Export potential and measures to support small and medium-sized enterprises

The article presents the results of the study and the comparative analysis of the development of SMEs in the EU and RF countries. The estimation of SMEs' entrepreneurial confidence in the sphere of industrial production is given. Existing incentive mechanisms for export-oriented SMEs in the EU are considered. It is determined that support for export-oriented SMEs in Russia is aimed at overcoming export barriers, increasing the activity and the competitiveness of the exporting enterprises. It has been established that the mechanism of financial support for export-oriented SMEs and the shift from direct export support to support export-oriented production, including the development of system of concessional loans for the development of export production, similar to the EU need to be changed. This allows producers to reasonably approach their financial capabilities and effectively build export planning. Priority is targeted support for specific industrial enterprises from among SMEs having experience of export and differing in a significant level of entrepreneurial confidence.peer-reviewe

The role and place of the crisis traps in the development of the small business of the forest sector in the Russian economy

The article identifies the role and place of crisis traps in the development of the small business of the forest sector in the Russian Economy through the life cycle stages – origination stage (crisis innovative trap), formation stage (crisis organizing trap), growth stage (crisis financial trap), maturity stage (crisis marketing trap). The emergence of crisis traps is connected with specific features of small forestry business development and functioning. Sustainable small forest business development depends on management actions on minimization and overcoming crisis manifestations. It is proved that it is possible to avoid the threat of falling into crisis traps, the crisis symptoms emergence, situations and processes in the small forestry business development due to forming program of the management actions and organizational tools to perform it.peer-reviewe

Economic aspects of organizing high-technology resource saving production in the forest sector of Russia

Purpose: The article aims at assessing the possibility of organizing high-tech production in the Russian forest industry. Structure/Methodology/Approach: To switch to high-tech and resource-saving technologies in the production of sleepers, it is necessary to assess the influence of a few factors: the cost of production of innovative products, the demand for innovative products, the lifetime of innovative products. To assess the demand, we have used an expert survey. Results: The cost of producing railroad sleepers from modified wood has been established. The use of cheaper softwood wood as raw material (birch, aspen, alder, poplar, etc.) which makes it possible to reduce the cost of production of the sleepers is a competitive advantage of the innovative technology. Practical implications: It has been established that in the future we should expect an increase in demand for the sleepers made of modified wood, especially in the European part of Russia. Originality/Value. The main contribution of this study is the rationale for the transition to the concept of environmental savings in the Russian forest industry. The use of modified wood in the production of sleepers is economically viable and can be an alternative when diversifying production.peer-reviewe