Digital economy: the core and the periphery

In this article there have been analyzed different classification criteria of the modern economy. It has been established that the economy of the 21st century is characterized by a certain degree of digitalization. The influence of the digital technologies on the development of the economy is analyzed in accordance with the degree of digital technologies used in economic processes. The uneven nature of digitalization has been established at various levels: global, national and sectoral. As a result of the uneven nature development of the digital economy, two sectors of this economy have been pointed out. They may be identified as the “core” and “periphery” of the digital economy. It has been revealed that the differences between the core and the periphery of the digital economy are generally due to the elements’ specific character of the working environment (manufacturing situation). There have been determined the key differences within the scope of the basic elements referring to the manufacturing situation of the core and periphery: the amount of earnings, working conditions, working hours.