General Patterns and Regional Features of the Work of Russian Enterprises in the Context of the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The article examines the impact of the crisis caused by the COVID‑19 pandemic on Russian enterprises and regions. As the analysis of world experience and theoretical approaches formulated by the foreign and Russian researchers shows: the difference in development levels and structural features of regional economies are predetermined by natural and climatic conditions, demographic trends, the degree of development of all types of infrastructure, institutional features, etc. National spatial policy also directly affects regional features. However, the use of even the most meaningful theoretical constructions for the practical analysis of the spatial development processes faces an acute shortage of statistical information. In this regard, it was decided to use the results of sociological surveys, including questionnaire surveys of enterprises. Comparison of information from questionnaire surveys conducted at the national level with data from surveys conducted in individual regions makes it possible to identify local features of various economic events and processes. For this purpose, two surveys were conducted using the same questionnaire. One of the surveys was conducted within the framework of the all-Russian sample, the other – ​within the framework of a sample of enterprises representing the Vologda Oblast. An analysis and comparison of the results of the two surveys shows that the differences in the proportions of responses are greater in cases where the situation is strongly influenced by the structural features of the regional economy. When it comes to processes and trends that are typical for the whole of Russia, the magnitude of deviations is less significant or even minimal. The data of two surveys conducted confirm that the unevenness of territorial development is very clearly reflected in the assessments of enterprises. It is obvious that the uneven territorial development and regional characteristics can quite strongly influence the activities of specific enterprises, creating both additional advantages and additional problems.