IDENTIFICATION OF THE "DIGITAL ECONOMY" CATEGORY IN THEORETICAL AND APPLIED ECONOMICS

Abstract

The article deals with the scientific problem of clarifying the content of the concept of "digital economy". According to the authors, this problem is relevant for the theory of the digital economy, since its solution contributes to the formation of the theory's conceptual apparatus. It (the problem) is also relevant for improving the practice of public management of the economy, as it contributes to the correct assessment of the object of management, which is the digital economy. The purpose of the study is to justify the scientific tools, which would make it possible to get rid of a certain "blurring" of the concept of "digital economy", recognized by many researchers. The final goal of the study is to achieve a more accurate and concrete identification of the concept of "digital economy" for its relevant application in solving applied management and economic development tasks. To achieve the specified goal, a set of research methods with the tools inherent in these methods is applied, namely: sectoral models of economic analysis and production functions for individual sectors, identification of the core and so-called "belts" of technological changes in the digital economy, evaluation based on economic multipliers, comparative analysis the level of digital development of countries according to indicators of the contribution of certain sectors to the created GDP of countries. The application of the mentioned methods and the corresponding tools of analysis gave grounds for such identification of the digital economy. The digital economy is part of the national economy, which is formed in the process of interconnected movement of resources and products of three sub-sectors. Such sub-sectors are the "technological core" in the form of the ICT sector, the "consumer e-belt" sector and the "public administration infrastructure" sector, which is directly related to the creation of an enabling environment for the ICT sector and the "consumer e-belt ". The general type of production functions of each of the three sub-sectors of the digital economy is determined. Reasoned feasibility of quantitative identification of the digital economy using a set of indicators that reflect: the share of the digital economy in the GDP of the country, the share of the ICT sector in the GDP, the multiplier effect on the entire economy of the digital economy itself and its ICT sector (m_de, m_IKT/de, m_IKT/Y).