Russian Company Town: Criteria and Diversification Results

Abstract:

The result of company town concept analysis and systemising shows the absence of distinguishing criteria in international theory. In Russian theory and practice otherwise it is defined three approaches to the criteria definition. Taken into consideration these practices and the considerable difference between company towns the authors offer the following distinguishing factors of company town: township-forming enterprise, industry structure, human resource allocation, financial resource allocation, corporate social responsibility, and town location relative as additional external element common to most company towns. The analysis of the factors on the basis of Yurga socio-economic wellbeing data concludes that the company town has still strong influence from township-forming enterprise in spite of economy diversification results, including core industry reduction in production and employment rates. The main element of the influence is a thermal power station on the balance of the township-forming enterprise that serves the needs of citizens, so we consider it as the part of corporate social responsibility concept.