International economic relations

The article highlights the main directions of state support for small and medium-sized businesses and the functions of the state as a supporter of business development, which consists in providing not only financial but also information support, creation and maintenance of institutional support and infrastructure. The reasons of ineffective activity of the enterprises, connected with the unbalanced state policy and the lack of protection from the state are also considered. The current directions of support of small and medium-sized businesses, including those taking into account European programs, are described. State support for small and medium-sized businesses today can be considered insufficiently effective, as evidenced by a number of examples and the consequences of ill-considered decisions of the authorities, which, with the aim of stabilizing the economy in the state, have a tangible impact on the activities of small businesses and endanger the existence of a significant part of it. The development for small and medium-sized businesses is important for the country in terms of social and economic character. Effective development of this sector of the economy requires state support at the proper level. Ukraine does not have such support because of the large number of deterrent factors. A number of measures have been proposed for small and medium-sized businesses development. Among them – the universal methods of state regulation and acceleration. Also, in order to stimulate the activities for small and medium-sized businesses, it was proposed to consider the experience of European countries. Small business abroad serves as a basis for a stable economy and is the basis for the EU's social and economic development. Small business stimulates the development of competition, the introduction of the latest technology. Therefore, European society for small and medium-sized businesses, the main purpose of which is to balance the interests of the state and business, provide optimal conditions for entrepreneurship, increase the competitiveness o for small and medium-sized businesses and the country in particular. Ukraine has no clear strategy for regulating for small and medium-sized businesses, the financing system for the formation and development of small businesses is imperfect, legal and organizational issues for micro enterprises remain unmanageable.

The purpose of the review and comparison in this paper is a comparative analysis of measures to overcome the consequences of the pandemic for the systematic improvement of the regulation of the activities of Russian small businesses in support of their entry into foreign markets. Small business is the sphere of employment of citizens of our country, and its decline threatens serious social problems that can lead to increased imbalances in spatial development and the emergence of new depressed regions. In conditions when small businesses largely remain in the shadow zone, the possibility of receiving popular forms of support from the state in times of crisis can become an incentive for restarting and modernizing production. Currently, small businesses have not realized their potential as a commodity producer, a supplier of funds to the budget and a school for raising the middle class of well-off citizens. The paper considers and analyzes the norms of measures in force in the Russian Federation to support small and medium-sized businesses. A retrospective analysis of the current regulatory framework is carried out. In addition, the aspect of the application of promising directions in the development of scientific and technological progress and the relevance of its results in the general theory of business management is studied. The authors propose adjustments and additions to the management model of small and medium-sized businesses, taking into account the increasing opportunities of scientific and technological progress, development and improvement of the general theory of management and the prospects of working in foreign markets. Theoretical and/or practical significance. The conducted research helps to supplement the theoretical picture of the effectiveness of the application of the regulatory framework by small and medium-sized businesses and ensures the steady progressive development of the theory of entrepreneurship management in the current epidemiological situation in the country.

At the current stage of the Russian economic development, the small and medium-sized businesses are becoming an immediate priority in the development of the state financial policy for the long term. Strategic documents developed at the federal and regional levels necessarily include measures to promote small businesses followed by the establishment of professional associations, business development centers, business incubators, technology parks, introduction of new and improvement of existing legislation standards, etc. However, notwithstanding the efforts made by the authorities, increased “injections” of financial resources into this sphere of the economy as well as the direct interest of governments at all levels and a substantial public response, the development of small businesses in Russia is facing great difficulties. The data on the number of registered small enterprises indicate that the sharp rise of entrepreneurship observed in the early 1990s changed into the stagnation towards the end of the decade and the sluggish current dynamics at the present time. In this regard, the relevance of the research subject is substantiated by the need to improve the regulation of the financial support of small and medium-sized businesses in the Russian Federation in order to create favorable conditions for their development and ensure the country's economic growth. In the research framework the main tasks to be solved to ensure the achievement of the research objective were defined. Based on the research findings, proposals were made related to improvement of the legislation in the field of financial support of small and medium-sized businesses, including proposals to improve government programs for supporting the small and medium-sized business institution. Other proposals address the harmonization of planned and program-target documents defining activities aimed at financial support of small and medium-sized business entities in the Russian Federation, as well as proposals on how to make the currently applicable budgetary and tax methods of small and medium-sized business promotion in the Russian Federation more effective to ensure the accessibility of financial resources and improve the quality of the state regulation. The results obtained are presented in the form of conclusions and recommendations for state authorities concerned with the regulation of financial support of small and medium-sized businesses. The practical significance of the results of the work makes it possible to use them in the activities of the Economics and Finance Department of the Russian Federation Government, the RF Government Commission on Competition and Development of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses, and the Department of Small and Medium-Sized Business Development and Competition of the RF Ministry of Economic Development.

The administrative closure of a business caused by the coronavirus epidemic has postponed the issues of the quantitative and qualitative development of small businesses for an indefinite period. In these conditions, the tasks of preserving and surviving SMEs in the post-pandemic period, making new strategic decisions at both the federal and regional levels of government, which differ from the «firefighting» measures of anti-crisis support in 2020, are of particular relevance in these conditions. The aim of the study is to identify problems in the system of state support for small and medium-sized businesses at the regional level based on the analysis and assessment of its dynamics in the pre-quarantine and post-pandemic periods, as well as to determine the directions of its transformation. To achieve this goal, legislative innovations in the field of small economy were considered, regional programs for anti-crisis support for small and medium-sized businesses were analyzed; assessed the possible prospects for the development of small and medium-sized businesses in the post-crisis economy of our country, as well as strategic changes in the system of its state support. The following general scientific and special methods were chosen as scientific tools: systemic, retrospective analysis, as well as statistical survey methods. The paper concludes that there was no significant effect from those legislative innovations that were designed to reverse the negative trends in the small business sector that had developed over the three years preceding the introduction of restrictive measures in the economy. The formulation of the question of whether the use of an anti-crisis (costly) model of support for SMEs in the post-pandemic period will become a strategy for its development in the future differs in scientific novelty. The results of the study are aimed at identifying the problems that the system of state support for regional small and medium-sized businesses may face as it emerges from the pandemic, in particular, on the aggravation of the contradiction between the preservation of anti-crisis measures to support SMEs and the possibilities of financing them from regional budgets. In this regard, the question of the need to change the configuration of the existing support system for small businesses, based on methods of direct allocation of budget funds, is of particular importance. The results of the study can be applied in the formation of a strategy for the development of medium-sized entrepreneurship in the constituent entities of the Federation. As practical recommendations, proposals are presented to abandon traditional measures to support SMEs in favor of a transition to the formation of a new model, in which modern business institutions of the ecosystem of medium-sized entrepreneurship occupy a central place.

Научное исследование посвящено вопросам государственной поддержки малого и среднего предпринимательства в регионе на современном этапе хозяйственных отношений. Авторами охарактеризовано понятие, сущность и особенности малого и среднего предпринимательства на региональном уровне. Выявлено, что малое и среднее предпринимательство являются неотъемлемыми составляющими развития экономики государства и регионов, а субъекты малого и среднего предпринимательства играют значимую роль в местном, региональном и государственном развитии. Показано, что малое предпринимательство имеет свои специфические особенности, в связи с чем очень важна государственная и региональная поддержка субъектов таких бизнес-отношений. Проанализировано управление развитием малого и среднего предпринимательства Севастополя. Выяснено, что в Севастополе разработана и утверждена Программа развития и поддержки субъектов малого и среднего предпринимательства, при этом управлению развитием предпринимательства Севастополя уделяется недостаточно внимания. Предложены мероприятия по финансовой и организационной поддержке малого предпринимательства. Показано, что для стимулирования качественного развития предпринимательской среды необходимо сформировать систему по акселерации развития субъектов малого и среднего предпринимательства, что обеспечит более эффективное состояние субъектов малого и среднего предпринимательства. The scientific research is devoted to the issues of state support for small and medium-sized businesses in the region at the present stage of economic relations. The authors characterize the concept, essence and features of small and medium-sized businesses at the regional level. It was revealed that small and medium-sized businesses are integral components of the development of the economy of the state and regions, and small and medium-sized businesses play a significant role in local, regional and state development. It is shown that small business has its own specific features, in connection with which the state and regional support of the subjects of such business relations is very important. The management of the development of small and medium-sized businesses in Sevastopol is analyzed. It was found that in Sevastopol, the Program for the Development and Support of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses was developed and approved, while insufficient attention is paid to the management of the development of entrepreneurship in Sevastopol. Measures for financial and organizational support of small business are proposed. It is shown that in order to stimulate the qualitative development of the business environment, it is necessary to form a system to accelerate the development of small and medium-sized businesses, which will ensure a more effective state of small and medium-sized businesses.

The purpose of this article is to identify the key problems of state support for small and medium-sized businesses and propose ways to solve them. The study identified the key prerequisites for the emergence of problems of state support for small and medium-sized businesses, which have different origins, but are closely related to each other. Further, the main manifestations of problematic aspects of state support for small and medium-sized businesses were considered. In the course of the study, the current directions of solving the problems of state support for small and medium-sized businesses were studied, as well as their assessment was carried out. Based on the analysis, promising ways to solve the problems of state support for small and medium-sized businesses were proposed and described. Conclusions. The key prerequisites for the emergence of problems of state support for small and medium-sized businesses can be identified at the stage of origin, as a result of which the possibility of minimizing their development is manifested. The existing areas of support are effective to a certain extent, but they require not only improvement, but also expansion. Promising areas for solving problematic aspects of state support for small and medium-sized businesses are associated with both general development vectors and the development of individual procedures and measures.

This study determines the possibilities of using stock market instruments as a source of financing for small and medium-sized businesses during the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis, as well as developing proposals for expanding the system of public support measures to popularise this mode of financing. The authors put forward a hypothesis that the stock market is an effective tool for small and medium-sized businesses to use in times of crisis, but that it is rarely used at the moment. The existing methods of state support for small and medium-sized businesses using stock market instruments have been systematised and reviewed. The procedure for granting subsidies to small and medium-sized businesses has been defined and the procedure for selecting issuers has been highlighted. Foreign experience of supporting small and medium-sized businesses through the stock market, using the United States and Polish examples, has been studied. The difficulties encountered by entrepreneurs in using the stock market instruments in Russia have been analysed and proposals for overcoming them have been made. Conclusions have been made on the effectiveness of this way of supporting small and medium-sized businesses in a difficult economic situation. A proposal to expand the system of state support and popularise this method of financing among small and medium-sized businesses has been formulated.

COVID-19 эпидемиясы адам өмірінің барлық салаларына әсер етті, шағын бизнесті дамытудың негізгі факторы болып табылатын тұтынушылық белсенділіктің төмендеуіне әкелді. Таралған көзқарас пандемиядан кейінгі дағдарысты еңсерудегі ең үлкен қиындықтар шағын бизнесте болады. Шағын және орта кәсіпкерлік секторы елдің дамуы мен өсуіне ықпал ететін экономикалық және әлеуметтік жүйесінің негізі болып табылады. Шағын және орта кәсіпкерліктің дамуы жаңа жұмыс орындарының ашылуына, бюджеттің салық толықтыруларының өсуіне, халықтың әл-ауқатының артуына алып келеді. Бұдан басқа, шағын және орта кәсіпкерліктегі бәсекелестіктің жоғары деңгейі нарықтың сұранысы мен ұсынысына жедел ден қоюға алып келеді, тауарлар мен көрсетілетін қызметтер өнімділігінің өсуіне ықпал етеді. Бұл мақалада Covid-19 пандемиясының Қазақстанның шағын және орта бизнесіне әсері қарастырылады. Осы баптың мақсаты шағын және орта бизнесті дамыту және мемлекеттік қолдау шараларын талдау болып табылады. Коронакризистің ұлттық экономикаға әсеріне талдау жасалды, шағын бизнесті мемлекеттік қолдау деңгейі талданды. Қазақстанда пандемиядан кейінгі шағын және орта бизнестің дамуына байланысты негізгі проблемалар анықталды. Эпидемия COVID-19 оказала влияние на все сферы жизнедеятельности человека, обусловила снижение потребительской активности, которая является основным фактором развития малого бизнеса. Распространена точка зрения, что наибольшие трудности в преодолении кризисных явлений после пандемии возникнут у малого бизнеса. Сектор малого и среднего предпринимательства является основой экономической и социальной системы страны, способствующей ее развитию и росту. Развитие малого и среднего предпринимательства приводит к созданию новых рабочих мест, росту налоговых пополнений бюджета, к увеличению благосостояния населения. Кроме того, высокий уровень конкуренции в малом и среднем предпринимательстве приводит к быстрому реагированию на спрос и предложение рынка, способствует росту производительности товаров и услуг. В этой статье рассматривается влияние пандемии COVID-19 на малый и средний бизнес Казахстана. Целью данной статьи является анализ развития и меры государственной поддержки малого и среднего бизнеса. Проведен анализ воздействия коронакризиса на национальную экономику, проанализирован уровень государственной поддержки малого бизнеса. Выявлены ключевые проблемы, связанные с развитием малого и среднего бизнеса в Казахстане в постпандемию. The COVID-19 epidemic has had an impact on all spheres of human activity, caused a decrease in consumer activity, which is the main factor in the development of small businesses. It is widely believed that small businesses will have the greatest difficulties in overcoming the crisis phenomena after the pandemic. The sector of small and medium-sized enterprises is the basis of the economic and social system of the country, contributing to its development and growth. The development of small and medium-sized businesses leads to the creation of new jobs, an increase in tax replenishment of the budget, and an increase in the welfare of the population. In addition, the high level of competition in small and medium-sized enterprises leads to a rapid response to market demand and supply, contributes to the growth of productivity of goods and services. This article examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on small and medium-sized businesses in Kazakhstan. The purpose of this article is to analyze the development and measures of state support for small and medium-sized businesses. The analysis of the impact of the coronacrisis on the national economy was carried out, the level of state support for small businesses was analyzed. The key problems associated with the development of small and medium-sized businesses in Kazakhstan in the post-pandemic are identified.

The article discusses the issues of state support for small and medium-sized businesses in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Paying attention to the consideration of the issue of how the legislator's approaches have changed to which entity can be classified as small businesses, and which can be classified as medium or large businesses, and what criteria to use in this case, the author provides a list of entities currently classified in these categories. The author concludes that according to the legislative concept, individual entrepreneurs can be both small and medium-sized businesses, while large-scale businesses can only be legal entities, and also draws special attention to the fact that for microenterprise entities and for large-scale businesses, only one criterion can be applied, either quantitative or qualitative, and for small and medium-sized businesses - quantitative and qualitative criteria are applied together. It is also considered as one of the main directions of the State Program for Business Support and Development "Business Roadmap 2020" measures to support business initiatives of entrepreneurs in single-industry towns, small towns and rural settlements. The author also notes that Kazakhstan currently does not have a special state body in the field of state support for small businesses, but there are many different bodies and associations whose functions include the development of entrepreneurship in general and concludes that such an approach is unlikely to contribute to the development of small businesses, which without the provision of state support measures simply will not be able to function normally and will be doomed to liquidation and termination of activities.

Lending to small and medium-sized businesses is a complex process that has its own characteristics and requires a careful approach. For such enterprises, it is important to have access to financial resources on favorable terms, but there are often restrictions and risks that must be taken into account. Also, small and medium-sized businesses may need not only financial support, but also management and development consulting. During the war, lending to small and medium-sized businesses becomes even more important and has its own characteristics. It becomes part of the economic mechanism, which is aimed at supporting domestic production, preserving jobs and the general economic development of the country in wartime conditions. In such conditions, lending to small and medium-sized businesses can aim not only to ensure their financial stability, but also to support the production of important goods and services for defense needs, as well as reconstruction after destruction. On the other hand, war is usually accompanied by economic hardship, which can lead to reduced credit resources and increased credit risks. It is therefore important that the government and financial institutions take steps to maintain the availability of credit for small and medium-sized enterprises during this difficult period.. The work describes the tools for supporting small and medium-sized businesses during the period of martial law in Ukraine. The advantages and disadvantages of bank lending for small and medium-sized businesses are determined. Based on this, the peculiarities of lending to small and medium-sized businesses in wartime conditions are highlighted. The general dynamics of lending volumes under the state program "Affordable loans 5-7-9%" were studied. An assessment of the dynamics of lending to small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine since the beginning of the war has been carried out. The top-5 largest domestic banks that provided loans to medium-sized businesses in Ukraine during 2022 were considered. An analysis of crediting of small and medium-sized businesses in Ukraine during 2019-2022 was carried out, and a comparison of the interest rates at which they received credit resources during the analyzed period.

In the current conditions of uncertainty and financial instability against the background of the coronavirus pandemic, small and medium-sized businesses are the most vulnerable. Entrepreneurssuffer huge losses, and the viability of many small businesses tends to zero due to the lack of internal reserves and unaffordable financial losses. The issue of state support for small and medium-size businesses, preferential lending and a number of other government measures aimed at supporting entrepreneurs in all affected areas remains acute. At the same time, the development (revision, reevaluation,re-orientation) of the internal functioning of small and medium-sized businesses, the implementation of competent management decisions that can support the enterprise in crisis conditions,becomes important. The purpose of implementing internal control in small and medium-size businesses is to avoid abrupt, disjointed, contradictory management decisions. The task of internal control is to ensure the consistency and expediency of management actions. Thus, the issues of organizing internal control of various economic life aspects for small and medium-size businesses are becoming relevant. The paper explains the need to implement an internal control system in difficult economic conditions in order to stabilize the financial position of an enterprise. The authors have studied some factors that hamper the implementation of the internal control system in small and medium-size businesses.

This scientific article examines the role of state support for small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Kazakhstan, identifies the main problems faced by entrepreneurs, analyzes the prospects for the development of this sector, and offers recommendations for improving the situation. To achieve these goals, data from various sources were used, as well as the results of an analysis of existing programs and measures of state support for SMEs. Theoretical significance: 1. Contribution to the academic field: This scientific article will make an important contribution to the academic field by expanding knowledge about government support for small and medium-sized businesses in the context of Kazakhstan. It will help researchers, students, and the academic community better understand the key issues and aspects of supporting entrepreneurship in this country. 2. Theoretical developments: the analysis of the effectiveness of state support for SMEs in Kazakhstan complements the existing theoretical concepts and models for the development of small and medium-sized businesses. The scientific article helps to expand the theoretical understanding of the role of the state in stimulating entrepreneurial activity. Practical significance: 1. Decision support: The research conducted within the framework of a scientific article will have practical significance for the government and the business community of Kazakhstan. The results and recommendations can be used to improve existing government support programs for SMEs and develop new measures that contribute to the development of the sector. 2. Improving business efficiency: The proposals and conclusions discussed in the article can help entrepreneurs and small businesses in Kazakhstan improve their efficiency, overcome obstacles, and use available resources more effectively. Thus, the scientific article has theoretical and practical significance, contributes to the development of scientific knowledge, and provides valuable recommendations on specific business experience and government policy in the field of entrepreneurship support.

Financial factors are crucial for the development of small and medium-sized businesses. The article dwells on the issue of the effectiveness of regional financial support for small and medium-sized businesses implemented in the form of preferential lending, and it also discusses “failures” that generate problems in the implementation of this support. The research object is Rostov region. The authors prove that it is difficult for small and medium-sized businesses to obtain a loan on normal terms due to instability of financial flows. As a result of the analysis, the authors reveal that the volume of lending to small businesses in Rostov region is steadily declining. The decrease in demand for loans from small businesses is connected with high interest rates on bank loans. The article emphasizes that concessional lending can solve the problem through the encouragement of business development in priority areas for the region. The correlation analysis is carried out on the basis of comparing the main indicators of the regional subprogram “Development of small and medium-sized businesses in Rostov region” and indicators of social and economic development of the region. According to the results of the analysis, there is an increase in the number of economic entities in the section of small and medium-sized businesses due to unemployment reduction in the region. However, this quantitative dependence in Rostov region is functionally unstable and probabilistic. At the same time, inefficient organizational and methodological activities of the state in supporting small and medium-sized enterprises have lead to the emergence of “failures” that generate the problem not of the lack of financial resources but of their low demand.

The aim of the article is to study the peculiarities of the financial and credit mechanism of supporting small and medium enterprises in foreign countries with the purpose of identification of key areas for the development of financial and credit support for small and medium enterprises in Ukraine. The subject of the study is the foreign experience of financing small and medium-sized businesses. Methodology. The research is based on a comparison of financial and credit support of small and medium business in Ukraine and in foreign countries. The advantages and disadvantages of different support systems for small and medium-sized enterprises are determined on the basis of an analysis of the specifics of financing small and medium-sized businesses in Germany, the USA, the UK, Italy, Japan, and some other countries. The possibilities and limits of the application of positive foreign experience in this area are determined on the basis of a comparative legal study of certain provisions of Ukrainian legislation. The results of the study showed that the peculiarities of the financial and credit mechanism for supporting small and mediumsized businesses in foreign countries, which were studied, are as follows: the predominance of indirect support methods, provision of state financial help only on a competitive, turnaround, and paid basis; effectively functioning system of state guarantee of loans, which were provided to small businesses by commercial banks (guarantee from 60 to 90% of the loan); creation of a network of special banks, which serve small businesses at different levels; strong financial stimulation for small businesses in their innovation activity; stimulating taxation system and special depreciation procedure; creation of conditions for equal access for all entrepreneurs to information and consulting services (especially on taxation, lending, and insurance issues). Practical implications. The positive experience of financing small and medium business shows that the foreign practice of functioning of the financial and credit mechanism for supporting small business is not based on the fact that, on preferential terms, small enterprises can receive all the necessary financial and credit resources for their development and support small business at all costs. But this practice is aimed to create a favourable economic and legal climate that allows small businesses not only to survive but also to successfully develop. Correlation/originality. A comparative analysis of small and medium business financing systems is the basis for developing the most promising directions for the development of domestic legislation in this field.

The issue of the development of small and medium-sized business is relevant for many years. In the article, the questions of the support of small business through the system of public procurement are considered. Within this research, the authors have tried to systematize the data on the dynamics and structure of the public procurements from the point of view of the participation of small business in the purchasing process from the moment of the adoption of the Federal Public Contracts Act that allowed to reveal certain tendencies. The main methods of the research are the vertical and horizontal analysis of time series, the correlation and regression models of the panel data. The data on the participation of small business in the public procurements are grouped by various characteristics depending on the analysis purpose. The groups of the data have been analyzed on 83 entities of the Russian Federation. It has allowed making a full-scale estimation of the efficiency of procurements from the economics point of view. To estimate the influence of procurements on the development of small business entities, three hypotheses have been put forward: an increase in a number of customers placing orders for the small business enterprises, and a decrease in a share of the customers who are not meeting the requirements of the law about the threshold of 15 % lead to the growth of the budget savings; an increase in a number of demands for small business enterprises leads to the increase in the number of these enterprises in the regions; the number of the applications placed for small business entities influences the turnover of small enterprises. On the basis of the panel data of the unified information system of the central and local government procurement for the period of 2011-2015, econometric models confirming the hypotheses have been built. The authors' calculations may be used by the authorities for the further development of measures for the support of small business entities through the system of government procurements. © Copyright 2005-2016 Institute of Economics, the Ural branch of the RAS. All rights reserved.