The effectiveness of web‑based systems in organizing project activities of microbusinesses

Background. The microbusiness sector, comprising over 80% of legal entities and being the foundation of the economy, faces systemic problems in project management. Limited financial, human, and technological potential against a backdrop of high market volatility creates unique challenges. This makes the application of classical costly methodologies ineffective, leading to process disorganization, missed deadlines, and communication losses. Purpose is to conduct a comprehensive study of the features of project activities in microbusinesses and to develop a theoretical model for improving its efficiency based on the implementation of cloud-based SaaS web systems. Materials and methods. The methodology is based on a systemic approach, comparative analysis of modern project management tools, and theoretical modeling. The empirical basis consisted of data from Federal State Statistics Service, industry reports, and testing of Asana, Trello, and Yandex Tracker solutions in a business environment. Results. The characteristics of project management at the micro-level were identified: high personalization, minimal formalization, iterative task execution, and role combining. The inefficiency of traditional tools in resource-constrained environments was established. The advantages of cloud SaaS solutions for microbusinesses were proven: low cost of ownership, no infrastructure costs, accessibility, scalability, and collaboration tools. Criteria for selecting a web system were formulated, and a phased implementation strategy with a focus on a pilot project was developed. Practical implications. The results are intended for microbusinesses selecting cloud-based web systems for project management. Furthermore, the materials are of practical value for IT consultants working with small businesses.