Evaluation of the Digitalization Potential of Region’s Economy

The technological, organizational and managerial changes related to the spread of the digital economy, which take place today, covers all areas of activity - economy, public administration, culture, health care, education, transforming the everyday life of people and creating new ways of communication. The actual and potential effect of the development of the digital economy bring great interest at the global, national and regional levels. Digitalization, which we interpret as the use of the opportunities online and innovative digital technologies by all participants in the economic system from individuals to large companies and states, is a prerequisite for maintaining competitiveness for all regions and countries. The article examines approaches to evaluation of the digitalization potential of the regional economy by on example of the Central Federal District of the Russian Federation using fuzzy-set methods through an assessment of the digitalization potential of the region and the effectiveness of the digitization potential. Regions show active involvement in the digital economy as soon as the Internet infrastructure appears, although there are still some inequalities in a number of additional indicators: it concerns the penetration and use of public services (gap with Moscow in 3–5 times), as well as the activity of businesses in the use of digital opportunities (gap of 2–3 times). In general, we see a huge under–utilized potential in the digitalization - of business, regardless of regional specifics.