A spatial-econometric approach to modeling social capital of the Russian regions
https://doi.org/10.33293/1609-1442-2026-29(2)-21-32
EDN: QCPGQK
Abstract
This study examines the social capital of the Russian regions in the context of their spatial interactions. Social capital is determined by the density of social network connections. The study’s methodological basis is spatial econometric methods, which allow for the analysis of spatial interactions between socioeconomic phenomena. To identify the possible existence of spatial effects in selected Russian regions, global Moran’s IQs were calculated. Spatial effects were estimated using an autoregressive SAR model. Panel data analysis methods were used to obtain a matrix of explanatory variables. Spatial effects were estimated with an autoregressive SAR model. Panel data analysis methods were used to obtain a matrix of explanatory variables. The best result was obtained using a fixed-effects model, which estimates the invariant variables while controlling for individual effects. All calculations were performed using the corresponding module in STATA 16. As a result, it was established that in the context of the proposed definition of social capital, there is a positive spatial autocorrelation of the social capital of neighboring regions of the Russian Federation, which makes possible to improve the quality of the obtained modeling results.
Keywords
Russian regions,
social capital,
Moran’s index,
spatial autocorrelation,
SAR model,
spatial econometrics
Journal of Economic Literature (JEL): C51, C5, C23
About the Author
Natalia A. Trofimova
Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Cand. Sci. (Economics), Associate Professor, Leading Researcher
References
1. Balash O.S. (2012). Convergence Spatial Analysis of Russia’s Regions. Bulletin of the Saratov University. Series: Economics, Management, Law, vol. 4, pp. 45–52. (In Russ.)
2. Coleman J.S. (2001). Public and human capital. Social Sciences and Contemporary World, no. 3, pp. 121–139 (Transl into Russ. by L. Strelnikkov and A. Stasenko). (In Russ.)
3. Demidova O.A. (2014). Spatial Autoregressive Model for Two Groups of Related Regions (Eastern and Western Parts of Russia). Applied Econometrics, no. 34, pp. 19–35. (In Russ.)
4. Glushchenko K.P. (2010). Methods for Analyzing Interregional Income Inequality. Region: Economics and Sociology, no. 1, pp. 54–87. (In Russ.)
5. Naumov I.V. (2019). Investigation of the interregional relationships in the processes of shaping the territories’ investment potential using the methods of spatial modelling. Economy of Region, no. 3, pp. 720–735. (In Russ.)
6. Neganova V., Naumov I., Sedelnikov V. (2019). Research and modeling of the Megapolis Consumer Market. Practical Marketing, no. 8, pp. 3–15. (In Russ.)
7. Ricardo D. (1955). Writings. On the Principles of Political Economy and Taxation (19 April 1817). Vol. I. Moscow: Gospolitizdat. 360 p. (In Russ.)
8. Smith A. (1962). An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Transl. from Engl. Moscow: Socecgiz. 348 p. (Orig. publ. in 1776). (In Russ.)
9. Thünen H., von (1926). Der isolierte Staat. Scientific Works of the Scientific Research Institute of Agricultural Economy. Transl. into Russ. by E.A. Torneus. Ed. & Preface by Professor A.A. Rybnikov. Moscow: Economic Life. XII, 326 p. (Originaly publ. In: Beziehung auf Landwirtschaft und Nationalökonomie. Hamburg: Perthes, 1826). (In Russ.)
10. Trofimova N.A. (2012). Social capital: analysis of the factors that determine it. Analysis and modeling of economic processes. Iss. 9. Moscow: Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, pp. 31–46. (In Russ.)
11. Trofimova N.A. (2018). The economic role of social capital in the effective operation of multi-level economic systems. Artificial Societies, vol. 13, iss. 4. (In Russ.)
12. Trofimova N.A. (2022). Spatial models application in estimating of regional social capital influence. Multivariate statistical analysis in economics and quality estimation. XII International Scientific Conference after S.A. Aivazjan (21–23 September 2022): Works of the Conference. Resp. ed. V.S. Mkhitarjan. Moscow: HSE University Publ. 180 p. (In Russ.) URL: https://elibrary.ru/xwqvfm
13. Trofimova N.A. (2024). Analysis of social capital of Russian regions taking into account spatial interactions. Multivariate statistical analysis, econometrics and modeling of real processes: abstracts of the XI international conference. Part 1. Plenary reports. Section 1. Multivariate statistical analysis and econometrics. Ed. by V.L. Makarov. Moscow: Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, pp. 129–131. (In Russ.)
14. Trofimova N.A. (2025). Spatial analysis of social capital of Russian regions. Strategic planning and development of enterprises: Proceedings of the XXVI All-Russian Symposium. Moscow, April 15–16, 2025. Ed. by Corr. member of RAS G.B. Kleiner. Moscow: Central Economics and Mathematics Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, pp. 592–599. (In Russ.)
15. Vakulenko E.S. (2015). Analysis of the Relationship between Regional Labor Markets in Russia Using Okun’s Model. Applied Econometrics, no. 40. pp. 28–48. (In Russ.)
16. Alonso W. (1964). Location and Land Use. Cambridge (MA): Harvard University Press. 204 p.
17. Anselin L. (1988). Spatial Econometrics: Methods and Models. Dordrecht: Kluwer Academic Publishers. 284 p.
18. Bourdieu P. (1983). Ökonomisches Kapital, kulturelles Kapital, soziales Kapital. In: Kreckel R. (ed.) Soziale Ungeichheiten (Soziale Welt, Sonderheft 2). Goettingen: Otto Schwartz & Co. Pp. 183–198.
19. Burt R. (2004). Structural holes and good ideas. American Journal of Sociology, no. 110 (2), pp. 349–399.
20. Clark C. (1951). Urban Population Densities. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society. Series A (General), no. 4, рp. 490–496.
21. Coleman J.S. (1988). Social Capital in the Creation of Human Capital. American Journal of Sociology. Supplement: Organizations and Institutions: Sociological and Economic Approaches to the Analysis of Social Structure, no. 94, pp. S95–S120. URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/2780243
22. Derycke P.H. (1979). Economie et planification urbaines. Paris: Thémis, Presses Universitaires de France (PUF), 2 vol., vol. 1, p. 238–239.
23. Geary R.C. (1954). The Contiguity Ratio and Statistical Mapping. The Incorporated Statistician, no. 5 (3), pp. 115–145.
24. Getis A., Ord J.K. (1996). Local Spatial Statistics: An Overview. Spatial Analysis: Modeling in a GIS Environment / Eds. P. Longley, M. Batty. Cambridge: John Wiley & Sons, pp. 269–285.
25. Granovetter M. (1985). Economic Action and Social Structure: The Problem of Embeddedness. American Journal of Sociology, no. 91 (3), pp. 481–510.
26. Hanifan L.J. (1916). The Rural School Community Center. The American Academy of Political and Social Science (AAPSS), vol. 67, iss. 1, pp. 130–138. https://doi.org/10.1177/000271621606700118
27. Isard W. (1960). Methods of regional analysis. Cambridge: MIT Press. 832 p.
28. Knack S., Keefer P. (1995). Institution and Economic Performance: Cross-Country Tests Using Alternative Institutional Measures. Economics and Politics, no. 3, pp. 207–227.
29. Mills E.S. (1967). An aggregative model of resource allocation in a metropolitan area. American Economic Review, no. 57, pp. 197–210.
30. Moran P. (1948). The interpretation of statistical maps. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, no. 10, pp. 243–251.
31. Muth R.F. (1961). Economic change and rural-urban land conversions. Econometrica, vol. l, no. 29, pp. 1–23.
32. Palander Т. (1935). Beitrage zur Standortstheorie. Uppsala: Almqvist & Wiksell. 419 p.
33. Portes A. (2024). Social capital: Its origins and applications in modern sociology. In: New critical writings in political sociology. London: Routledge, in 2 vol., vol. 1, pp. 53–76. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003572923-6
34. Predöhl A. (1934). Staatsraum und Weltwirtschaftsraum. Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv, vol. 39, Ss. 1–12.
35. Skocpol Th. (1979). States and Social Revolutions: A Comparative Analysis of France, Russia and China. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
36. Woolcock M., Narayan D. (2000). Social Capital: Implications for Development Theory. The World Bank Research Observer, no. 15, pp. 225–251.
Review
For citations:
Trofimova N.A. A spatial-econometric approach to modeling social capital of the Russian regions. Economics of Contemporary Russia. 2026;29(2):21-32. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.33293/1609-1442-2026-29(2)-21-32. EDN: QCPGQK
Views:
21
JATS XML
Email this article 