Olena Pryiatelchuk

Recent global economic and social challenges confirm the existence of a number of systemic problems in socio-economic relations. Thus, the spread of the concept of sustainable development, which combines social, environmental and economic aspects, became a characteristic feature of the global development trend in recent decades. Highly developed world countries are currently implementing the principles of social economy (a special state management model for socio-economic development) in their policies with the aim to overcome abovementioned challenges and to reach the millennium development goals. The implementation of these principles, realized by the state management in these countries during the last decades, enables us to evaluate the available results and highlight the characteristics of individual national business models of social economy. The study of the most important social and economic global indicators by means of modeling, clustering and regression analysis made it possible not only to emphasize the most important indicators characterizing socio-economic development, but also, taking into account the establishment of interrelationships between social and economic parameters, to single out separate groups of countries (exclusively the European region has been selected for the research) united by common principles and methods of social and economic policy and its implementation outcomes. The obtained results allow us to predict further trends of socio-economic development of separate groups of countries taking into account the available material and technical resources, the situation on the labor market and the level of competitiveness of national labor resources, the features of the functioning of the monetary and tax systems, etc. Given the results of clustering, it was possible to identify both specific models for socio-economic development specific to certain groups and their inherent tendencies of functioning. Besides, a set of specific methods and mechanisms of government control which are common and the best suitable for these systems is determined.

Modern architecture of the world economy is determined not only by the indicators of development of individual national economies and not only by their individual efforts, but also by coordinated efforts of several countries, such as trade agreements. One of such agreements that should lead to freer market relations, fairer trade and sustainable economic growth in the region, better resolution of international disputes, environmental protection, intellectual property protection, etc., is the United States – Mexico – Canada Agreement (USMCA). The aim of this paper is an attempt to analyze the level of global competitiveness of intergovernmental associations (agreements) as influential participants in the international market. To do this, the concepts of “competitive power of the country” and “competitive power of international integration groups” are compared with the concept of firm competitiveness. The competitiveness of the country association was analyzed through the example of the USMCA based on The Global Competitiveness Report 2019 and The Global Competitiveness Index 4.0. used in it. The paper also examines the global challenges and obstacles affecting the level of competitiveness and competitive advantage that each country receives when participating in an international integration agreement. This analysis helps explain real competitive processes in the global economy.