Khoroshev M.I. Social protection of the population in the digital economy. – Qualification scientific work as a manuscript. Dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in specialty 051 – Economics (Field of Knowledge 05 – Social and Behavioral Sciences). – V.N. Karazin Kharkiv National University, Kharkiv, 2025.
The dissertation provides a theoretical and methodological substantiation of the transformation of the social protection system under digitalization and develops conceptual and practical foundations for its modernization in Ukraine, taking into account socio-economic challenges, international experience, and wartime conditions. Social protection is considered as a multi-level institutional system of social risk management aimed at ensuring a decent standard of living, reducing inequality, supporting human potential, and strengthening socio-economic resilience.
Theoretical approaches to defining the essence of social protection are systematized and its place in modern social policy is clarified. It is substantiated that digitalization transforms the mechanisms for implementing its functions through automation, data integration, personalization, and forecasting of social risks. The necessity of transition from a reactive to a proactive model of social protection, in which digital technologies are used for early identification of risks and timely provision of support, is substantiated.
The current state of social protection in Ukraine, its financial support, demographic and pension problems, as well as the impact of the full-scale war on social needs are analyzed. It is determined that mass internal displacement, increasing social vulnerability, and pressure on public finances have intensified the need for an adaptive and technologically integrated social protection system. The expediency of developing a hybrid model that combines state guarantees with the capabilities of the private sector, international organizations, and digital platforms while preserving the coordinating role of the state is substantiated.
The digitalization of social protection in Ukraine and the role of the Unified Information System of the Social Sphere, the Diia portal, the eDopomoga platform, electronic registers, and integration of public services with financial institutions are investigated. It is established that digital instruments contribute to reducing bureaucratic procedures, increasing the targeting and speed of assistance, improving transparency, and reducing the risks of duplicate payments.
A comparative analysis of the digital transformation of social protection in Ukraine and foreign countries is carried out. It is determined that the effectiveness of digital reforms depends not only on technological development but also on the institutional capacity of the state, legal support, digital literacy, and public trust. The integration of registers, electronic identification, automatic assignment of assistance, remote access to services, big data, artificial intelligence, and other digital technologies are identified as relevant for Ukraine.
The risks of digital transformation of social protection are systematized, including digital inequality, insufficient digital literacy, personal data protection and cybersecurity issues, algorithmic discrimination, institutional fragmentation, and insufficient integration of information systems. The necessity of combining digital channels with traditional forms of social service provision to ensure inclusiveness is substantiated.
The scientific novelty of the study lies in substantiating a hybrid model of social protection in Ukraine in the digital economy; developing scenarios for the digital social services system until 2030; improving the methodology for comparative analysis of digital transformation models; systematizing current challenges and risks of digitalization and mechanisms for their mitigation; and deepening theoretical provisions regarding the impact of digital technologies on the functions, principles, and institutional architecture of social protection.
The practical significance of the results lies in their application in the formation of state social policy, development of strategies for digital modernization of the social sphere, integration of state registers, improvement of social program administration, and implementation of proactive social services. Digitalization should be considered not as an end in itself, but as an instrument for increasing the accessibility, targeting, transparency, and resilience of social protection.
Keywords: social protection, digitalization, social policy, digital services, inclusion, artificial intelligence, social risks, hybrid model, digital transformation, social justice.
