The Qualitative Assessment Model for Variants of Merging of Regions

The paper analyses reasons for merging of regions of the Russian Federation into a united subfederal region. It manifests positive and negative consequences of such transformation. It is concluded that neither domestic nor foreign sciences give an answer to the question of how to assess the economic effect from merging of regions. The problems that arise during the qualitative assessment of the consequences from merging of regions are considered, as well as rankings of variants of merging. They are solved with ordinal variables—gradations of scale that state in points (ranks) the factor’s influence on the success of merging of regions under study—and with the overmedian ranks method which differentiate variants according to their attractiveness. Ranks are integers on a given range assigned to each of the compared variants by experts. They are suitable for solving those tasks which have their resulting indicators naturally interpreted qualitatively rather than quantitatively, and if the same interpretation can be given to the parameters (factors) influencing the result. The article examines a model example of the Komi Republic: whether it is effective to merge it with one of the seven neighboring regions. The priority of merging with one of the neighboring regions is identified by the overmedian ranks method