Gnoseological Roots of Special Economic Zones Spatial Analysis in the World Economic Theory: Enclave and Integration Geogenesis

The instrument of special zones has become widespread in the global economic system due to the possibility of giving impetus to export-oriented socio-economic, industrial and innovative development through a kind of gravitational attraction, geospatial concentration and efficient use of limited resources. In this regard, the issue of studying the mechanism of balanced gravitational action, or the geogenesis of special zones, is relevant. The purpose of the article is to provide an gnoseological and methodological justification for the ability of special zones to “gravitationally curve” geoeconomic space through the activation and enhancement of their foreign economic potential. As a result of the study, two vectors of zonal development were identified: enclaved vector, aimed at eliminating identified structural investment barriers in the economy, and integrated vector, associated with the use and expansion of existing resource opportunities in the economy in order to fully realize its potential. The author has substantiated the need to take into account three aspects influencing the functioning of zones as enclaved or integrated economic entities in the practical implementation of the zonal concept. These aspects include, firstly, zonal basic characteristics (spatial localization; infrastructure conditions for development; business configuration; features of socio-cultural planning); secondly, zonal effects (effects of financial ties; influence of foreign factors of production; return on labor resources; transfer of technology and knowledge; cooperation; institutional embeddedness); and thirdly, zonal processes (processes of establishing and breaking ties; generating “external” effects; relocation of economic activity; value creation; structural changes; maintaining growth dynamics). The author has formulated principles for minimizing problems of coordination, internal stability and risk management associated with the transition from enclave to integration geogenesis of special zones. The integration trajectory of zonal geogenesis, according to the author, will allow maintaining gravitational balance from the point of view of preventing extreme states of zones functioning: low spatial influence, on the one hand, and the transformation of a special zone into a “black hole”, on the other.