On Ensuring Sustainable Development of Small and Medium-Sized Businesses in Russia

From the standpoint of systems and self-organization theory, this article presents the prerequisites for the qualitative and sustainable development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the Russian Federation. The relevance of this issue stems from the spatial and structural imbalance of key SME performance variables and the need to create conditions for achieving the priority directions of technological sovereignty, which will contribute to forming a qualitatively new structure of the national economy. The purpose of the study is to develop and propose methodological principles for achieving an optimal innovative structure of SMEs, while the main objective is to minimize losses and management costs in launching a mechanism of self-sustaining SME development. The authors apply the methodological framework of systems and self-organization theory, structural and cyclical dynamics, as well as methods of comprehensive and statistical analysis. The research is based on data from regulatory and legal reference systems and official statistics of the Russian Federation. As a result of the study, a methodological approach is proposed that enables managerial decision-making based on the principles of harmonious correlation of SME parameters (ownership forms, enterprise size, spatial and territorial characteristics, SME share in GDP, employment rate, etc.) and synergetic analysis. This approach shapes the systemic potential for the qualitative innovative development of SMEs and their transition into the sphere of large business.