Omelchenko O. Overcoming the differentiation of social development of regions of Ukraine.

The object of research is process of the social policy formation that aimed at reducing the differentiation of Ukrainian regions social development. The purpose of research is development of theoretical and methodical positions and practical recommendations on formation mechanism improvement for social policy that aimed at reducing the interregional differentiation of Ukrainian regions social development. Research methods are systematic approach, specifically-historical method, methods of structural analysis and synthesis, methods of induction and deduction, logical analysis, content analysis, the method of analysis of hierarchies, structural-functional method with the use of SADT-technology, a GUI method; methods of entropy and taxonomy, hierarchical cluster analysis, econometric and statistical methods. Methodical approach to the the social policy formation that aimed at reducing the differentiation of the regions social development; methodological support of assessment of the population life level in the regions of Ukraine that provides for the formation of the four-level structure of calculating the integral indicator of the population life level; methodical approach to the diagnostics of the population life level that based on the clustering of regions on the components of the population life level and the identification of problem components; mechanism of formation of the complex target programs to reduce differentiation of the regional social development are got further development. Definition of "social policy" that provides for a system of regulatory measures and actions of state and public entities for the human development; classification of the social policy functions that contains the sign of "hierarchy of human needs" are improved. Research results are used in the activities of the Main Department of Economy of Kharkiv Regional State Administration (certificate No 573/1 from 05.11.2010.) and Kharkov National University of Economics (certificate No 213 from 17.01.2011)