Abstract Rural decline is an inevitable process as human society transforms from the agrarian to the urban-industrial economy, and further on to the knowledge economy. Through an extensive literature review, this paper aims to interpret why some rural areas decline while some others do not. The findings show that it is by the interactions between rural areas and the external environment that rural communities either grow, decline or even vanish. The paper emphasizes the necessity to improve rural communities' resilient capacity through adjusting their internal components' function and structure to survive the external changes. In this process, rural livelihood diversification, the creation of market oriented institutions and strong social capital are considered to enhance rural resilience and build up sustaining rural communities. Finally, three conditions for sustainable rural development in the knowledge economy are discussed: 1) development of new economic activities that can respond to potential urban demand; 2) local entrepreneurship that can establish and expand these new activities; and 3) social capital that can support the entrepreneurship in new activities with access to credits, labor, human capital, external markets and external knowledge for learning and innovation.
Contemporary debates about artificial intelligence (AI) still treat automation as a straightforward substitution of human labor by machines. Drawing on Goffman’s dramaturgical sociology, this paper reframes AI in the workplace as supplementary rather than substitutive automation. We argue that the central—but routinely overlooked—terrain of struggle is symbolic-interactional: workers continuously stage, conceal, and re-negotiate what counts as “real” work and professional competence. Large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT exemplify this dynamic. They quietly take over the invisible, routinised tasks that underpin cognitive occupations (editing, summarizing, first-draft production) while leaving humans to enact the highly visible or relational facets that sustain occupational prestige. Drawing on diverse sources to illustrate our theoretical argument, we show how individual workers, dramaturgical teams, and entire professional fields manage impressions of expertise in order to counter status threats, renegotiate fees, or obscure the extent of AI assistance. The paper itself, having been intentionally written with the ‘aid’ of all presently available frontier AI models, serves as a meta-reflexive performance of professional self-staging. The dramaturgical framework clarifies why utopian tales of friction-free augmentation and dystopian narratives of total displacement both misread how automation is actually unfolding. By foregrounding visibility, obfuscation, and impression management, the article presents a differentiated case for AI’s impact on the performative structure of work, outlines diagnostic tools for assessing real-world AI exposure beyond hype-driven headlines, and argues for a more human-centered basis for evaluating policy responses to the ‘fourth industrial revolution.’ In short, AI enters the labor process not as an autonomous actor, but as a prop within an ongoing social performance—one whose scripts, stages, and audiences remain irreducibly human.
The decline in the share of agriculture in employment structure in recent years indicates the need to revise approaches to labor force management, level of qualification of which is one of the key problems of agricultural enterprises, affecting competitiveness of the industry. To be in demand and successfully compete in labor market, it is necessary to master professional competencies and skills, develop communication skills, ability to work in team, and creative thinking. The goal is to provide comprehensive assessment of labor potential in the agricultural sector of the republic in order to resolve issues related to personnel in agricultural production. Methods - statistical, systemic for studying employment trends in agro-industrial complex. Results - the current state of economically active rural population of Kazakhstan was studied, the main tasks related to personnel provision for agro-industrial complex were analyzed, recommendations for effective personnel management were developed. Particular attention is paid to the influence of level of wages, social conditions and motivation of graduates of agricultural universities on the attraction and retention of specialists in rural areas. The factors of growth of effectiveness of personnel reserves in the activities of agricultural formations are identified. The priorities of economic policy to increase labor productivity are determined. Conclusions - the objective dynamics of optimization of incomes of rural residents in terms of their purchasing power is achievable only under the condition of increasing the amount of wages, which will take into account the real capabilities of workers in rural areas in meeting the necessary needs. Important role is given to the innovative program "With Diploma to the village", aimed at providing social support measures in form of lifting allowance and budget loan for the purchase or construction of housing for specialists in social sphere, agriculture, etc.
Amid growing organizational complexity, digital transformation, and increasing emphasis on socially responsible governance, the category of “personnel” is undergoing significant theoretical reevaluation. The article explores the conceptual evolution of this term, arguing for a reconceptualization grounded in interdisciplinary perspectives. While traditionally defined through quantitative or functional frameworks, “personnel” today must also be understood as a complex socio-economic and psychological construct that integrates individual traits, motivation, emotional intelligence, communication skills, and adaptability. These personal dimensions are critical not only for effective organizational functioning but also for ensuring long-term sustainability and resilience. The study investigates how the interaction between economic theory, labor sociology, and organizational behavior shapes the modern understanding of personnel. It systematizes existing definitions and approaches, including legal, administrative, and socio-psychological perspectives, each highlighting specific aspects such as contractual status, role flexibility, or interpersonal dynamics. The paper emphasizes the growing relevance of human-centered strategies in HR management, driven by the expanding role of artificial intelligence, platform-based employment, and analytics-based decision-making. Personnel is thus positioned as a hybrid resource – both human and digital – whose value extends beyond labor input to include creativity, ethical conduct, and the capacity for continuous learning. The article contributes to contemporary academic discourse by positioning “personnel” as a multidimensional concept that reflects the complex interplay between human capacities and digital systems, relevant for scholars, HR practitioners, and policymakers seeking sustainable workforce strategies in conditions of uncertainty and innovation. By analyzing current trends in human capital theory and digital workforce integration, the article demonstrates the necessity of redefining personnel as a dynamic organizational asset. This reconceptualization allows HR professionals, researchers, and policymakers to develop more adaptive, inclusive, and strategically aligned approaches to personnel development, especially in the context of agrarian and industrial sectors facing accelerated transformation.
An important problem that has arisen for enterprises in the current conditions of the industrial economy and development of Ukraine and will be relevant in the post-war period is the need for effective assessment and management of human resources in conditions of uncertainty and instability. As practice shows, traditional assessment methods that were used before the war no longer correspond to the realities of the post-war period, when enterprises are faced with new challenges and need to adapt to a changing environment. Under these conditions, an important aspect is the integration of new technologies with innovative approaches into the human resources management process. This includes the implementation of digital tools for monitoring and analyzing labor efficiency, the use of artificial intelligence to predict trends in the labor market, as well as the development of flexible training and personnel development strategies that would meet modern challenges. Human resources, in particular in the field of information technology, are facing new challenges and requirements, which emphasize creative abilities, innovative thinking and the ability to learn and adapt. In this context, people cease to be just a «resource», but become active participants whose talents and abilities are key to innovation and the overall success of the enterprise. The purpose of the work is to determine human resources using international observations in the context of military migration and business relocation in the country. It is proven that high-quality human resources management is possible if an integrated approach is used, taking into account economic and social factors. Human capital can be accessed through the number of intellectual workers and the amount of information, knowledge and skills they possess, through the number of leaders, idea generators, and using an index approach. It is determined that the predominant qualities in determining the level of professionalism of human resources are adaptive and timely change management, flexibility, critical thinking and development of emotional intelligence, mastery of artificial intelligence digitalization technologies, and the requirements for employees to be fluent in foreign languages are becoming increasingly high.
John Galsworthy’s Strife presents a deep exploration of class conflict and moral dilemmas situated in the intense environment of an industrial strike. The play unfolds in the midst of a labor dispute involving the working class and their employers, offering a glimpse into the economic, social, and moral tensions present in early 20th-century Britain. Galsworthy intricately explores the human cost of industrialization, portraying the characters’ struggles as a battle for better working conditions and a deeper moral confrontation between two classes with opposing interests and values. The play critiques the dehumanizing effects of capitalism through the lens of the strike, highlighting the ethical complexities that shape the actions of both workers and employers. In Strife, Galsworthy crafts a morally ambiguous narrative, illustrating how both sides struggle with their ethical responsibilities. The portrayal of workers highlights their status as victims within a system that values profit more than human dignity, while the employers’ commitment to conventional ideas of authority and order faces scrutiny as well. Galsworthy’s depiction of these characters compels the audience to consider the moral compromises that each side encounters while striving for their individual goals. This paper examines the theme of class and morality in Strife, focussing on the dramatic techniques Galsworthy uses to highlight the ethical complexities of the industrial era. Examining the characters’ interactions along with the broader social implications of the strike, this research seeks to underscore how Galsworthy uses the play to challenge the prevailing moral and social order, inviting the audience to reconsider their views on justice, inequality, and the human condition in a classdivided society.
ABSTRACT From its origins in the labor and environmental justice movements in the United States, the concept of a just transition has travelled globally as a frame to infuse concerns of justice in public responses to escalating environmental crises. However, important gaps remain in terms of understanding the potential of transition efforts to be transformative in shifting the political economic structures that cause, sustain, and deepen injustices. This article asks: what does critical sociological theory of power and social change offer for understanding the features of transformative transition coalitions as compared to those that reinforce environmental, social, and economic inequality? To this purpose, I apply insights from Antonio Gramsci and Karl Polanyi, contemporary scholars who use their theory, and environmental justice scholars to identify the means and form of transformative just transition coalitions. I identify two respective conditions of transformative coalitions: strategic power and embedded relations. Through this lens, I describe four transition coalition types: status quo, impeded, disembedded, and transformative, and discuss related examples.
The article is devoted to the topic of emigration and internal migration of Ukrainian youth in conditions of external threats[1], namely the war in Ukraine from 2014 and from 24.02.2022 inclusive. Special attention is paid to sociological research on migration processes since the full-scale invasion of Russia, social aspects, causes and consequences.
The employment of the rural population, providing a stable income and social guarantees, is one of the key factors determining social well-being in contemporary conditions. The article is focused on the comparison the social well-being of rural population with diverse employment. The empirical basis is the sociological survey of the rural population of Khakassia (2018). Industry workers feel the best of all. State employees (education, culture, healthcare) are experiencing some depression, although it is caused by age features. Agricultural workers are the least satisfied with different aspects of their lives because of difficult nature of agricultural labor and low earnings. Service sector shows dissatisfaction with living conditions such as the lack of jobs, employment and salary levels. Industry workers are the most optimistic about the future. And they make more efforts to improve their lives. Social well-being correlates with the financial welfare according to the data: the higher the level of welfare is the better is the social well-being. The age-related features also take place: social well-being in elder age decreases. Despite some inertia of rural population, it is a certain resource of their durability.
The article defines the sustainable development of the old industrial regions of Ukraine (Slobozhanskiy, Prydniprovskiy, Donetsk Economic Area) using the methodology for determining the criteria and quantifying the processes and stages of their industrial, post-industrial and neo-industrial modernization. In the course of the study, a methodological toolkit was used to assess the level and conditions of industrial, post-industrial and neo-industrial modernization of the economy based on taking into account the quantitative parameters of the ecological, economic and social components of sustainable development. The results of assessing the stages of modernization of the regions of Ukraine in 2005-2019. confirmed the industrial development of Donetsk (Donetsk and Lugansk regions) and Prydniprovskiy (Dnipropetrovsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kirovograd regions) Economic Area. According to the results of the assessment of post-industrial modernization, the Slobozhanskiy Economic Area (Poltava, Sumy and Kharkiv regions) received the highest index. This region is the undisputed leader in terms of indicators reflecting innovation in knowledge and knowledge transfer (the difference is tens of points in comparison with the corresponding indices of other regions). Assessment of the stage of neo-industrial modernization showed the existence of a negative trend that has developed in all economic regions – a steady decrease in funding for innovations in knowledge. As a result, the overall index of knowledge indicator groups showed no signs of growth, and even decreased in some areas. The Slobozhanskiy Economic Area became an optimistic exception. The development and implementation of a methodology for assessing modernization processes will increase the efficiency of management decision-making by state authorities, improve the quality of strategies and targeted comprehensive programs for socio-economic development. To ensure post-industrial and neo-industrial modernization of the economy based on sustainable development in the conditions of insufficient efficiency and effectiveness of the traditional instruments of state policy, it is necessary to form institutions of regional development. Analyzed the current state of the presence of regional development institutions in the areas of activity. It was determined that the institutional structure is heterogeneous, the regions are different in the quality of labor and natural resources, which actually determines the specialization of the regional economy, therefore, for them it is necessary to use differentiated support measures from the development institutions.
This report offers a multi-disciplinary perspective on the cybersecurity industry. Conceptualizing cybersecurity industry clusters as ecosystems, we focus on three distinct mega-clusters: the San Francisco Bay Area, metropolitan Washington, D.C., and Israel. Benefits of clustering include: access to a pool of specialized labor, knowledge spillover, access to capital, and inter-organizational linkages. Research suggests that clusters’ economics should be linked to their social dimensions and the configuration of the built environment. In addition, based on the empirical analysis, we suggest using a nuanced taxonomy of cybersecurity clusters using a spectrum of intensities: mega-, mesa- and micro-clusters, sub-clusters, and hot zones. The Big3 clusters were catalyzed during the 1990s cybersecurity genesis – even before cybersecurity was recognizable as a distinct sub-industry within high-tech – and certainly well before the term “cybersecurity” was coined. All three cybersecurity clusters emerged as specialized clusters embedded within a larger high-tech ecosystem. At the same time, government was a key actor in facilitating the high-tech and defense ecosystems in each of these three regions. Cluster concentration remains high: the Big3 mega-clusters, hegemonic since their founding, together serve as headquarters for 53% of the largest and most influential global cybersecurity firms. Cybersecurity industry dynamics. The industry can be viewed as a manifestation of two far-reaching relationship interplays: industry clustering processes and place (meaning, the industry’s socio-spatial context). Regarding the first: there is some evidence of rapid industry consolidation — especially within the Big3 clusters (393 firms merged or acquired through 2018). However, the industry still remains quite fragmented because of the continued entry of new players and the breakup of some giant firms (e.g., Symantec). The second interplay is between place and social context, human capital, and institutions. Via comprehensive mapping, we show that cybersecurity clusters are situated in large, diverse urban regions, within complex, multi-modal transportation networks, with proximate universities, and layered on household income sectors. Lessons for smaller clusters globally. Cybersecurity clusters (and sub-clusters) grow where one of two conditions exists: an anchor organization (such as the National Security Agency outside Washington) and/or where there is already a strong high-tech culture (as in Silicon Valley). Nurturing a new cybersecurity cluster is a long-term strategy, one that requires many years of patience (as in the Be’er Sheva sub-cluster in Israel). Local governments have been nurturing cybersecurity clusters specifically for about a decade with tax benefits, partnerships, and advocacy programs. However, these policies do not take place in a vacuum; rather, they are part of the ongoing competition between regions and cities. Thus, purposeful cluster growth requires more than a bundle of policies; it needs a cohesive strategic plan that structures a set of policies for nurturing the industrial ecosystem. Only with a holistic vision, which considers the social, economic and spatial context, can a cybersecurity cluster evolve and grow. Finally, we identify three cybersecurity industry/cluster challenges for the future. First is the persistent cybersecurity workforce shortage—apparent in both countries covered in this report. The second challenge is the resiliency of these high-tech clusters as the hegemony of global cities is expected to diminish post-COVID-19, with the workforce migrating out of expensive and unhealthy urban areas. The third challenge is the durability of the cybersecurity industry itself. Are there too many cybersecurity firms? Will a new generation of technologies reconfigure these firms? In sum, cyber industry cannot be understood in isolation, but only as part of a larger context. Although this industry has some unique features, cybersecurity clusters are not autonomous, and their emergence is connected to a wider technological infrastructure, and to a particular political urban and regional context.
Transformational processes in labor relations affect the employees’ social well-being. The published empirical works show that the values and perceptions of employment conditions differ among employees of various generations. The authors set the goal to develop and test a tool to monitor the work-life balance parameters of young people, belonging to the economically active part of Generation Z. The tool should be able to identify real and desired models of work-life balance and monitor well-being by satisfaction with the established ratio in the distribution of personal time over key areas that characterize the quality of life depending on the form and type of labor relations. When developing the tool, the authors paid special attention to the possibility of measuring the impact of modern flexible employment formats, including remote employment, on the social well-being of working youth of generation Z. The authors rely on the provisions of work/family border theory, generational theories and methods for assessing workplace toxicity. The application of sociological methods and instruments is justified. The authors developed a questionnaire for monitoring the satisfaction rate, tested during the pilot expert survey of young specialists in the Russian labor market by running a personal formalized survey. The respondents' responses were recorded in Google online questionnaire. An expert survey was conducted in May 2020. The results obtained confirmed that the tool allows to assess the required parameters. There was identified a positive relationship between flexible forms of employment and satisfaction with the work-life balance in the youth environment. Further research is considered to be promising.
Relevance. The article considers the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the livelihoods of people with disabilities and pensioners from a sociological point of view. The subject of the research is a pandemic as a factor of vital activity. The object of the research is the vital activity of the people with disabilities and pensioners in pandemic situation. Social object is the people with disabilities and pensioners of the metropolitan city. The analysis of the structure of the "people with disabilities and pensioners" is given; the scale of mortality among this group in comparison with other age groups, the dependence of the quality and life expectancy of the age-disabled population on the conditions of the urban environment of the metropolitan and the implementation of urban and social programs. The purpose of the study is to study the peculiarities of the perception of the urban environment by the people with disabilities and pensioners under the crisis epidemiological conditions, its influence and the degree of their adaptation to this environment. Objectives: to give theoretical and empirical interpretation of the category of "the people with disabilities and pensioners", which differs from usual definition of this category by other authors; to analyze the scale of mortality of "the people with disabilities and pensioners" under coronavirus epidemic conditions; to determine the interdependence of mortality and adaptive behavior of this category of people; to characterize the socio-demographic portrait of Vitostrata of "the people with disabilities and pensioners". Methodology. The study was carried out on the basis of a sociological approach using private sociological theories: sociology of the city, sociology of labor, the theory of social change (P. Štompka), as well as the principles of social demography [1]. Results. To solve the set of research tasks, the author studied the negative and positive factors affecting the life of “the people with disabilities and pensioners” in the pre-pandemic period. Conclusions. The author presents a new interpretation of the category of “the people with disabilities and pensioners” and gives its socio-demographic portrait; analyzed the scale of mortality of this category of people in a pandemic; determined the interdependence of mortality and adaptive behavior of “the people with disabilities and pensioners”.
This chapter examines the role of the structure and content of work in the case of the housewife. Answers given by the forty women in the sample to questions about work tasks suggest that certain characteristics of housework may be more or less uniformly experienced as dissatisfying while others are potentially rewarding. A look at the social class dimension also indicates that there is a considerable area of shared response to housework which may reflect on the nature of the work itself, and the conditions under which it is done. Hence it would seem both helpful and important to examine a number of aspects of work that industrial sociology has highlighted as critical in the explanation of job satisfaction. These are the experiences of monotony, fragmentation, and excessive pace in work and social interaction patterns. Two other dimensions of work looked at in this chapter include working hours and the technical environment.