Assessment of the current level of supply in the sphere of public services in urban and rural areas (case study: selected constituent entities of the Russian Federation)

The article is devoted to research into the public service industry in constituent entities of the Russian Federation which demonstrate different levels of social and economic development as well as different levels of urbanization. The author presents the results of a detailed analysis of the quantitative differentiation of public service providers in terms of the types of services provided in the territories under consideration, the employment in the public service sector, the rate of public service consumption in urban and rural areas, and public service availability and accessibility for the consumers. Based on the results of the analysis, the author assesses the current level of public service supply in urban and rural areas in eight sample constituent entities of the Russian Federation (Moscow, Moscow Region, Vladimir Oblast, Tambov Oblast, Tula Oblast, Tver Oblast, Murmansk Oblast, Astrakhan Oblast), and identifies the trends of and challenges to public service sector development in the given regions.