Issue No. 4 (80) of the scientific and practical journal “Economics: Theory and Practice” (2025) is devoted to topical issues of global, regional, and sectoral economic development in the context of digital transformation and structural shifts.
The “World Economy” section presents studies by T. O. Grafova and S. E. Kotlyarov, which analyze the impact of global factors on the dynamics of international railway transportation, as well as a paper by E. V. Bochkova and E. A. Avdeeva focusing on China’s energy security in the context of digitalization and the transition to “green” energy.
Issues of regional development are examined in the article by O. V. Kotova, M. V. Pleshakova, and N. Yu. Novikova, which provides a comprehensive analysis of the constraints and prospects for the functioning of small and medium-sized enterprises using the Sverdlovsk Region as a case study. In the “Digital Economy” section, I. V. Shevchenko and M. N. Poddubnaya present an analytical review of the application of artificial intelligence for optimizing business processes in Russian companies, while V. V. Zabolotskaya and I. A. Babalykova examine current trends in the digitalization of the accounting system in Russia.
Issues of financial management are addressed in the article by A. O. Zagursky, which is devoted to diagnosing the limits of regional and municipal borrowing and identifying ways to improve regulatory mechanisms. Sectoral aspects of economic development are explored in the works of L. V. Sitnikova and E. K. Chervyakov, focusing on the role of personnel in the implementation of lean production concepts in fuel and energy companies, as well as N. K. Vasilyeva, Zh. D. Darmilova, A. S. Lisovskaya, and A. E. Pervak, who analyze ways to enhance the competitiveness of agriculture in the Krasnodar Region within the food security system.
The “Scientific Life” section includes an article by L. V. Ponomarenko, devoted to strategies for digital transformation and technological sovereignty in the context of Russia’s economic development.
The issue reflects a wide range of scholarly approaches and may be of interest to researchers, educators, and practitioners in the fields of economics and management.