DEVELOPMENT OF SMALL AND MEDIUM BUSINESS BY MEANS OF CLUSTER POLICY
In article authors presented prerequisites and possibilities of development of small and medium business by means of realization of cluster initiatives in the region. They analyzed prerequisites and possibilities of development of small and medium business within territorial clusters on the example of the Tambov region. Authors made the conclusion that the most significant branches in economy of the Tambov region are branches of agriculture, the processing productions and construction that causes prerequisites of realization of cluster initiatives in the region. Authors analyzed dynamics of the main indicators of development of small and medium-sized enterprises: number of subjects of business, number of workers at small and medium-sized enterprises, a turn of small and medium business, a contribution of subjects of small and medium business in replenishment of the consolidated budget of the region. Authors provided data on realization in the territory of the Tambov region of the cluster projects directed on support of small and medium-sized enterprises. They made the conclusion that the Center of cluster development functioning in the region provides realization of the principle of strengthening of advantages of the region due to use of the available opportunities put in Strategy of social and economic development of the Tambov region till 2020. Authors presented key indicators of efficiency of territorial clusters: growth of volumes of the realized production of participants of a cluster; growth of quantity of high-performance workplaces; growth of the Russian and foreign direct private investments; growth of a share of the innovative production released by participants of a cluster; growth of number of the small and medium-sized enterprises included in value added chains in a cluster. Authors proved that further development of small and medium business in the Tambov region by means of cluster policy requires system work on development and strengthening of a role of livestock and crop clusters in structure of economy of the region; strengthening of integration of the enterprises of the sphere of agrarian and industrial complex with the scientific organizations of the region. Achievement of these purposes requires further functioning and development of the Center of cluster development.