DIGITAL EMPLOYMENT: UKRAINE’S RANKING IN THE GLOBAL DIVISION OF DIGITAL LABOUR

Abstract

The paper reviews information on the formation and development of a new form of employment — digital one — and identifies its impact on the country’s place in the global dimension. The overall objective of the study is to verify the trends of digital employment in Ukraine and assess its place and role in the global distribution of the digital workforce. The literature review indicates a lack of research on the gap between the level of technological development of the country and the use of digital employees in the national economy. This is particularly imperative for developing countries, which technologically remain far behind, and to which Ukraine belongs.The scholars used a certain sequence to conduct the study of this issue, particularly: at first, in accordance with the characteristics of digital employment, the authors identified the types of business where the largest number of digital workplaces is concentrated. Secondly, the researchers analysed the statistical indicators of digital employment in Ukraine for 10 years and revealed the development tendencies of this segment. Thirdly, the study compared the data on employment, wages and the obtainability of the favourable domestic talent development environments for the country of reference and a neighbouring country with a higher level of economic development. Fourthly, the research identified the factors influencing the spread of digital employment and defined the place and role of Ukraine in the global digital landscape.The study uses methods of analysis and synthesis, abstraction and generalisation in the verification of digital employment trends, statistical and analytical methodologies in the study of the state and trends inherent in the digital segment of national employment markets. The knowledge base of the research consists of the official statistics of Ukraine, Poland, analytical materials of UNIDO, The World Economic Forum, OECD, Eurostat.The object of the study is the digital segment of the labour markets of Ukraine and Poland, as these countries have similar preconditions for economic development, they are geographically located in Eastern Europe and border each other. At the same time, Poland has a higher level of economic development and is a recipient country for Ukrainian migrant workers.The paper presents the results of empirical analysis, which showed that technological lag is the major precondition for the low demand for digital employment in Ukraine. Accordingly, this determines that Ukraine is basically a resource colony in the digital global environment, which supplies highly qualified digital workers. The experts and practitioners can use the results of the study to elaborate a strategy for the development of Ukraine’s economy in the context of digitalisation.