SMALL AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES IN THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to study the state of development of small and medium-sized businesses in the Russian Federation, to study their sectoral structure and territorial dispersion. The research methodology includes monographic, statistical, analytical research methods. The processes of territorial concentration of capital, people, and trade turnover have a significant impact on competitiveness and efficiency. Concentration under the influence of market laws leads to an increase in total social capital, contributes to increased competition. The main trends from 2008 to 2018 that we identified in the research process are: 1) a decrease in the size of medium-sized enterprises by 32.4%, 2) an increase in the number of small and micro enterprises — by 45%.  We found that the regional dispersion of small business in Russia is heterogeneous. The largest share of small enterprises is concentrated in the Central Federal District of the Russian Federation, mainly in the city of Moscow and the Moscow Region (36%), the share of people in this district is above 30%, and the turnover of trade is the highest in the country - almost 49%. The share of investments in fixed assets is also the largest in the Central Federal District (37%).