Contents | Issue 2 (2024)
Full issue: PDF (3.41 Mb)
Editorial
Igor V. Vydrin
P. 4–5https://doi.org/10.22394/2304-3385-2024-2-4-5PDF
Conversation with an interesting person
Academy of the Future for the Future of Russia
Oleg V. Gushchin, Igor V. Vydrin
P. 6–9https://doi.org/10.22394/2304-3385-2024-2-6-9PDF
Abstract
Dear readers! The guest of the journal “Municipality: Economy and Management” is the director of the Ural Institute of Management of the Presidential Academy Oleg V. Gushchin. His interlocutor is the editor-in-chief of the journal, Advanced Doctor of Law, Full Professor Igor V. Vydrin.

Official information. Oleg V. Gushchin was born on November 24, 1972 in Lesnoy, Sverdlovsk region. In 1996, he graduated from the Ural Academy of Public Administration (hereinafter referred to as UAPA) with a degree in Public and Municipal Administration. He continued his studies at UAPA with a degree in Jurisprudence and received the qualification of lawyer in 1998. In 2014, Oleg V Gushchin completed his master’s degree at the Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B. N. Yeltsin (hereinafter referred to as UrFU) in the field of training in Social Work. From 1990 to 1998, he worked in the Komsomol and public service. In 1998, Oleg V. Gushchin was accepted into the civil service as the head of the Youth Policy Department of the Department of Youth Affairs and Relations with Public Organizations of the Sverdlovsk Region. From 1999 to 2010 – Director of the Department of Youth Affairs of the Sverdlovsk Region. During 2010-2019, Oleg V. Gushchin worked at UrFU as Vice-Rector for Social and Youth Policy, Advisor to the Rector’s Office. From 2019 to 2022 – Director of the Department of Youth Policy of the Ministry of Education and Youth Policy of the Sverdlovsk Region.

Since October 2022 – Director of the Ural Institute of Management – branch of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.

Oleg V. Gushchin is a candidate of sociological sciences.
Economics
Study of the heterogeneity of the Russian economic space at the level of macro-regions
Ernest V. Adamov
P. 10–19https://doi.org/10.22394/2304-3385-2024-2-10-19PDF
Abstract
Introduction. This article examines the problem of differentiation of the economic space of Russia. This problem originates during the collapse of the Soviet Union, when, during the transition from a command economy to a market economy, the state was faced with an uneven distribution of natural, territorial, demographic and other resources across the country's regions. The destruction of industrial, financial and social ties of the regions occurred as a result of the policy pursued by Yeltsin B., who pursued a course of strengthening the sovereignty of the subjects of Russia. In the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 803 dated 06/03/1996 "On the main provisions of regional policy in the Russian Federation", the task was set to smooth out significant imbalances in the socio-economic development of the regions. In this paper, the question is considered: has the task regulated by the decree of the President of the Russian Federation been achieved? The purpose of the work is to assess the differences in the socio-economic development of Russian regions grouped into federal districts.

Materials and methods. The information base of this study consists of the works of domestic authors and data from the State Statistics Service (Rosstat). The Thale index, its structural decomposition, and the Atkinson index were used to analyze the socio-economic inequality of the regions.

Results. The article provides a structural analysis of the socio-economic development of Russia (at the level of macro-regions) from 2000-2020 using the above indices. The results of the study showed significant intergroup differences in the macro-regions of Russia, as well as increased regional inequality in most of the considered indicators. An analysis of the regions within the federal districts showed that the regions of the Central Federal District differ significantly in terms of socio-economic development. In other federal districts, there is a low level of regional inequality

Conclusions. As a result of the study, proposals were developed to reduce the socio-economic differentiation of the regions. The conclusions of this work can be used to improve the state regional policy in the field of balanced development of territories.
Socio-economic sustainability of municipalities: Research methodology and experience
Ilya M. Gorfinkel
P. 20–25https://doi.org/10.22394/2304-3385-2024-2-20-25PDF
Abstract
Introduction. The issue of socio-economic sustainability of territories has been studied in depth in the scientific literature. This concerns both the concept of socio-economic sustainability itself and its application to the analysis of regional and municipal development.

Various aspects of socio-economic sustainability are also addressed in a significant number of territorial ratings currently available on the information market and published by both government agencies and non-governmental structures – analytical centers, rating agencies (RA), and mass media. Most of these information and analytical products relate to the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. A striking example is the rating of regions for the implementation of the federal project “Formation of a Comfortable Urban Environment” from the Ministry of Construction of the Russian Federation. This series also includes the rating of the quality of life in the regions from the Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI), the rating of the socio-economic sustainability of regions from the Civil Society Development Fund, the rating of the socio-economic development of regions from RIA Novosti, the rating of the investment attractiveness of regions from RA Expert, and a number of others.

A significantly smaller number of such products relate to the municipal level. And this is a big problem of practical and scientific nature, which, in the author's opinion, can be overcome by the developed assessment of the socio-economic sustainability of Russian municipalities.

Materials and methods. The presented study used indicators of socio-economic and electoral statistics of municipalities relating to 2022-2023. The main source is Rosstat data. In addition, information contained on the official websites or in the official publications of regional and municipal authorities was used. The work used universal methods of scientific knowledge: analysis, synthesis, generalization.

Results. The result of the study was regional ratings of the socio-economic sustainability of municipalities in five subjects of the Russian Federation within the Ural Federal District: Sverdlovsk, Tyumen and Chelyabinsk regions, Khanty-Mansiysk – Yugra and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrugs.
Assessment of local budget deficit in the context of global challenges: Content, causes and ways of optimization
Elena A. Kachanova
P. 26–33https://doi.org/10.22394/2304-3385-2024-2-26-33PDF
Abstract
Introduction. The impact of global challenges in the modern world establishes its own technologies for achieving balance in planning and using budget finances in Russia. These problems acquire a special spectrum within the framework of a large number, diversity of legal types, natural and geographical features of the territory and financial independence of local budgets. Local budgets are the most significant source of financing for public utility infrastructure facilities that residents of municipalities use every day, which ultimately determines the comfort and quality of living in the local area.

This article aims to consider the theoretical and methodological approaches to the content and causes of the local budget deficit and to substantiate the criteria for the effectiveness of its financing with an uncertain revenue base and increasing costs for organizing the provision of municipal services in all areas of expenditure obligations of local governments. To substantiate the working hypothesis of the study, we point out that local budgets of all legal types of municipalities have gratuitous transfers from higher-level budgets as the main source of revenue base, a small amount of tax initiative and budgetary powers to assess their expenditure obligations. As a rule, all these powers are regulated at the federal and regional levels.

The methodological basis of the study was the provisions of the Keynesian and neo-Keynesian schools of budget regulation, taking into account the new model of municipal governance. The empirical basis of the study was the control indicators of draft budgets of a number of municipalities of the Sverdlovsk region, obtained by the author from official sources and the results of the webinar with representatives of financial departments as part of local governments of the Sverdlovsk region.

Results and conclusions. The results of the study identified the criteria for the formation and implementation of an effective budget deficit policy, formulated practical recommendations for local governments to optimize the financing of the local budget deficit and servicing the debt obligations of the municipality in the context of prevention and adaptation to global challenges. As further directions of scientific research, it is necessary to indicate an assessment of the possibilities of applying these criteria by local governments to the reformed provisions of the budget legislation of Russia, expected for 2030-2036.
Directions of state support for small and medium-sized businesses at different stages of economic growth in the context of digitalization
Elena N. Loshinskaya
P. 34–42https://doi.org/10.22394/2304-3385-2024-2-34-42PDF
Abstract
Introduction. Small and medium-sized businesses are a key engine of economic growth, especially in the context of the digitalization of the economy, where access to digital technologies and digital solutions is becoming increasingly important. The purpose of this study is to substantiate the directions of state support for small and medium-sized businesses, taking into account the specifics of the stages of economic growth in the conditions of digitalization of the economy. The development of small and medium-sized businesses goes through several stages, which can range from the creation of a new enterprise to its diversification and expansion. At the same time, each stage of growth requires an individual approach and special attention from the state.

Methods. The research was carried out using a variety of general scientific methods, including a thorough analysis of the works of various authors, synthesis and comparison of information, the use of a system-functional and integrated approach. In addition, the study used data from official statistics, regulatory documents and the legislative framework of the Russian Federation and the DPR. The results of this study not only objectively reflect the theoretical data, but also systematize them for a better understanding.

Results. In the course of this study, the dynamics of registered small and medium–sized businesses in the Russian Federation for 2020 – 2024 and new annexed territories – the DPR, LPR, Kherson and Zaporizhia regions for 2023 – 2024 were revealed; the laws of the Russian Federation and legislative acts of the regional level regulating the activities of SMEs were determined. The directions and types of support for SMEs of the DPR at different stages of economic growth.

Conclusions. Thus, in the context of the digitalization of the economy, state support for SMEs should be justified and focused on the specifics of the stages of economic growth of this sector. It is necessary to include measures to ensure access to digital technologies, stimulate cooperation and cooperation, ensure financing and create a favorable investment climate.
Social infrastructure of rural territories as a potential for agricultural development in the Nizhny Novgorod region
Natalya A. Minina, Olga V. Shamina, Georgiy V. Gruzdev
P. 43–50https://doi.org/10.22394/2304-3385-2024-2-43-50PDF
Abstract
Introduction. The article discusses the main problems that hinder the development of rural areas. An assessment of the social infrastructure of rural areas of the Nizhny Novgorod region was also carried out and the trends of their development were identified.

Materials and methods. In this work, data materials from the territorial body of the Federal State Statistics Service of the Nizhny Novgorod region were used.

Results. The result of the work is an analysis of the current state of rural areas and proposals for their development. The following methods were used and applied in the study: monographic, abstract-logical, economic-statistical, observations, comparisons.

Discussion. During the analysis, the main reasons that slow down progress in the development of rural areas were identified: limited information, a shortage of labor (highly skilled personnel), limited funds for the development of territories, the geographical location of territories relative to urban settlements. To solve these problems, it is necessary to carry out comprehensive measures, including increasing financing for infrastructure development, attracting qualified personnel to work on projects, improving access to relevant information and creating conditions for project implementation.

Conclusion. To date, the issue of increasing the density of the population living in rural areas is particularly acute and is a priority in the development of the country. As well as improving health and quality of life, ensuring social protection of citizens of the Russian Federation. To achieve the set strategic goals, programs are being implemented to support rural areas, measures are being taken to improve the quality of life of the rural population, working conditions, health care, etc.
Trends and factors in the development of online education
Vasilisa A. Selina, Natalya N. Kondrateva
P. 51–59https://doi.org/10.22394/2304-3385-2024-2-51-59PDF
Abstract
Introduction. The online format is becoming the most popular and in-demand way of getting an education in the modern world every day. This trend is due to the rapid pace of technology development and the availability of the Internet, as well as a number of other advantages of online education. The analysis and study of trends in the development of online education allows us to identify key areas of its development, problems faced by stu-dents and teachers, as well as ways to improve the quality and effectiveness of online education.

Methods and materials. The research methods were such as analysis, synthesis, monographic, system analysis, generalization.

Results. The analysis of trends in the development of online education is carried out. A system of factors for the development of online education is proposed.

Discussion. Online education is becoming more relevant and popular, due to many factors. Online education is the next stage in the development of traditional education. The development of online education is largely due to modern tools and methods of work.

Conclusion. Online education in Russia is under active development, adapting to modern educational require-ments. The development of online education is supported by both educational organizations and students, as well as the state.