Stimulation and incentives in economics: definition and classification

Abstract

Introduction. The incentivesplay theessentialroleineconomics. Their purposecan be determined as the growth of labour productivity, the development of enterprises, regions and national economy. Nowadays Ukrainian and foreign scholars pay special attention to incentives issues. However, despite of a large number of views and approaches, there is still an inconformity regarding the understanding of the economic content of stimulation and incentives, as well as their unified classification.

Purpose. The aim of the study is to carry out the analysis of existing interpretations of the concepts of "incentives" and "stimulation" and to formulate their essential characteristics and author's definition on its basis.

Results. Scholars’ views on the essence of economic stimulation and incentives categories have been considered. The definitions of the concepts of "stimulation", "enterprise development stimulation", "the economic stimulation system of enterprise development" have been formulated. It has been found out that not only the state, but also non-state institutions can act as a subject of stimulation: banks, insurance companies, mutual funds, etc. Three levels of economic stimulation: micro-, meso- and macrostimulation are determined. The classification of incentives have been suggested.