METHODS OF STATE SUPPORT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES

The mechanism of formation and implementation of support for small business can only take shape under the influence of the tasks that the state will set for itself.

The experience of developed countries shows that the involvement of entrepreneurial potential in the development of the economy requires government assistance in creating the necessary prerequisites for the normal functioning of small and medium-sized businesses, in eliminating emerging problems and deviations from the planned objectives.

Unfortunately, in Russia the system of development and support of small business is carried out in the conditions of noticeable weakening of the state influence on these processes. The activity of numerous state and parastatal structures of small business support is reduced in a number of cases to self-support, fixation of the problems and obstacles arising before businessmen, and the real help has an isolated character [2].

Let's note a number of functions of the state due to which the state support of small business should be carried out. First, the state acts as a power structure which establishes legal conditions for the functioning of market subjects, i.e. it develops and controls the observance of normative-legal acts. Secondly, the state is the owner of property, which is the basis for the disposal and direct management of state property. Thirdly, the state leverage is a peculiar instrument of economic regulation and stimulation of market processes.

The listed functions determine the support of small and medium business in the following directions:

• Establishment of institutional frameworks;
• management and scientific and methodological support;
• legal support and protection of entrepreneurship reflected in the legislation;
• financial and credit support;
• tax policy;
• antitrust policy.

The system of state support for small business currently includes:

• state regulatory legal acts aimed at the support and development of small business;
• the state apparatus, which is a set of state institutional structures responsible for the development of small business, ensuring the implementation of state policy in this area and regulating the sphere of small business and managing the infrastructure of its support;
• state infrastructure of small business support, including non- commercial and commercial organizations created with or without state participation, the activity of which is initiated, encouraged and supported by the state, and designed to implement a system of state support aimed at the development of small entrepreneurship.

An essential role in the development of entrepreneurship is played by the regional system of regulation and support of small entrepreneurship. The forms and methods of realization of the regional policy concerning small-scale business proceed, on the one hand, from the measures taken at the state level and, on the other hand, are determined by the tasks of development and specificity of each particular region.

The basic tool of realization of the state policy are federal, regional, branch (interbranch) and municipal programs of development and support of small business [3].

The Ministry of the Russian Federation for Antimonopoly Policy and Support of Entrepreneurship represented by the Department for Support of Small Entrepreneurship manages the realization of the state policy in the sphere of support of small entrepreneurship. Financial provision for the realization of measures for the development of small-scale entrepreneurship, the fund of support of small-scale entrepreneurship. Some regional and municipal funds carry out the corresponding functions at the regional and municipal level.

The state apparatus of the small business support system includes state structures responsible for the development of small business at the federal level.

At present in the Russian Federation there are all kinds of structures to support small business which developed industrial countries have. The basis of the state infrastructure to support small business is the system of state and municipal funds to support small business. At present the system of funds consists of the Federal fund of small business support and 75 regional funds [3].

Of great importance in the system of managing impact are specific forms and methods of relations between the administration and entrepreneurship, the mechanism of its support.

One of the main forms of assistance in the development of entrepreneurship, especially at the initial stage, is the provision of loans to business entities. Loans can be provided directly by the administration from the budget and extra-budgetary funds, or through banks, including through equity participation, based on the feasibility of development in the territory of a particular area of entrepreneurship.

An important sphere of regulation is the application of financial methods to those market structures that work with small businesses. Here can be applied the reduction of the taxation rate for organizations which credit small enterprises, the provision of financial guarantees to them by the local administration. The administration can use budget financial resources, objects of municipal property and real estate as guarantees.

The goal of state programs to support entrepreneurship is to ensure favorable conditions for the development of entrepreneurship on the basis of improving the quality and effectiveness of state support measures at the federal level. At the same time, it is necessary to highlight the first measures that ensure the achievement of these goals:

• openness both in the formation of state policy to support entrepreneurship and in its implementation: the availability of full and transparent information about the content of specific measures of state support, the establishment of open procedures for the distribution of funds, public reporting on the use of funds allocated to support entrepreneurship and the activities of relevant government institutions;
• Consideration of national, regional and historical peculiarities; encouragement of crafts, folk crafts, artisanal and family forms of organizing entrepreneurial activity, self-employment;
• gradual transition from state regulation of certain aspects of business to self-regulation through business unions and associations;
• significant expansion of the rights and opportunities of the subjects of the Russian Federation and local self-government in the sphere of state support of entrepreneurship while maintaining the unity of strategic objectives, the legal framework and the information space;
• accelerated development of modern credit and investment mechanisms leasing, franchising, specialized investment institutions of venture investment;
• the use of the property of inefficient and insolvent enterprises as a source of resources for entrepreneurship and the creation of its infrastructure;
• formation of an information network, expansion of the information field for the entrepreneur;
• Creating a global information network accessible to any entrepreneur, containing information of a business nature about laws, taxes, competitors, customers, and market conditions;
• organization of systematic research on the problems of entrepreneurship in order to objectively assess the state of this sector of the economy, trends in its development and preparation of recommendations for the adjustment of state support for entrepreneurship;
• Significant improvement in the system of accounting and state statistics of entrepreneurship;
• ensuring the protection of entrepreneurs from the influence of criminal structures;
• organization of propaganda and educational campaign aimed at stimulating entrepreneurship, preparing the population to engage in their own business, uniting entrepreneurs by industry, regional, professional and other characteristics, the formation of appropriate public opinion about entrepreneurs.

In Europe, small businesses form the basis of the socio- economic development of the EU. In the European Union there are more than 20 million small and medium businesses, which give more than half of the total turnover and added value. The number of employed people in small business in Europe is about 70%. The greatest number of small enterprises is created in trade, construction and food industry.

Small business in Europe stimulates the development of competition, "forces" large companies to introduce new technologies and improve the efficiency of production, the efficiency of the entire EU economy directly depends on the success of small and medium business. That is why within the framework of the European Union the policy of small business support is implemented, the main goal of which is to balance the interests of the state and business, to provide optimal conditions for entrepreneurial activity, to increase the competitiveness of small business.

A unique system of regulation and support for small business in Europe began to take shape in the 1970s. In order to stimulate small and medium-sized entrepreneurship as much as possible, measures were taken in Europe to remove administrative barriers to small business. The first thing that was done was to introduce changes concerning value-added tax, adjustments in financing conditions, and changes in the social policies of the state. The state regulation of small business in Europe is carried out by means of legislation, development and realization of target programs of financial, technological, information and personnel assistance to development of small and medium-sized business. To stimulate the development of small business, new legal models have been developed (the European Joint Stock Company, the European Pool of Economic Interests), which allow small businesses from different countries entering into business relations to effectively solve the problems of differences in the legal systems of different states.

The policy of small business support in Europe is carried out through the activity of states and through special programs, which are implemented under the aegis of the European Union. Financing of measures to support small business is carried out from the Structural Funds of the European Union, such as the Regional Development Fund, the Social Fund.

Small businesses in Europe adapted to the crisis conditions most effectively, being able to maneuver in the market. Small enterprises quickly enough began to occupy the niches, uninterested in large enterprises, which largely helps European countries to overcome the stagnation phenomena in the economic sphere.

References:

1. About the development of small and medium-sized business in the Russian Federation. Federal law of the Russian Federation from July 24, 2007 N 209-FZ.
2. www.for-expert.ru.
3. www.smb.gov.ru