Development of a Socio-Economic Model of Shirak Marz of the Republic of Armenia
The successful implementation of the territorial development policy is the result of the management process based on the maximum use of the existing economic potential of the region. The most effective use of socio-economic potential is full-scale application of tools and methods of the regional resource base. The disproportionate development of the regions demonstrates the realities of the irrational use of all the components of the socioeconomic potential.
The conducted study revealed that Shirak region is rich in architectural monuments, cultural values and places that are worth to see. Various social and cultural objects operate in the communities, which make the life of the population more attractive. However, there are still many unsolved issues, especially those related to roads and the accessibility thereof as well as the infrastructures. The marz has a huge potential for agricultural development, both in terms of animal husbandry and planting. There is also an unharnessed potential for turning tourism into a promising sector of economy.
The priorities of the socioeconomic development of the region determine the peculiarities of the combination of natural, human (demographic), economic, social, and technical potential. In this study, the identified priorities may become the basis for the proposed solutions and recommendations for mitigating the negative trends in regional development and strengthening the positive ones.