ASSESSMENT OF THE HUMAN POTENTIAL AT THE MUNICIPAL LEVEL (THE CASE OF OF THE REPUBLIC OF BURYATIA)
The article offers an assessment of the integral index of human potential in municipalities of the Republic of Buryatia for 2020. In addition to the basic components of the human potential, i.e. health, education and well-being, demographic and socio-cultural components are also identified, for which normalized indices are constructed based on the linear scaling method. The calculation of their values was carried out using alternative statistical and ministries’ indicators: general population growth/decline, book fund size, crime rate, primary disability and morbidity, infant mortality, distribution of the population over 15 years old by level of education, enrollment for preschool and general education of population aged 1-17 years, the amount of social benefits and taxable monetary income of the population. The integral index of human potential of municipalities is calculated on the basis of specific indices. Municipal units of the Republic of Buryatia were ranked by the level of development of the human potential. The most developed and underdeveloped municipalities were thus revealed. Four groups of municipal units with similar characteristics of the human potential have been identified on the basis of cluster analysis, using the method of agglomerative hierarchical clustering. The obtained results show a high degree of differentiation of human potential in the republic as a whole and in its components. The definition of strong and weak sides of development of the human potential by revealed clusters can be used for more effective elaboration and realization of the development strategy of municipalities and the republic as a whole. The low human potential index indicates the low effectiveness of social policy at the subregional level.