Analysis of the current state and development prospects of small and medium-sized enterprises in the Kemerovo Oblast

Subject. The structural dependence of the region's economy on extractive industries. Adaptation of small and medium-sized enterprises to external economic challenges. Objectives. The article aims to identify key trends and challenges affecting the functioning of the small and medium-sized enterprise sector in a large industrial region. Methods. For the study, we used the methods of statistical and regional sectoral analyses. Results. The article finds that the small and medium-sized enterprise sector in the Kemerovo Oblast is fragmented: 96 percent of small and medium-sized enterprises are micro-enterprises. The decline in activity in the sector is due to the crisis in the coal industry and changes in the taxation system. Conclusions. In a single-industry region, small and medium-sized enterprises serve as an economic buffer, but the sustainable development of the sector requires measures to reduce the tax burden and support microenterprises.