Entrepreneurship development restraints in the provincial region: field study results
Negative trends in the domestic economy associated with the contraction of the small and medium-sized entrepreneurship, a decrease in the level of entrepreneurial activity confirm the relevance of the study of entrepreneurial activity restrictions in the provincial region. The article presents the results of a field study of a provincial region on the example of the Republic of Mari El. A comparative analysis of respondents' responses with the results of alternative studies on this issue, including reports of federal institutions and international reports, was carried out. General administrative and economic constraints characteristic of the business environment are identified as systemic problems of the Russian economy. The main limitations of business development in the subject, including the development of innovative entrepreneurship, are primarily associated with its negative financial and economic characteristics, such as low customers’ affordability, lack of own financial resources, high cost and complexity of attracting resources from external sources of financing, significant taxes and fees. The results obtained can be considered typical for a region of Russia that is logically remote from large sales markets and with low incomes of the population. The practical significance of the results of the sociological study is as follows. It is possible to obtain an objective assessment of the conditions and limitations of entrepreneurship in the Republic of Mari El provided by business community representatives in the region. There are opportunities to use the survey results to build effective communications between government institutions and small businesses.