This dissertation is devoted to a complex study of theoretical, methodological and practical aspects, factors, trends and effects of the contractual relations development in the system of international production and distribution cooperation. The dissertation examines the definition of the terms «international contractual relations» and «contractual relations in the system of international cooperation». The interconnection of the above term with international inter- and intra-industry cooperation has been revealed. The suggested author's approach to determining the essential characteristics of the «contractual relations definition» fully reflects the specificities of their implementation under the turbulence of global and national economic development.
The analysis of the types of international contractual relations has confirmed the hypothesis that the system of international cooperation refers to the complex systems that are characterized by plurality, hierarchy and structure. The generalization of empirical evidence and scientific research of the relevant direction in the professional literature made it possible to introduce an author classification of international contractual relations with the identification of their types by such classification criteria as the type of interaction between partners, the strategy of entering the foreign market; type of global production networks management; considering their implementation at a particular stage of production; considering the stage of inclusion in the process of creating global value added.
It is proved that, the multidimensionality of economic impacts from the integration of national enterprises into the system of international production cooperation in the form of contractual relations brings to the fore the objective of identifying the depth, scope and results of such integration. The complex of methodological approaches based on the calculation of indirect indices for estimating the scale and consequences of fragmentation and externalization of production processes for the economy has been proposed. Based on the conceptual provisions of the approach circulated in the theory of international economic relations referring to the coefficient of the country's participation in the international division of labor, the modified formula for assessing the degree of participation of the country in the international cooperation system by contractual relations was proposed.
The calculation of the participation rates of countries in international contractual relations through the use intensity index of contractual relations, the index of reviled comparative advantages (calculated for contract manufacturing and for cross-border licensing) and the index of participation in international cooperation by contractual relations for selected countries makes it possible to generate the ranking of countries according to the relevant criteria.
The analysis of macroeconomic impact of contractual relations on economies, which are integrated into international production and distribution cooperative relationships using input-output tables – the global input matrix and methods of export decomposition has made it possible to identify their role in promoting economic growth and to identify functional linkages with important indicators of the national accounts system for open economies.
The complications in determining the perspective for the development of international contractual relations with the participation of Ukrainian enterprises have led to the need for a scenario approach implementing. The elaborated author's methodology, based on the data of international organizations, in particular the IMF, the World Bank, indicative indicators of the Medium-Term Priority Government Action Plan to 2030, and expert assessments, allowed to determine the variable scenarios for further integration of Ukrainian enterprises into the global supply-and-production cooperation system, identify risks that impede the implementation of probable scenarios, and also to determine the macroeconomic consequences regarding their implementation.
Key words: contractual relations, international cooperation system, global production networks, internalization and externalization of production activity, production processes fragmentation, international division of labor.
