typical for the district at the stage of its formation has not decreased over time; moreover, the difference between the parameters of the development of individual regions has increased. It is proven that the unification of territorial systems solely through administrative transformations does not mitigate the problems of excessive asymmetry of their development; and connectedness of the regions that proceeds from such transformations is often nominal. The acquired conclusions offer a critical insight into the instruments for managing socioeconomic processes in the territories of different levels, and can be taken into account in implementation of the regional policy.

Abstract: The subject of this research is determination of the peculiarities of assessing spatial characteristics of the development of socioeconomic systems of different scales. Special attention is given to the author’s approach towards assessment of economic space, which can become the basis for universal methodology suitable for comprehensive characteristics of spatial specificity of the economic phenomena and processes. The methodological framework of this research is comprised of the general scientific methods of theoretical and empirical cognition (scientific abstraction, analysis, and synthesis), as well as special methods of comparative analysis (Theil index and Hall-Tideman index). As a result of generalization, systematization and critical reevaluation of the methods of assessing the characteristics of economic space presented in the scientific literature, the author offers an original approach. It is based on the analysis of such spatial characteristics as asset security, homogeneity, and coherence. The peculiarity of this approach lies in consideration of the parameters of localization of objects, as well as the specificity of socioeconomic conditions established in the territory. Testing of the author’s approach allowed comparing the spatial characteristics of the development of foodservice industry in the regions of Middle Ural. It is revealed that Sverdlovsk Oblast outstrips Perm Krai in the level of foodservice industry (although its regional space is more heterogeneous), and the Perm Krai is characterized with a higher concentration of food services. It is proven that the proposed approach towards assessing the economic space can underlie the applied in practice methodological toolset; and thus, is promising for implementation in managing spatial transformations of the country and its separate territorial units.