The term "digital economy" is often used in the media today. Politicians, businessmen and scientists use this definition in their reports and speeches, talking about the prospects for financial development.
The future of the virtual economy
An extended approach to this concept determines that the digital economy is an economic production using digital technologies. In a world where more than 40% of the population use the Internet in all spheres of life, virtual trade reaches incredible volumes. Digitized monetary relations have become safer and more efficient.
The virtual part of life has become the place where new products and ideas are created. Testing and approbation of fresh inventions become easier, because there is no longer a need to conduct real product crash tests. Computer visualization allows you to evaluate all the advantages and disadvantages of a new product at no extra cost.
The digital economy is a rapidly developing area of life, which, according to experts, will completely reformat the usual economic ties and existing businessmodels.
Building a virtual business environment
The digital economy is developing at a very fast pace. According to financiers, in the near future, all participants in this sector are waiting for considerable "digital dividends". Among them, a decrease in the unemployment rate, a decrease in costs in the production of goods.
The tools offered by the digital economy allow you to fully meet the needs of the client and increase productivity. E-commerce is able to alleviate crises through the accelerated sale of services and products, virtual payment systems accelerate the exchange of goods, online advertising is more effective than all previously known methods of notifying about a new type of product (service).
Digital economy in Russia
The government of the country is engaged in the development of this branch of the economy at the legislative level. Back in December 2016, the President of Russia instructed the Federal Assembly to prepare a program for the development of this sector of the economy. Experts from other ministries and departments, business representatives and financiers were involved in the case.
The state leadership understands that the future belongs to e-commerce, and the digital economy of the Russian Federation should receive the financial and managerial support necessary for rapid development.
Economic Evolution Plan
The program for the development of the digital economy in Russia was adopted on July 6, 2017. The main postulate of this document is the completeintegration of the Russian virtual economy with this area of the Eurasian Economic Union. The state undertakes to create all technical and financial conditions for the speedy progress of the new financial industry.
Special attention is paid to the development of computer and telecommunications equipment in Russia. The promotion of domestic software includes the installation of anti-virus programs for each imported piece of computer equipment.
The President of the Russian Federation compared this global program in importance with the general electrification of the country at the beginning of the 20th century. The state project, unprecedented in its impact on economic progress, can be implemented thanks to the huge accumulated intellectual potential.
Goals of the state program
The project of the Ministry of Communications draws excellent prospects for the introduction of digital technologies in all spheres of life.
Resource management (water, energy, fuel) is planned to be carried out using integrated digital platforms. They will allow to unite all market participants in the information environment, reducing transaction costs and changing the system of division of labor.
It is planned to create 50 "smart cities" in which 50,000,000 people will live. Each citizen will be able to contribute to the management of the city by expressing their opinion on special information platforms. Smart cities, thanks to a set of technical and organizational measures, create comfortable conditions for living and business activities.
The state undertakes to create special technological medical centers equipped with the latest technology, which will provide qualified assistance.
Practical steps to implement the plan
The deadline for the completion of the large-scale project is set for 2025. By that time, the Ministry of Telecom and Mass Communications expects to create broadband Internet coverage in the most remote corners of the Russian Federation. The government plans to significantly reduce the cost of Internet service providers. By 2020, it should not exceed 0.1% of the average monthly income, and by 2025 it is planned to reach 0.05%.
The country begins rolling out 5G networks. Initially, they will be formed in cities with a population of 300,000 or more. By 2024, there should be 10 large settlements covered by this network.
The transition to electronic documentation that has begun is planned to be developed in the future. The share of interdepartmental document flow should be up to 90% of the total mass.
The number of government-provided online services should reach 80% by 2025, with the majority of the population preferring to rate their quality as satisfactory.
The introduction of unmanned public transport by the end of the program should be carried out in 25 cities of Russia.
The state promises the highest level of support for high-tech enterprises operating in the IT sector. The country's universities shouldincrease the number of graduates in the field of computer technology.
How the digital economy of the Russian Federation has developed
A systematic approach to the development of the Runet economy began to take shape about 15 years ago. And by 2010, the format for describing and measuring the very concept of "digital economy" was adopted.
In 2011, the Russian Association for Electronic Communications began to annually conduct research on the online economy. Methods are constantly being improved and modernized, allowing you to get more and more accurate data.
In December 2016, a scientific conference was held on the results of the Runet study, at which it was decided to call the study "Ecosystem of the Digital Economy of Russia", which gives an understanding of the impossibility of further separation of online and offline spheres of economic life.
It is difficult to overestimate the importance of government support in such an important activity of today's life as the digital economy. By setting the development of electronic technologies as a priority, the government is taking key steps in accelerating the growth of the state as a whole. The future of the country lies in new technologies.
