The concept of the strategy for the development of Russian urban agglomerations with a population under 500 thousand people

The key condition for effective use of a vast area of Russia is formation of a polycentric spatial framework the nodes of which are not both the largest and urban agglomerations of a lower hierarchy level. However, the problem is that their phenomenon is poorly studied scientifically, and there are no conceptual grounds for a development strategy that takes into account peculiar features of such agglomerations. The purpose of the study is to build up a concept for the strategy of development of Russian urban agglomerations with the population under 500,000 people (“the second echelon”). In order to do this, the following tasks have been solved: identification of the specifics of these agglomerations, investigation of the features and problems of managing the strategic development of agglomerations in the regions of Russia, development of the basic elements of the concept of the agglomeration development strategy taking into account capitalization of their competitive advantages. The object of the study are the agglomerations, the cores of which are big towns (with 100–250 thousand residents) and large cities (over 250 thousand residents) (Arkhangelsk, Vologda, Kaluga, Norilsk, Surgut, Tambov, Khanti-Mansiysk, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk). The study is based on the main provisions of the theory and methodology of strategizing by Professor Vladimir Kvint. The author applied the monographic, comparative, economic and statistical methods, analyzed strategic documents of federal and regional levels, and regulatory legal acts. The author found out that the agglomerations under study are of significant potential but it is unrealized due to insufficient consideration of their features in management (poorly formed satellite area, the basis of the economy consists mainly of the industries of the lower technological stages, disintegration of the agglomeration space) and lack of formation of the development strategy system. Strategic priorities for the development of agglomerations are substantiated. These priorities are aimed at realization of strategic opportunities and backed by competitive advantages: a) production of high-value-added products on the basis of consolidation of scientific and technological potential of agglomeration within the framework of cluster-networked and vertically integrated industries; b) transformation of agglomerations into central places at the highest level of the hierarchy, representing a wide range of social services; c) development of modern transport hubs and a multimodal transport and logistics center on their basis. The prospects of the study are seen in the justification for the agglomerations of the pool of strategic projects aimed at turning them into growth centers of macro-level and of regional-level.