Integration of Structural and Evolutionary Approaches to Assessment of Structural Changes in Industrial Sector Russian Economy

Industrial economic changes in the economy are a complex and multi-level dynamic process characterized in different periods by a certain balance between modernization and innovative development. This involves the redistribution of key industrial resources in various industries and sectors of the economy in certain proportions. This study attempts to assess industrial changes in the Russian economy from the standpoint of structural and evolutionary approaches using empirical data from 1889 to 2018. These data characterize not only the quantitative parameters of the structural dynamics but also the qualitative, evolutionary characteristics of the economic system. Unlike previous studies, this article focuses on the following features. Firstly, a scientific justification is made for integrating of structural and evolutionary approaches, which together make it possible to assess the causal relationships of processes leading to economic transformations, including industrial changes. Secondly, within the framework of the study, the authors formulate a hypothesis about the relative invariance of structural changes. The empirical analysis of data on the distribution of resources of the Russian industry in the ultra -long-term period, the results of modeling structural changes at the macro level, based on the integration of structural and evolutionary approaches, as well as the application of the provisions of the resource concept, allow the authors to formulate several statements. Contrary to the estimated judgments that structural shift is irreversible, this article confirms that in certain time periods, individual elements of the system to the parameters of the system characteristic of the period before the start of structural changes. The authors conclude that one of the key factors of the inertia of structural changes is the evolutionary parameters of the system.