Dynamics of the development of the digital economy of small businesses in single-industry towns in the Orenburg region. Prospects and risks.

Abstract

The article presents an overview of the dynamics of the development of the digital economy of small enterprises in single-industry towns, presenting an analysis of the impact of digital technologies on this area. For the purpose of the study, Gai and Mednogorsk were selected from seven single-industry settlements in the Orenburg region, since these cities have a similar specialization (non-ferrous metallurgy). The article provides a comparative analysis of digital dynamics in the selected single-industry towns against the background of all-Russian and regional statistics. The features of the number, employment of small and medium-sized enterprises, income, and other aspects of development are investigated, as well as the strengths and problems of each single-industry town are identified. The article presents an overview of the dynamics of the development of the digital economy at small enterprises in such single-industry towns of the Orenburg region as Guy and Mednogorsk with a focus on the analysis of the impact of digital technologies. The study showed that digital technologies have a significant impact on small businesses, contributing to their growth and development. It is important to note that, despite some differences, both in the quality of the Internet and the scale, in general, there is no significant difference between the single-industry towns of Guy and Mednogorsk - the number of enterprises is stable, the number of employees is decreasing, and turnover is growing at a rate similar to inflation. This analysis also revealed several nationwide and regional trends that can become the basis for developing strategies to support small businesses in single-industry towns and other regions. These trends include an increase in the number and employment in the SME sector, an increase in income and profits, while the growth rates of indicators in the Orenburg region exceed similar indicators for the country as a whole, thus, there is no clear link between the development of the digital economy of small businesses in single-industry towns and in the region as a whole.