Белоусова А. А.

The article considers problems of applying the project approach to social project management at the municipal level. It emphasizes that project management of municipal bodies can achieve not only a quantitative, but also a qualitative effect. Project management today is the dominant paradigm of the socio-economic development of municipal territory in various regions of the Russian Federation. The projects’ unique character is to improve the standard of living of the municipal population. The research features the significant current problems of project management at municipal level: a weak organizational aspect, lack of motivation and incentive, low project competence, municipal employees’ “multiple authority”. Project implementation is also impossible due to the lack of financial support and responsibility for failure to achieve project goals, lax control. Based on the project approach the authors developed proposals for improving project management processes at municipal bodies. To research the introduction of project management at local level the authors used statistical and system analysis methods. The paper analyzed the municipal administration management structure and the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of municipal employees based on the Administration of the city of Nizhny Tagil, as an example. The article provides suggestions for improving the municipal projects and socio-economic development programs management in the medium term. It also gives recommendations on project management development using information systems at municipal level. The staff issues of project approach implementation into the local bodies’ activity are considered and the urgency of improving the municipal employees’ project competence is emphasized.