“Yershov’s Method” in the Analysis of Structural Transformations and Spatial Development of the Russian Economy

Abstract

This paper classifies Y.S. Yershov's methodological approaches to the analysis and forecasting of structural transformations and the spatial development of the economy. Based on his works and our collaborative experience, the principles of the “Yershov method” have been formulated, allowing the researcher's unique analytical style to be viewed as a reproducible scientific toolkit. It involves accounting for key structural relationships to determine the actual limits and proportions of growth, as well as verifying information in the absence of sufficient statistics by comparing value-based and physical indicators. The application of the method is demonstrated through a structural-institutional analysis of the mechanisms of regional marginalization in Asian Russia. A special place is occupied by the methodology for regionalizing “input-output” tables, which ensures the consistency of spatial models.