Potential Directions оf Socio-Economic Development of Small Towns In Russia

<p style="text-align: justify;">Socio-economic development of Russia stands out for a certain imbalance: megacities are key centers of dynamic economic growth, while most of small towns are characterized by the complexity of the socio-economic situation. The theme is topical because the sustainable regional development is impossible without the development of their constituents, including small towns.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The main purpose of the study</strong> is to analyze the current level of development of Russian small towns and to identify possible directions of their further modernization.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">In order to fulfill this purpose following major tasks should be accomplished:</p><p style="margin-left: 70.9pt; text-align: justify;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; to review characteristics of the Russian small towns and the current level of their socio-economic development;</p><p style="margin-left: 70.9pt; text-align: justify;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; to identify and analyze the current problems of Russian small towns;</p><p style="margin-left: 70.9pt; text-align: justify;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; to describe my authorial typology of small towns;</p><p style="margin-left: 70.9pt; text-align: justify;">&middot;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; to analyze possible directions of socio-economic development of small towns in Russia in accordance with revealed typology.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Characteristics of small towns are reviewed and their main problems revealed in the paperwork. In the second chapter there is the authorial typology based on the level of territorial potential and socio-economic development. During the conducted research the data on 780 small towns were collected. Data sources are the Territorial bodies of the Federal State Statistics Service, the official sites of the municipal administrations, investment passports and development strategies of the municipalities. As a result, 420 small towns (whereby all the necessary information is publicly available) were divided into 9 groups according to the authorial typology. The third chapter covers potential areas of socio-economic development of small towns depending on their typology.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;">The practical use of the work is that the majority of small towns which are characterized by low socio-economic development level do not actualized the potential they have. Results and conclusions of the study can serve as a basis for identifying possible ways of socio-economic development and tools for the achievement of the objectives.</p><p>&nbsp;</p>