Scientific and retrieval economic and geographical research in market conditions: regional experience

The paper summarizes the experience of collective economic contract-based research by economic geographers both in state thematic contracts, other extra-budgetary contracts of a socio-geographical and ecological nature during market transformation period, and in the outfit of documents on strategic development of cities and examinations of regionally significant objects. The paper presents a brief analysis of individual retrieval research projects and specific scientific results as exemplified by of the work performed: a) on scientific substantiation of the concept and measures for the development of the East-Siberian petrochemical cluster in the Irkutsk oblast; b) on strategic development and examinations of urban municipalities, implementation of measures to eliminate the negative impact of waste accumulated as a result of the activities of Baikal Pulp and Paper Mill OAO (BPPM OAO); c) on calculation of recreational load norms for regulated and unregulated recreation in the central ecological zone of the Baikal natural territory of the Irkutsk oblast and on scientific and methodological substantiation of shaping rules for organization of tourism and recreation, ensuring compliance with the maximum permissible norms of environmental loads within the central ecological zone of the Baikal natural territory etc.