Irina Tsvetkova

The article deals with the problems of the development of small and medium cities of Russia. The focus is on the lifestyle peculiarities of medium-sized cities population. The solution of medium and small cities problems is associated with the rational use of the regional resources from the viewpoint of social management. The article presents the results of a survey of Zhigulevsk city population. It is an example of a medium-sized city of the Samara region, located near Togliatti. When analyzing the results of the survey, the peculiarities of the urban environment were highlighted, as well as the conditions for satisfying the basic needs in the perception of residents. The local identity of Zhigulevsk inhabitants is conditioned by the natural and geographical environments that determine their mentality and lifestyle.

The article discusses aspects of the local identity study. Local identity characterizes the value attitude of the population to the territory of residence. There is a crisis of identity in modern society. It finds expression in the fact that the value bases of identity are not stable. Identity is the result of social constructing. The crisis of local identity is manifested in the minds of young people. The information about the attitude of young people towards the city was obtained after analysis of the results of the Tolyatti youth survey. The researchers identified groups of young people depending on the formation of local identity. They are shaped on the basis of the distribution of respondents' opinions about aspects of urban life that give it its uniqueness. The author analyzes the signs of local identity crisis, which are manifested in the creation of the controversial image of Togliatti.

The article is devoted to the actual problem of regional identity formation. In modern science, regional and local identity are considered as an alternative to the unification of culture. The information was obtained with the help of Tolyatti residents’ public opinion poll about the image of the city on the Internet. The factors contributing to the formation of the regional identity of Togliatti population were identified. These include attractive photos of the city, its surroundings, information on the improvement of the city, the prospects for its development. The author makes analysis of the factors that negatively affect regional identity.

The article analyzes the problems of formation of identity of youth in the urban environment. The attitude of young people to the city is seen as the result of social construction of the image of the city. The formation of youth identity in relation to the city is influenced by many factors. Great importance is the «imaginary community» – the original construct, which is the basis of a correlation identity themselves with a certain social integrity. The article analyzes the results of sociological research, held in Togliatti, on the study of the urban environment as a factor of identity of the youth.

The article analyzes the problems of innovations implementation in the context of the stable development concept. On example of transport engineering industry, the author analyzes the necessity of achieving a balance between social, ecological and economic factors in the industry development. Strategic documents that determine the innovative industry development are focused mainly on the economic effect. Insufficient attention to ecological and social factors may lead to stability decreasing and risks increasing.