Analysis of Some Eastern and Western Regions of Russia in the Field of ICT Development

Objectives: To study the difference in ICT development in the regions of the North-West Federal District and the Far Eastern Federal District. Methods/Statistical Analysis: It involves the method of analysis and synthesis. It includes, Statistical analysis of databases of Public Opinion Foundation, Institute for the Development of the Information Society (Moscow) and results of researches of the Russian scientists. Findings: Today the history of origin and development, perspective of functioning of social networks gradually turn into one of the relevant directions of scientific research, and attracts interest of representatives of different sciences: from philosophers, sociologists, economists, to experts in the sphere of ICT. In general, regions of the North Western Federal District are more prepared for development of information society. Both the populous nature of the European part of the Russian Federation, and proximity to more developed countries affects such differences. As shown by the analysis, dynamics of indexes of 2008 in regions of the FEFD goes more actively, than in regions of the North-Western Federal District. More careful research is already on and more modern data is required precisely to define growth rates of readiness of information society of the NW and the East of Russia and to make expert recommendations for further development of this area. Information or digital inequality of Russian regions can both strengthen the developed regional differentiation, and to level its existing destructive manifestations on the basis of innovative reorientation from regions, resource-intensive on the information strategy of the social and economic development. Application/Improvements: Based on this analysis, we can see the problems of the development of the digital society and try to solve them.


Introduction
The gained popularity of scientific researchers of different areas in the perspective connected to development of the network environment is caused by the active approach of the modern Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) which are involved not only in upgrade of means and forms of existence, but also have a direct bearing on change of social characteristics of the current time. They can change kind of work of the person, social communications, organizational forms of implementation of social interactions and the social relations 1 . The first social Internet networks gave to users opportunities preferentially for interpersonal communication. Today they unprecedentedly extend, forcing out or replacing direct communication. Network (Internet) communications can become the tool of more active and productive dialog between society, the power and professional communities, sharing intellectual potential 2 .
According to internetworldstats.com, at the end of 2014 in Russia there were 103 million Internet users, and its penetration reached 70,5%. For comparing, on average in the European countries penetration of the Internet by the end of 2015 is estimated at 73,5%, and on average in all countries of the world -46,4%. I.e. development of the Internet in Russia is provided to a lesser extent, than on average in Europe that is not surprising, considering the non-uniform structure of resettlement and extensive spatial variety of the Russian Federation. At the same time, the study of network activity of the Russian users realized by FOM (on the basis of selective survey of adult population of the cities) shows its high dynamism. And 2012 became a point of a fracture in case of which specific weight of Internet users exceeded a share of the citizens who are not using networks 3 . For overcoming low activity of network communities an important factor is detection of demand of the most professional community for exchange of judgements. In case of great demand, the activity of interaction will probably be rather high. In case of the revealed low demand, carrying out additional researches on detection of developmental factors of professional network activity is required 4 .
The phenomenon of network communities took a steady position in scientific research that caused formation of a wide object and object palette, search of an adequate methodological and methodical basis of scientific search 5 . The virtual social networks become zones of creation of new forms of the social and human capital which in turn accelerates process of formation information societies 5

Methodology
The institute of Development of Information Society developed the Index of readiness of regions for information society (further in the text of IRRIS). Since 2005 results of a research of this project participants are published. The index represents the measuring instrument of a level of readiness of regions to use of ICT for social and economic development. It is calculated on the basis of the indices characterizing factors of development of information society and also use of ICT in six areas (the public and municipal administration, education, health care, business, culture, households) 9 . For calculation of the index and its components 77 indices which the key indicators of access and use of ICT recommended by the international organizations are used. The index allows to measure differences between territorial subjects of the Russian Federation on integral indices of information development 10 . The index gives the chance to assess the current situation, to reveal the most problem zones from the point of view of information inequality of regions and to define zones of lag and a hindrance on the way of development of information society in territorial subjects of the Russian Federation. At open access there are data till 2014. It is possible to study reports on the index website in more detail -http://eregion.ru/polnyi-otchet.
IRRIS is separated on: • the index components of factors of electronic development (human capital, ICT infrastructure, economic environment); • the index components of use of ICT for development (ICT in business, culture, medicine, education, households, organs of state authorities).
The procedure of normalization is used for creation of the index. The technique of normalization is used for preparation of the Index is similar to the procedure which is used in the composite index of development of ICT (ICT Development Index, IDI) developed by the International Telecommunication Union according to the decision of the World summit on development of information society. The specified procedure is based on calculation (by division) the relations of the current measure value for the territorial subject of the Russian Federation to the "reference" (normalizing) it value -usually maximally possible on this index (in case of share indices it is 100%). Assessment of an index was calculated by the following formula: the normalized value (assessment) of the index of the region of X = Rx/Rn, where Rx -the measure value for the region x, Rn -the normalizing ("reference") measure value. Thus, if the region has "reference" (usually maximally possible) measure value, its assessment on this index is equal 1 if the value is less "reference", it's the normalized value will be less than 1, and normalized to value it is possible to determine by value as far as the region lags behind reference value. For assessment of indices which increase in value has negative character (for example, a share of food in costs breakdown of households) other formula was used: The normalized value (assessment) of an index of the region of X = Rn/Rx. As the normalizing ("reference") measure values in case of share indices (their majority) the maximally possible 100% value undertook 11 . In some directions (in particular ICT infrastructure, the economic environment) sub-indexes were calculated directly, on the basis of the being their indicators without introduction and calculation of the intermediate parameters (as in case of the sub-index of "ICT in culture", etc.) 12 .  In regions of the FEFD two regions -the Sakhalin region and Kamchatka Krai are of interest. Both indices of indexes are in these regions approximately at one level that proves static development of these areas of both components of the index and consequently and generally readiness for information society. Also interestingly the fact that in one of the considered regions the index components of factors of electronic development does not exceed the index components of ICT use for development. In indices across Khabarovsk Krai the wide spacing between indexes is marked.

Conclusion
North Western Federal District are more prepared for development of information society. Both the populous nature of the European part of the Russian Federation, and proximity to more developed countries affects such difference. As showed the analysis, dynamics of indexes of 2008 in regions of the FEFD goes more actively, than in regions of the North-Western Federal District (including St. Petersburg). More careful research is already on and more modern data is required precisely to define growth rates of readiness of information society of the North-West and the East of Russia and to make expert recommendations for further development of this area.
The digital inequality of Russian regions can both strengthen the developed regional differentiation, and to level its existing destructive manifestations on the basis of innovative reorientation from regions, resource-intensive on the information strategy of the social and economic development.

Acknowledgement
Article is executed within the project of the Russian Federal Property Fund "Research and development of models of formation of regional social and economic network communities" (17-06-00691).