THE ANALYSIS OF DEVELOPMENT TRENDS IN TRADE AS A BUSINESS ACTIVITY: RUSSIAN AND AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

Abstract

The article is devoted to a comparative analysis of the evolution of trade as a business activity in Russia and the United States. The authors explain the US choice for comparison of theoretical and practical aspects of the trade development. The main stages of the trade evolution are analyzed. It’s revealed that over the decades the domestic trade sector has developed contrary to the business principles, which resulted in a gap in modern technologies. Meanwhile, industrialized countries have witnessed innovative trade development.  The authors consider main trends of the domestic market development through the lens of international experience: transformation of formats and further structuring of the Russian retail market; increased competition with global retail chains; dominance and rapid development of network forms of business organization; trade development via the Internet. It is concluded about the necessity for competent management of trade enterprises, implementation of innovative technologies and high-quality information support.