The article presents the author's methodology for assessing the digital potential of the economy of the regions of Russia, which is based on the relationship of the “price” indicators of the 1% annual increase in the Russian regional index of digital quality of life of the population and investments in information and communication technologies per capita, identified as a result of regression analysis. The results of the approbation of the developed methodology for assessing the digital potential of Russian regions and the risks associated with its implementation are presented.

The problem of the development of socio-cultural infrastructure in the context of economic and political changes, including changes caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, which is relevant for the modern Russian economy, is considered. The concept of socio-cultural infrastructure is given, the classifications of its elements are analyzed. The loss of the ability of municipal institutions to meet the socio-cultural needs of various categories of the population was noted. Changes in the composition of leisure needs and in the ways of obtaining social and cultural services (the transition of the audience to the Internet) are revealed. The data obtained and the results of the study can be used by federal and regional authorities and management in the development of management decisions, drawing up strategic programs for the development of infrastructure for socio-cultural purposes and the sphere of culture.

The subject of the study is the innovative activity carried out within the territorial innovation systems of the West of the USA. The latter is considered depending on the directions of the regional innovation policy in the period 1981—2020, carried out by the state authorities. Empirical confirmation of the heterogeneity and regional differentiation of innovation activity in the specified macro-region of the country allowed us to identify some trends in spatio-temporal development and features of the functioning of these systems, determined by the dynamics and nature of the interrelations of the average annual indicators of the studied economic phenomena. According to the results of the study, the conclusion is made, on the one hand, about the flexibility and appropriateness of regional innovation policy, historically a priority for the development of the innovation process in the Western United States, and on the other hand, about the change in the trend in the functioning and spatial structure of technological and institutional forms of innovation in the Pacific states of the country.

An original interpretation of the issues of discussion about the fate of “endangered” professions in the context of the development of modern technologies is proposed. On the example of the accountant profession, the social problem of “fear” of technological innovations is discussed out of connection with the real prospects for the development of professions. Based on the provisions of the works of F. von Hayek, M. McLuhan, R. Frank, D. Morris, the impact of technological innovations on the labor market is proposed to be considered as a special case of intraspecific competition of Homo sapiens. Based on the method of E. Toffler, the current situation in the labor market is considered taking into account the probable scenario of the future. It is shown how the implementation of E. Toffler's approach can make it possible to remove the “fear” for the future of a number of professions from the context of professional discussion.

The article presents and discusses the problems of implementing national projects aimed at strengthening and preserving public health, improving healthcare activities on the example of the South Siberian macroregion, including the Novosibirsk, Omsk, Tomsk, Kemerovo regions, Altai Krai and the Altai Republic; emphasis is placed on a comparative analysis of the state and dynamics of the main health indicators, indicators of the development of health systems of the subjects of the macroregion; open data of state statistics, information posted on the websites of the authorities of the subjects of the Russian Federation, ratings of territories, author's assessments of ongoing processes; conclusions and recommendations are made.

The new challenges faced by the world in 2020, defined by the pandemic (quarantine, mobility restrictions, infection anxiety, deterioration of general well-being, etc.), affected the deterioration of the demographic situation, socioeconomic development both at the country level and at the level of its regions. The city of Moscow was no exception. In order to develop and update recommendations on specific vital issues in accordance with the formulated state priorities of the country's strategic development, it is necessary to analyze the real demographic losses from the spread of COVID-19 at the regional level.

The article deals with the introduction of a special discipline into the educational process of universities aimed at developing competencies in creating new products in the field of high technology and not only. The focus of the discipline is on the main issues that must be resolved even before making a decision on the production of a product: the search for potential consumers, the formation of a target market, the identification of consumer preferences and unmet needs.

Mastering the necessary competencies to solve these issues opens the way to the right attitude to the issues of creative activity both in the field of high technology and in other areas.

The relevance of the research topic lies in the special role of youth in modern society. The authors pose the problem of understanding and approaches to the study of youth policy in Russia. The article examines the features of youth policy in the context of modern social transformations, highlights its main components. Based on the analysis of normative acts and special literature on youth policy of the Russian Federation, the basic principles of building this important direction of state policy of our country are formulated. A fairly in-depth analysis of the legislation on youth has been carried out, showing all the complexities and features of youth policy in the modern legal, social and economic field. Special attention is paid to the reconstruction of the logic of the development of the youth policy of the Russian Federation on the basis of implemented youth support programs in modern conditions.