A Study on the Characteristics of Regional Issues and Business Development in Walkable Cities

Nowadays, when economies are changing in a rapid speed, state borders are weakening, regions underpin and form larger units. In such situation, human resources and the accumulated knowledge become one of the factors determining the creation and development of business in the regions, that play an important role in regional economic growth. It should be emphasized that the creation and development of business in the regions depend not only on the implementation of the ideas of entrepreneurs themselves, the quality of human resources, technologies and innovations in the regions, but also on cooperation between business, self-government and educational institutions. According to Laužikas et al. (2014), it is not enough of person’s qualifications, professional knowledge and experience when we consider larger business opportunities. Business and its system exist in a particular environment in which different processes occur, and entrepreneurship to large extent depends on the ways in which individuals are encouraged to take business. Promotion of entrepreneurship is related to the interpretation, promotion and dissemination of business knowledge in a society and offering appropriate forms of support to create private business. It is noted that various levels of government in the European Union, national, regional or local authorities carry out various activities that promote people’s initiative, entrepreneurship and business development. Therefore, it is very important to determine what support instruments promote the creation and development of business in the regions of Lithuania.The object of the research is the support instruments that promote business creation and development.The aim of the article is to determine what support instruments promote the creation and development of business in the regions of Lithuania.To achieve the aim, the following tasks have been formulated:1. To analyse the theoretical aspects of the influence of entrepreneurship on economic growth in the region.2. To evaluate business development trends in the regions of Lithuania.3. To investigate business development and development support instruments in Lithuanian regions.The scientific literature analysis, statistical analysis, and descriptive, analytical and comparative analysis methods have been employed for the research.In order to evaluate the situation of business creation and development in the regions of Lithuania, the analysis is carried out at two levels, i.e. the number of selected business indicators (the number of small and medium sized enterprises operating at the beginning of the year, the number of legal entities registered in the year, the number of registered enterprises per year, the number of persons who obtained business licenses, the number of small and medium size enterprises per 1000 inhabitants at the beginning of the year) are investigated in the territory of Lithuania which is divided into 2 regions: Capital and Central and West Lithuanian region; these indicators are also investigated in Lithuanian regions which are defined as counties.The ability of the region to provide a better standard of living for its people critically depends on the longterm economic growth rate. In the long run, even a small difference in economic growth rates between regions can turn into a large difference in average human incomes. In addition, the factors that determine the economic growth of most regions can also be linked to their impact on business creation and development in the regions, as entrepreneurship is an important precondition for regional growth and development.After analysing the indicators reflecting the creation and development of business in the regions of Lithuania, it can be stated that Capital region is the leader according to the following indicators: the number of new legal entities registered per year, the number of small and medium-sized enterprises registered per year, and the number of small and medium-sized enterprises operating per 1000 inhabitants. The region of Central and Western Lithuania is the leader according to the following indicators: the number of unregistered legal entities at the beginning of the year, the number of legal entities registered annually, the number of small and mediumsized enterprises registered annually, the number of small and medium-sized enterprises at the beginning of the year, and the number of persons who obtained business licenses. It should be emphasized, that significant differences exist when the analysis of counties forming the region of Central and Western Lithuania is conducted. Kaunas and Klaipėda counties prevail, while Telšiai and Utena counties are behind other Lithuanian regions according to many indicators.In the municipalities of the regions of Lithuania, a lot of attention is devoted to support the process of business creation and development. Business creation and development are encouraged by offsetting start-up costs, preparation of a business plan or project, reimbursement cost of interest or new job creation and training, and encouraging participation in exhibitions, fairs or business missions. It should be emphasized that only the amount of support is different in these municipalities of Lithuanian regions.

In the context of the digital transformation of the economy, the development of small businesses significantly depends on the ability to adapt modern marketing tools, in particular digital marketing, to increase competitiveness, expand the customer base and optimize the costs of promoting goods and services. At the same time, small businesses, especially in the regions, often face barriers — from a lack of financial resources to limited access to digital technologies. This necessitates effective institutional support from state and local authorities, business associations, entrepreneurship development centers, etc. Such institutions should play a key role in creating an enabling environment for the digitalization of small businesses, providing advice, educational services, financial assistance, and infrastructure support. Today, the study of the relationship between institutional support and the implementation of digital marketing in regional small businesses is extremely relevant. It allows us to identify effective approaches to strengthening the role of small business in the sustainable development of regions, as well as to form recommendations for improving the effectiveness of small business support programs in the digital economy. Despite the rapid development of digital technologies and the growing availability of digital marketing tools, a significant part of small businesses in the regions of Ukraine remains on the periphery of these transformations. Entrepreneurs often do not have enough awareness, technical knowledge, or financial resources to effectively implement digital promotion strategies. At the same time, institutional support from state and local authorities, business associations and donor organizations, although declared, is not always systematic, targeted and adapted to the real needs of small businesses in specific regions. Lack of proper coordination between support entities, fragmentation of programs and weak analytical base limit the effectiveness of the digital transformation of small businesses. The purpose of this study is to comprehensively study the role of digital marketing and institutional support in stimulating the development of small businesses in the regions, as well as to identify effective mechanisms for their interaction to increase the competitiveness and sustainable economic growth of small businesses in the context of digital transformation. In today's world, digital technologies are dynamically transforming the economic environment, changing the rules of doing business, ways of communicating with customers, and means of popularizing products and services. In this vein, digital marketing becomes crucial for ensuring the viability and competitiveness of small businesses, especially in regions where entrepreneurial activity is often limited by resources, infrastructure, and access to modern knowledge. Small business is the basis of the economy of most countries, because it provides market flexibility, promotes employment of the population, and stimulates the development of local communities. However, in many regions, these enterprises remain vulnerable to economic changes, without adequate access to digital transformation technologies. They face a number of barriers — from the lack of the necessary technical base to a lack of qualified personnel and knowledge in the field of digital marketing In today's digital transformation environment, the effective use of digital marketing is one of the important factors for the long-term growth of small businesses, especially on a regional scale. The use of digital technologies creates additional ways to effectively promote goods and services, improve communication with customers, analyze the market situation and optimize costs. At the same time, the success of their application depends not only on the technological base of the enterprise, but also on the level of digital competence of the staff, strategic vision and flexibility of management decisions. At the same time, institutional support for small businesses plays an important role — through educational programs, consulting services, tax incentives, access to digital infrastructure and platforms. Coordination of efforts of government agencies, business associations, incubators and local initiatives contributes to the formation of a favorable environment for the implementation of innovative marketing strategies.

By the purpose of the given research was revealing the basic problems and prospects of development of small business in regions. The methodology of reception of results of the specified purpose consists in the generalized analysis of scientific and legislative sources in the field of economic and organizational problems of development of small business in regions of Russia. As a result of research is revealed, that unions, association, and other public associations of the small enterprises more and more actively work at regional levels. System of commercial and industrial chambers having in significant potential in the sphere of support of the fine businessmen in regions essentially has become stronger. Area of application of results of the given research can be used by the managers of small business and teachers of higher educational institutions in the sphere of preparation of the managers in economy and management. The results of research allow to make conclusions: The level of development of small business in regions, in comparison of the advanced foreign states, rather lags behind; the analysis of the normative certificates in sphere of small business from a position of their influence on development of regions testifies, that the mechanism of state influence includes economic and organizational measures; the small business has the brightly expressed regional orientation.

The relevance of the study is determined by the importance of small business in the northern raw material regions in the context of a decrease in hydrocarbon production and a decrease in the role of large business in the economic development of the territory. It is determined that modern studies of small business at the regional level mainly consider the mechanisms of development of small business, the sphere of interaction between small and large business, the state of the institutional environment. But they do not take into account the peculiarities of specific territories and the life cycle of the extraction of raw materials. The article analyzes trends in the development of small business in Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug - Yugra and identifies factors that have a significant impact on it. It is noted that the indicators of the development of small business in the region had predominantly positive dynamics for 2011-2019, namely, the number of small businesses increased, the number of people employed in this sector and the turnover of small businesses increased. It is determined that the activities of small businesses have become more efficient. It was revealed that macroeconomic crises had an impact on the development of this sector of the economy, which was manifested by a decrease in its activity in the pre-crisis periods. Based on the analysis of the sociological study results, it was determined that the population of the region has a positive attitude to the entrepreneurship. This made it possible to conclude that there is a potential for the development of this sector in the regional economy. It is proposed to consider small business as a factor of stability and reduction of unfavorable socio-economic consequences in the context of a high dependence of the resource-extracting region economy on the conjuncture of world prices for energy resources.

As current society’s reflection on the rapid development of motorization and increasing emphasis on the ecological environment, the study of walkable cities has become one of the key points of urban sustainable design. Creating a walkable city is an effective way to build a low-carbon and healthy city. With the development of cities, walkability concepts and theories are constantly being given new life, and research methods and design strategies continue to be updated. A city’s walkability and walkability index have become current research hotspots. Based on prior research on walkability and related urban policies, this study selects Coomera Town on the Gold Coast of Queensland, Australia, as the research area because of Coomera Town policy regulations and environmental requirements. This study utilizes traditional qualitative and quantitative research methods, machine mining technology, and the deep learning big data analysis technology to conduct thematic design research in a real place. Its combines walkability evaluation with walkability design to construct a walkable city in a targeted manner. This provides a reference for related city design in the future.

In modern conditions the region's sustainable development and economic growth is largely determined by its ability to implement innovations. One of the determining factors of long-term economic development of the territories, to date, is innovation. A mechanism to give impetus to the innovative development of the regions is to create effective small and medium-sized innovative enterprises. Voronezh region, like many Russian regions, has considerable potential for innovation, but usually it is not used efficiently or not used at all. The article deals with the concept and the need to develop innovative entrepreneurship and the role of small and medium innovative enterprises in the formation of scientific and technical potential of the Voronezh region. The basic conditions and factors promoting and impeding the development of small and medium innovative businesses in the region, determined the willingness of subjects of innovation activity in the development, implementation and promotion of innovation in the region. The problems of development of small and medium-sized businesses at the regional level. The evaluation of actions to improve SMEs management programs in the region. Particular attention is given to the classification of small and medium-sized innovative business structures. In order to stimulate the development of small and medium-sized innovative business in the Voronezh region in the article suggests the implementation of a package of measures. The active use of innovation by small and medium-sized enterprises of the Voronezh area enhances their efficiency and competitiveness, creates new jobs, which ultimately has a positive effect on the region's economic development, the growth of the tax base, improving the quality of life of the population.

The author of the thesis: Mg.sc. soc. Ligita Āzena. The title of the thesis: The competitiveness of the area for smart business development in Pieriga region. The hypothesis of the thesis: The competitiveness of the area contributes to the development of smart business in Pieriga region. The aim of the thesis: Assess the importance of the area's competitiveness for the development of smart business and develop possible solutions to boost competitiveness for the development of smart business in Pieriga region. To achieve the aim, the following tasks are set: 1. collect theoretical guidelines on spatial development and competitiveness criteria, the needs of target market groups, the nature of smart business and European experience; 2. examine the guidelines for business development policy of Latvia, regions and local governments - regulatory enactments, development planning documents of Latvia and Pieriga region; 3. analyse the competitiveness and smart economic performance of the area, provide possible solutions to boost competitiveness for the development of smart business in Pieriga region. In order to achieve the promotion objective, the following structure was established: introduction, 3 study chapters, conclusions and proposals, a list of sources of the literature used. The first chapter carried out a study of the competitiveness of area, compiled the methods for mobilising the main area target market group (population and business) and described the indicators of smart business. The second chapter explores the guidelines for regional business development policy - regulatory enactments, Latvian development planning documents and the development documents of Pieriga region regarding increasing the competitiveness of the territory and the development of smart business. The third chapter studies and identify the competitiveness performance of the area and summarises research data on the development of the smart economy and smart business, develops a competitiveness assessment matrix and recommendations for improving the competitiveness of smart business development in Pieriga region. The work concludes with the main conclusions, the main results of the study and the development of proposals to boost the competitiveness of region. Volume of promotion work for the economic doctorate (Ph.D.) there are 156 pages for obtaining a degree. The work includes 33 tables, 40 images, 6 attachments, 169 sources of information, including 71 sources in English.

This paper extrapolates the patterns and volume of business development within the Western Balkans region. This is a war-torn area with social, cultural, religious and political specificities. Despite noticeable institutional and growth progress of the individual countries, regional business is still lagging as persistent state rigidities create trade distortions. We argue that intra-regional business clusters, embedded in a shared socio-cultural context, can be the alternative to underdevelopment. Political willingness is the prerequisite, as market forces in transitional areas seem to be of secondary importance to regional integration and business development. New analytical approaches are needed to capture the complex reality.

The article presents theoretical provisions for improving information support for the development of hotel business in the Black Sea region. The research is based on the following methods: analysis we need to clarify the content of the category «information technology platform»; synthesis and generalization we need to formation of the two sectors of the proposed information technology platform to support and develop the hotel business; system approach we need to solve the problem of creation the information technology platform for support and development of the hotel business; schematic and graphic images for the visual display of the results of research (information technology platform for support and development of the hotel business). The concept of the information technology platform provides for the possibility of involving various entities in the development of the hotel business: persons who act as guests; business entities of the hotel industry, persons (both legal and natural) who invest in the development of hotel enterprises; government institutions of various levels for cooperation and support of investment projects. To organize this interaction, it is advisable to use virtual space and automation of information processes. The components of the proposed information technology platform for the support and development of the hotel business should be considered in the context of two large-scale sectors: the sector, which provides a combination of open information space for all market actors in the tourism sector and the second sector, which is the subjects of hotel services (management of hotel enterprises). The proposed platform acts as a unique integrated technology that combines elements of promotion, training, consulting, promoting and stimulating the infrastructure of the hotel industry, the implementation of priority areas of social and economic development. Implementation of information technology platform for support and development of hotel business in the Black Sea region can be a tool that will solve a number of important tasks for hotels: to form their own image of hotels, support the brand, increase customer loyalty, to optimize the processes of information and communication, to form an information business space for the promotion of new projects.

The demographic transition to an aging society in the 21st century has necessitated the development of age-friendly walkable cities, particularly in Thailand, which became a fully aged society in 2022 with 20% of its population aged 60 and above, with projections indicating continuous growth. However, previous research has lacked in-depth studies on factors promoting walking in historic urban areas from the perspective of elderly tourists, especially within the context of heritage cities where infrastructure improvement constraints exist. Through a case study of the old town district of Nakhon Ratchasima, an area rich in cultural heritage with a dense elderly population comprising 32% of the local demographic, this study aims to examine factors and relationships between amenities and elderly satisfaction regarding walkable city development, and to propose appropriate walking route development guidelines for elderly residents in the old town area of Nakhon Ratchasima. The research employed a mixed-methods approach, comprising data collection through questionnaires administered to elderly general tourists and elderly community members in the old town area of Nakhon Ratchasima, aged 60-75 years and above with good health status, totaling 100 respondents. The questionnaires assessed factors promoting walking and satisfaction levels with various amenities, complemented by field observations to document the physical characteristics of the area and usage behaviors. Data analysis utilized descriptive statistics and factor analysis. The research findings revealed that the optimal walking exercise distance for most elderly individuals ranges from 500-1,000 meters. Critical factors promoting walkable cities for the elderly comprised appropriate infrastructure, safety, and essential amenities. Factor analysis demonstrated that amenities influence elderly satisfaction by 80%, particularly clean restrooms, with seating areas recommended every 200-500 meters, emphasizing shaded and secure locations. Based on these findings, this study proposes three concrete development approaches: improving signage systems for clarity and comprehensibility, increasing rest points and restrooms along frequently used routes, and developing mobile applications to supplement walking route information. The findings and recommendations from this study are not only beneficial for developing the old town area of Nakhon Ratchasima, but can also be applied as guidelines for developing other historic urban areas with similar contexts and challenges, to promote sustainable age-friendly urban development.

In inner-city neighborhoods, business development can promote community development by expanding employment, improving consumer services, creating markets, rehabilitating real estate, andfostering community leaders. Community development can create business opportunities in those neighborhoods by reducing firms' operating costs and expanding markets. When these linkages are selectively and creatively exploited, pairing business development and community development can achieve more than pursuing each independently. Examples from four U.S. cities-Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, and Pittsburgh-are used to relate the literature on inner-city business and community development to current development issues.

The tourism business is growing rapidly as a tool for economic development, revenue generation and development of national and international economies. After all, tourism business allows to create jobs, increase investments and products. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the current state of tourism business development in the city of Almaty and SWOT-analysis of the main problems and prospects. In the course of the study, survey questions were developed with a review of literature included in the Scopus and WoS database, with the main conclusions drawn. The survey was conducted to determine the level of tourism business development in Almaty city, in which owners and managers of 523 enterprises voluntarily participated. In order to ensure the accuracy of the survey, the answers of 510 respondents were selected after a 3-month selection process. The analysis of the survey responses showed that 72.7% of tourism business representatives do not have special tourism education; and 32.9% do not have staff contracts. However, as positive perspectives: it is encouraging that respondents are keen to grow their businesses, keen to overcome the effects and crisis of the Covid-19 pandemic, and that 29% of respondents are young entrepreneurs. In addition, as a result of SWOT-analysis, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and risks of tourism business development in Almaty became known. Thus, this study helps to identify a promising direction for future research, being an auxiliary tool in solving problems that hinder the development of tourism infrastructure in Almaty, improvement of service provision, sustainable development of tourism business.

The basic prerequisites for the development of small business in mountain regions and the degree of their differentiation with other territories of the Carpathian region of Ukraine are generalized. The paper establishes that the increase of business activity of the population, increase of scale and efficiency of activity of small business entities as a source of job creation, increase of employment and increase of residents’ well-being are a significant untapped resource for the development of mountain regions of Ukraine. The main obstacles to the development of small business in the mountain regions of Ukraine, which accelerate the migration activity of the population in the course of conservation, are characterized. Based on the results of public polls, the causes that led to the deterioration of the functional characteristics of small business in the Carpathian region of Ukraine are identified and the deficiencies of the state migration policy in the context of mountain areas development are highlighted. The paper outlines the perspective directions of development and increase of functioning efficiency of small business in the mountain regions of the Carpathian region of Ukraine, including: opening of new business objects, starting their own business, including at the expense of employees, creation of clusters (other local integrated structures), launching and expanding cooperative practices, creating new business entities, increasing the number of employees in the small business sector. Measures have been developed to support and create an enabling environment for the development of small business as a leading factor in maintaining demo-reproductive potential and eliminating disparities in the socio-economic development of the mountainous regions of the Carpathian region of Ukraine. The whole set of measures is combined in several directions: improvement of financial resources for small business; improving the business environment for small business development; improvement of regulatory regulation of small business development.

В статье анализируется развитии научно-методического аппарата государственного регулирующего воздействия на сектор российского малого предпринимательства на основе оценки эффективности программно-целевой поддержки, который дополнен авторскими методиками совершенствования оценки обеспечения субъектов малой экономики. Выявлены приоритетные направления и отличительные особенности систем государственной поддержки субъектов малого предпринимательства в регионах России, существенным отличием является необходимость пересмотра полноформатности инфраструктурного обеспечения, пересмотра алгоритма и условий субсидирования малых предприятий. Обоснованы новации в механизме финансирования государственных программ поддержки малого предпринимательства, предполагающие использование в качестве показателей мониторинга степени развития малого предпринимательства в российских регионах расширенные группы показателей; предложенный подход в отличие от существующего предусматривает: использование методов обеспечения эффективной реализации государственных бюджетных средств и модернизацию подходов к формированию приоритетных направлений развития сектора малого предпринимательства путем активизации роли и ответственности регионов России. The article analyzes the development of the scientific and methodological apparatus of the state regulatory impact on the sector of Russian small business on the basis of evaluating the effectiveness of program-targeted support, which is supplemented by proprietary methods to improve the assessment of the provision of small economy entities. Priorities and distinctive features of state support systems for small businesses in the regions of Russia are identified, a significant difference is the need to review the full format of infrastructure support, to review the algorithm and conditions for subsidizing small enterprises. Innovations in the mechanism of financing state programs to support small business are substantiated, which involve the use of extended groups of indicators as indicators for monitoring the degree of development of small business in the Russian regions; the proposed approach, unlike the existing one, provides for: the use of methods to ensure the effective implementation of state budget funds and the modernization of approaches to the formation of priority areas for the development of the small business sector by enhancing the role and responsibility of Russian regions.

In the era of the green economy, the Chinese government has advocated for natural environmental protection and innovation in rural areas, making the sustainable development of small rural businesses into a focal point. Currently, whether natural environmental protection promotes the sustainable development of small rural businesses remains debatable, and the roles of regional innovation climate, entrepreneurs’ cognition of green development, and technological innovation in production on the sustainable development of small rural businesses are often overlooked. Addressing this gap, this study draws inspiration from Upper Echelons Theory and Sustainable Development Theory to construct a structural equation model (SEM) and proposes 10 hypotheses. Primary data was collected from rural entrepreneurs across 17 provinces in China, yielding 439 valid samples. The data were analyzed using AMOS 28.0, SMARTPLS 4.0, and SPSS 28.0. The findings revealed that natural environmental protection did not positively influence the sustainable development of small rural businesses (β = 0.104, p > 0.05). In contrast, the regional innovation climate (β = 0.189, p = 0.001) and rural small business entrepreneurs’ cognition of green development (β = 0.261, p < 0.001) significantly affected the sustainable development of small rural businesses. Technological innovation in production (β = 0.034, p < 0.01) played a partial mediating role between the regional innovation climate and the sustainable development of small rural businesses. And, the mediating role of technological innovation in production was significant in the relationship between entrepreneurs’ cognition of green development and the sustainable development of small rural businesses (β = 0.059, p < 0.01). As a representative developing country, China’s findings in rural areas provide valuable insights for other developing countries undergoing green development transitions. This study not only questions the applicability of Porter’s hypothesis in rural contexts but also offers implications for relevant policymakers and small business entrepreneurs.