Higher School Of Economics Research Articles

The ultimate publication activity of the Russian authors of the scientific journals

The paper deals with an approach to finding the ultimate number of papers Russian authors deliver to scientific journals. The approach is based on an assessment of the entire audience interested in publications in scientific journals, an assumption that each author personally pursues a research and writes a paper for the scientific journal, as well as an account for the co-authorship indicator, i.e. the involvement of colleagues into the research performed by the author. The research employs data by Rosstat, Higher School of Economics and Scientific Electronic Library to reveal all the authors interested in publication. This indicator is then multiplied by a value of co-authorship. The number of papers the authors publish per year is recommended to be taken as a random value, to be used later as a basis for building a probabilistic distribution of the ultimate number of papers among all authors. The distribution is built by the Monte Carlo method, and the analysis employs the apparatus of the probability theory and linear algebra. The obtained data and data from the Scientific electronic library have been exposed to comparative analysis. The work revealed that for the annual amount of more than one article the distribution of the number of papers received from the Russian audience can be approximated by a normal distribution, with all its parameters depending on maximum annual number of papers, scope of audience and co-authorship indicator. This gives the ultimate number of papers for any section (group of disciplines or a particular discipline). The article considers the examples of obtaining the distribution for the ultimate number of papers. The results can be used for correcting the research policy of an organization or an institute of higher education in the directions of activity being researched, and can serve as a guide to the necessary number of papers in various fields of science.

8th International School and Conference “Saint-Petersburg OPEN 2021” on Optoelectronics, Photonics, Engineering and Nanostructures

M V Maximov1,2, E I Moiseev2,1, N V Kryzhanovskaya2,1, A E Zhukov2,1 1 Alferov Federal State Budgetary Institution of Higher Education and Science Saint Petersburg National Research Academic University of the Russian Academy of Sciences2 National Research University “Higher School of Economics”moiseev@spbau.com, aezhukov@hse.ru8th International School and Conference “Saint-Petersburg OPEN 2021” on Optoelectronics, Photonics, Engineering and Nanostructures was held on May 25 - 28, 2021. The Organizers of the conference are the National Research University “Higher School of Economics” and Alferov Saint Petersburg National Research Academic University of the Russian Academy of Sciences. More than 300 participants from Russia, CIS countries, Europe and America took part in the conference. The conference consisted of poster reports presented by the young participants (students, PhD students, and young researchers) and topical lectures by invited speakers.Due to restrictions imposed by the city authorities on holding mass events due to the threat of the spread of the COVID-19 infection, this year’s conference was held in a hybrid format at the HSE University (Saint-Petersburg, Russia). Most of the participants were present in person, while the rest could listen to reports and ask their questions on-line. Some of the speakers also made their presentations in a distant format. All performances were recorded and are available for viewing at the link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRoRU6T-uM8&t=5s. Posters and video reports of the participants were posted on the conference website https://spb.hse.ru/spbopen/.List of Committees, Conference Photograph are available in this pdf.

PRACTICE AS RESEARCH: CREATIVE AND RESEARCH. PRACTICE IN THE FORMAT OF POSTGRADUATE EDUCATION

The authors of the article focus on the discussion format of practical research. In recent years, practice as research has become a direction of research activity in foreign universities and an object of close attention from the Russian academic community. Representatives of various disciplines in art and the humanities convincingly argue the need for such a format of creative practice in performance, theatre, dance and contemporary art. Practice as research includes different forms and ways of representing applied and project art products. Today, a practising researcher causes controversy and discussion since the model of creative practice as a method of studying art is an innovative educational format. Also, the parameters of evaluating practical research, the relationship between theoretical, purely research, and creative material cause significant difficulties. The methodology based on practice and the parameters of the assessment of practice as research give rise to a lively discussion. The situation in arts and humanities teaching is complicated because practice-related research has been labelled as field research and practice-based experimentation in medicine, design and engineering for a long time. Artistic practice in contemporary art and design has recently become the object of close attention at the Graduate School of Art and Design at the Higher School of Economics since, today, the practical focus of visual research is the main direction in educational bachelor and master’s programs. A new understanding of art as a practice and, at the same time, research can shed light on many topics, including cultural anthropology, psychology, sociology, etc. That is why we defend the idea of the interdisciplinarity of such studies in our article. Artistic practice as a field of academic research and new experience in postgraduate education is at the centre of our study. We strive to generalise the experience of European educational programs, expand the range of methodological approaches and present the author’s concept. Practice and research have long been inseparable in many humanities; project workshops and representation of creative artifacts are at the heart of contemporary art and design education. Modern Russian education is just beginning to explore new territory. In this sense, our collaborative research of an innovative format is designed to analyse foreign experiences and formulate the need to promote new educational technologies within the framework of graduate school. The habitus of practice as research is such that research based on practice raises the question of the forms of critical activity and content parameters of a creative artifact and documenting research materials. The posed research problem in combination with practice demonstrates the originality of research. It expands the boundaries of the research field by introducing a hybrid methodology for evaluating a creative project and critical discourse. The task of the authors of the article is to identify a debatable problem field, analyse analytical data related to the innovative scientific field and present essential strata of the new educational format, Practice as Research.

Introduction

Abstract An introduction to the special issue on Russian foreign policy prepared by a team based at the Higher School of Economics in Moscow. We begin with an overview of some of the contesting views about the dynamics and drivers of Russian foreign policy and some of the key theories. We then present the substantive arguments of the contributors, assessing how they fit into the overall pattern of understanding the key issues in Russian foreign policy and larger global concerns. The Introductions ends with some broader considerations, noting the tension between ‘declinist’ and ‘revivalist’ approaches to Russia today, and suggest that the contributions on the whole steer a cautious path between extreme representations of these two perspectives, while warning of the dangers of triumphalism. We argue that Russian and Russian-based views can make a specific and important contribution to larger debates about the dynamics of Russian foreign policy and Russia’s contribution to the resolution of some of the pressing issues facing humanity.

Investment Appeal of Modern Electric Power Generating Companies

Nowadays, the conditions for the further reforming of Russian electric power industry and developing its generating companies are changing. However, the problems of attracting investments into this sphere and increasing the investment appeal of the involved companies remain unsolved. The purpose of the research is to assess the investment appeal of the modern wholesale and territorial companies generating electric power, mainly for portfolio investors. The assessment was primarily conducted using the method of financial ratios, taking into consideration the approach used by A. Zaporozhan, A. Petrova and M. Kalvarskaya for assessing investment appeal of generating companies at the initial stage of the reforming of Russian electric power sector. Specific amendments to this approach are suggested. These amendments concern the increase of the number of the assessed objective financial indicators and specification of their content. Componentwise ranking of companies according to their investment appeal was conducted. It allowed the author to identify leaders and outsiders. One can observe comparability of the obtained results with the assessment of the investment appeal of generating companies as far as the quality of their corporate management is concerned, conducted by the center for corporate development ТopCompetence, Association of Independent Directors and National Research University «Higher School of Economics».

Features of the Structure of Age-related Expenses in the Russian Federation

Changes in the demographic structure of the population (aging of the population) can directly or indirectly lead to the transformation of keysocio-economic indicators. This may affect the structure of revenuesand expenditures of the state budget, as well as be reflected in somesectors of the economy. In the foreign literature, a significant number of studies are devoted to the study of the influence of the age structure of the population on the economic indicators of the country. However,in Russia this problem is poorly understood. The age composition ofthepopulationalsoaffectsthecharacteristicsofsocio-economicpolicy.Population growth in the most productive ages leads to an increase inper capita income, while in the least productive ages to a decreasein per capita income [18]. The greatest growth in the working-agepopulationintheliteratureisusuallydefinedasthefirstdemographicdividend that was overcome for most developed countries. Currently,developedcountriesareata stage when there is a significant increaseintheburdenofolderpeople.However,accordingtoscientists,intheseconditions, an effective policy in the field of income and expendituremanagement can support the country’s economic growth. This effectis usually called the second demographic dividend. However, in the case of insufficient consumption at older ages, a decrease in totalconsumption can be observed, and, as a consequence, a decreasein output. Thus, in Russia there is a tendency towards aging of the population and low consumption in older ages.The purposeof the study is to construct an age profile of populationexpenditures, as well as to analyze the age structure of populationexpendituresbasedondatafromtheRussianMonitoringofEconomicSituation and Health survey conducted by the Higher School ofEconomics.Materialsandmethods.Inordertoconstructageprofilesofhouseholdexpendituresandthenanalyzetheagestructureofhouseholdexpenditures, we considered surveys of the Russian Monitoring ofEconomic Situation and Health, conducted by the Higher School of Economics from 2010 to 2018. Before constructing age profiles ofpopulationexpenditures,a primary statistical analysis of the databaseswas carried out and anomalous observations were excluded. Theobtained age profiles were smoothed using the Friedman method. Itis important to note that population expenditure surveys are collectedon a per household basis and not per family member. Thus, beforeconstructing age profiles of household expenditures, it is necessary toreallocatehouseholdexpendituresforeachfamilymember.Thepaperexamines the features of the methods of redistribution of expendituresof the population. When constructing age profiles of populationexpenditures, the recommendations of the National IntergenerationalTransfer Accounts project developed by Ronald Lee and AndrewMason will be used. Data processing was performed in the IBMSPSS and R software package.Results.When constructing age profiles of population expenditures, there is an increase in expenditures in age groups over 50 in2018comparedto2010.Conclusionsaredrawnaboutchangesin expenditures on food, durable goods, services, utilities, andhealthservices.Theshareofexpensesforfoodproductsrangesfrom38.6%to43.7%.Thesmallestshareofspendingonfoodisobservedin the ages from 0 to 9 years (less than 40%). Inotheragegroups,theshareofspendingonfoodhasnosignificantfluctuationsandisabout42%.Thelargestshareofspendingondurablegoodsfallsontheagegroupsfrom0 to 19 years (about17%).After20years,thereisa gradual decrease in the share ofspendingondurablegoods(to6.6%in the age group 75-59). Intermsofservicecategory,thelargestshareofexpensesfallsonagegroups50-54(18%).In the age groups over 55 years old,theshareofexpendituresonservicesdecreases(to10.7%in the age group 75-59 years old). The expenditures for the category ofutilitiesin the age groups from 0 to 49 years do not change, andthenthereisa gradual increase in the share of expenses. There isa high proportion of spending on health services in the age groupsfrom0 to 4 and in the age groups over 60. The results obtained are necessary when constructing forecast values for assessingmacroeconomicindicators,planningthestatebudget.Conclusion.The article provides a review of foreign and Russianliteratureonassessingtheimpactoftheagestructureofthepopulationoneconomicgrowth,calculatesthe ageprofileofhouseholdexpendituresin the Russian Federation, and considers the agestructure of household expenditures for 2010 and 2018 by five-yearage intervals. The results obtained allow us to draw conclusionsabout the different structure of population expenditures dependingon age groups.

Exploring age-sex-specific all-cause mortality in Russia using the RLMS-HSE cohort study data

Abstract Background Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey of the Higher School of Economics (RLMS-HSE) presents a series of annual representative surveys that include questionnaires and a particular module relating to observed individual mortality over 1994-2019. Methods All calculations were made in statistical software ‘R-studio'. The analysis includes the descriptive statistics, corresponding figures, and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and plots. Results Four thousand nine hundred forty-two death cases (1372 females, 1978 males) in 32023 households and 150335 individuals who participated in the RLMS survey over 1994-2019 explored. Most deaths were observed after age 66, while the number of deaths before age 75 among men was prevalent around twice that among women. The mean death age 66.4±18.7 (SD) years, while among females, 73.8 ±17.1 (SD) and 60.8±17.8 years for males. The median time to death among females was 89 years (95% CI: 89-89) and for males 85 years (95% CI: 85-86). Conclusions Death numbers because of stroke are around the same among males and females. Deaths due to cardiac and neoplasms prevailed in males. Fatal cases due to injuries/accidents among males were more than twice that among females, same for murder/self-murders. The mean death age for cause-related to neoplasm, cardiac, and stroke was around as general population - 66, 69, and 72 years old, and was more than 80 years in senility/old age cause. Key messages The official statistics of mortality by Federal State Statistics Service and results getting from surveys are compatible with each other, therefore adequately reflecting the rate of deaths in Russia. Using RLMS-HSE cohort study data can help identify new yet unexplored risk factors, measure and assess their effects on the leading causes of death in Russia.

Project management in the conditions of digital transformation of Kazakhstan

This article highlights project management issues in the context of Kazakhstan’s digital transformation. The global crisis is forcing the government and industrial companies to be selective in defining priorities and support successful projects that have already shown results in practice. Based on research by experts from the Higher School of Economics, UNESCO and Accenture, following key areas have been identified for digital transformation: building a digital data management system, global relevance of research in digitalization, as well as the separation between industry and science in the transition to advanced innovative technologies. Kazakhstani industrial enterprises are experiencing a turning point in the implementation of advanced innovative technologies and R&D results. For industrial enterprises, the implementation of innovative projects is similar to R&D based on several factors: 1) the solution has to be assessed in terms of applicability; 2) it is usually implemented for the first time; 3) revision is necessary, taking into account the business needs, legislation, labor protection fire safety, ecology, etc. To scale up and leverage lessons learnt from successful projects, the Autonomous Cluster Fund has created a new tool – the Smart Industry Management Platform (SIMP). The SIMP platform is the result of 5 years of fruitful cooperation with industrial enterprises. Currently, one of the main priorities of the Autonomous Cluster Fund is to focus on developing the local Industry 4.0 ecosystem by helping industrial enterprises to accelerate their digital transformation. Using the platform approach in order to implement Industry 4.0 components in Kazakhstan will allow to develop new points of growth of the national economy, and ensure the integration of Kazakhstani companies into global value chains in the medium term.

Технологическое целеполагание в рамках новой образовательной области: «Большие данные» для системы профессиональной подготовки будущего экономиста

A weighty argument in favor of including the new educational area «Big Data» in the practice of professional training of the future economist is the competence in the field of building adequate predictive models, which is in demand in the modern labor market. Indeed, any leader is interested in improving the quality of the decisions made. This interest increases in conditions of sanctions pressure and post-pandemic restrictions, in difficult socio-economic conditions, when most of the resources are limited, the previously identified cause-and-effect relationships lose their relevance and the responsibility for decisions is significantly increased. Features of the implementation of the technological approach to disclosing the content of the new educational area «Big Data» in the system of professional training of the future economist is presented in this article as follows: firstly, in the form of a system of micro-goals at the basic level, and secondly, in the form of a system of micro-goals at an advanced level. Thus, within the framework of the technological goal-setting of the content of the new educational field, the principle of variability of the professional training of the future economist is implemented. Substantively presented in the article micro-goals cover various issues of using quantitative methods, mathematical and computational modeling. In addition, the formulations of micro-goals include requirements for the development of new tools that support big data analysis. Note that the implementation of technological goal-setting is necessary to strengthen the applied orientation of the training of a future economist, allows us to make a methodological emphasis on applied problems of socio-economic topics, the methods of solving which are in demand in future professional activities. The material of the article can be useful to teachers of the higher school of economics, as well as to anyone interested in modern methodological approaches to structuring educational content and achievements in the field of big data.

Experts in Search for Tools and Understandings. Review of the Book by A. Yu. Sungurov “Ekspertnye soobshchestva i vlast’” [Expert Communities and Authorities

The review deals with the analysis a monograph devoted to the formation of the institute of Russian expertise, as well as to the problems of interaction between experts and authorities in the Russian context. The work under review is based on a large amount of empirical data. The author is a professor at the Higher School of Economics, a political scientist with extensive experience in organizing expert procedures. The central problem of the book is the contradictory interaction between the expert and the authorities. The author focuses on the dynamics of the nature of the relationship between experts and authorities. The changes in the degree of demand by the Russian authorities for the opinions of political experts is underconsideration as well. It turns out that the periods when the government is open for dialogue with political scientists are adjacent to the periods when the government is completely closed. The book by A. Yu. Sungurov is an important milestone in the scientific understanding of the role and prospects of expertise in modern Russia.

Empirical Analysis of Opportunism Based on Data on University Students of Different Courses

The article is devoted to the New Institutional analysis of the factors of opportunism among students of different courses. The analysis is based on a survey in which 231 students from the Higher School of Economics and other Russian universities took part from February to May 2021. Econometric modeling is based on Latent class analysis, which allows the identification of unobservable groups based on the observed categorical variables presented. One of the main findings of the research is that fourth year students are less prone to opportunism than first, second and third year students. This can be explained by the higher opportunity costs of cheating among fourth year students and their greater independence, primarily financial. In addition, students who are motivated primarily to obtain knowledge (mastery) show a lesser inclination towards opportunism compared with students whose main motive is the degree (performance). Furthermore, a higher level of rationality, both in a general sense and in relation to budget planning, is reflected in a greater tendency to dishonest behavior. Finally, more honest behavior outside the university is combined with more dishonest academic behavior. The latter can be explained by the fact that it is psychologically more difficult to commit an immoral act in relation to a loved one than to do so in an academic environment, when you deceive a not personally familiar person and not even a specific person. Thus, on the basis of the analysis carried out, it can be understood under what conditions the student environment will be characterized by a higher propensity for opportunism and, accordingly, a lower rate of human capital accumulation.

The effect of health shocks on labour market outcomes in Russia

Abstract This study examines the effects of individual health shocks on labour market outcomes in the Russian Federation during the period 2000–2018. Employing data from the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey—Higher School of Economics, we demonstrate that adverse health shocks have negative consequences for employment, wages, and income. We find that the effects are strongest for males, the less educated, those on lower incomes, those in middle-ranking and professional occupations, and for those experiencing the most severe health shocks. However, consistent with our knowledge of the Russian labour market, we also observe that the wage and income elasticities are considerably higher than the employment elasticities and above those reported for other countries. Understanding how to attenuate the negative labour market consequences associated with health shocks is paramount and we, therefore, consider the potential role that labour, health and social policies can play in mitigating risk.

The future through the eyes of contemporaries

This article discusses the problem of the dependence of value orientations and ideas about the future on sociocultural changes in modern society at the stage of transition to the information stage. The future has worried man since ancient times. The sources of modern ideas about the future we find in mythology and ancient philosophy. Subsequently, various interpretations of the future appeared in utopian philosophy, in futurology, in the concepts of the post-industrial and information society, as well as in science fiction. The image of the future excites modern youth, and they watch films with interest and read books about the future. But without the past, there is no future. All our aspirations about him are connected with modern cultural values and norms. The materials of a sociological study conducted at N.E. Bauman Moscow State Technical University, in the Russian State Humanitarian University and the Higher School of Economics.

Returns to education in Russia: Nowhere below?

The paper presents a wide set of estimates for returns to education in Russia, introducing a number of new sources of microdata that previosly remained unused by both Russian and foreign researchers. Until now virtually all available estimates for Russia were based on data from a single source — The Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey — Higher School of Economics (RLMS-HSE). According to these data, since the mid-2000s returns to education rapidly declined and have dropped to abnormally low levels. The paper tests the thesis of ultra-low economic value of Russian education using data from three alternative representative surveys regularly conducted by Rosstat. The analysis shows that currently returns to education in Russia reach 12—13%, which is much higher than the standard RLMS estimates. University-type tertiary education almost doubles earnings (its premium approaches to 100%), and even short-cycle tertiary education provides a premium of about 20—30%. Alternative sources also indicate that over the past 15 years, returns to education in Russia remained stable and, therefore, no decreasing trend in the economic value of education has been observed. This makes it possible to reject the currently popular thesis about abnormally low returns to education in Russia.

Use of Microblogging, Social Networking, and Short Messages in E-learning for Information Culture Building

This work examines the effect of microblogging, social networking, and short messaging in e-learning on the process of information culture formation. The study takes an experimental training course "The Psychology of Management" designed with Moodle, which implies the use of Instagram, and applies it to a sample of master’s level students. Learners were recruited from the Higher School of Economics and Business (Al-Farabi Kazakh National University) together with the Institute of Economics and Management in Agribusiness (Russian State Agrarian University - Timiryazev Moscow Agricultural Academy (RSAU – MTAA)). Students were asked to briefly express their thoughts, attitudes, and views toward the given topic on Instagram by creating blog posts and leave motivational and constructive comments under the blogs of other group members. The emotional responses of learners to the innovative style of teaching (i.e., the use of blogs) and its effect on the learning process were assessed using surveys. The study discusses the effect of blogging on Instagram as an educational tool. The majority of respondents reported a positive effect of blogs. According to learners, the use of Instagram gave the learning journey a makeover, making it relevant, effortless, and consistent. The use of blogs was found to create favorable conditions for collaborative learning, creative self-expression, and systematization of knowledge and experiences. Students reported that doing blogs was entertaining, motivating, and beneficial to their critical thinking, writing skills, and communication competency.

Smart Region Conceptual Model: Evolution of Approaches, Architecture, Stratification

Relevance of the work is stipulated by the fact that currently, under the influence of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, digitization and convergence of technologies, the previously established paradigm of sustainable development is transformed into smart sustainable development at all levels including regional. The aim of this article is to develop a conceptual model of stratified architecture of smart region on the basis of analysis, generalization, and systematization of scientific investigations and established regional practices of formation, institutionalization and implementation of new forms of spatial development of territories under conditions of digital transformation of economy. The empirical base of the research is presented by laws and regulations of national and regional level in the sphere of social and economic, spatial development and digitization, as well as by the rating data of innovative development of entities of the Russian Federation by Higher School of Economics. The methodological base of the research includes historical and evolutional, and ecosystem approaches, dialectic, categorial, subject–object, retrospective and monographic methods, terminological, comparative, and content analysis of scientific publications and empirical sources, methods of generalization, typology, classification, and systematization, principles and approaches of system engineering in building digital system architectures of various objects. In the course of the research, the genesis, evolution of successful practices, problems and discussion issues of implementation of new forms of spatial development have been generalized and analyzed in the context of Smart Sustainable Development; the architectural stratified model of smart region has been proposed combining a set of basic principles of its technological organization implemented in the form of digital technologies, interrelation of the technologies with each other and ambient environment. It has been concluded that formation and development of smart region model with accounting for all considered factors should be based on modern methodological achievements of system engineering allowing to consider smart region as a complicated architectural stratified sociotechnical and economic system, its practical implementation is significantly influenced by established traditions of state and regional management as well as interaction of state with population and business.

Values and Experience of Neoliberal Reforms in Russian Regions: Dilemmas of Social Management

The article offers a critical look at the challenges emerging within the reforms of the social services sector in Russian regions carried out in line with the New Public Management (NPM) principles. These reforms imply not only the renewal of management tools, but also changes at the cultural level. In this regard, the study is aimed at identifying how social managers explain the need for the transition to new relations, what tools they have, and what value contradictions arise in the field of decision-making on the issues of reforming the system of social services and in the practice of management. The study is based on the analysis of semi-structured interviews with regional administrators and managers of social services of various legal forms. While sharing values and applying in practice the tools of the new social management, the leaders of the social sphere and social services face the internal contradictions of this doctrine. Customer focus and initiative are not easy to reconcile with efficiency requirements; decentralization does not negate close control, and the quality of services is difficult to maintain in a rationalized environment. Nevertheless, the discourses of budget saving and humanization of services do not always contradict each other, managers strive to reach a compromise between different logics in the relationship between the state, organization, employee, and client. The article shows the specific and often multi-vector perspectives of regional administrators, as well as of managers of municipal and non-profit organizations — providers of social services. Under the pressure of the challenge to efficiency, regional administrators are forced to deal with conflicting tasks: on the one hand, they strive to increase competition in the social services market and to outsource part of the social services guaranteed by the state, and on the other hand, to support their budgetary organizations. The values of neo-managerialism affect not only the personnel policy, but also the content of the social service itself. Managers in the nonprofit sector sometimes find themselves in a situation of choice between rationalizing, increasing the efficiency of services and saving resources, on the one hand, and humanizing services, on the other. Building horizontal ties and associations allows leaders of non-profit social services to receive tools to represent collective interests before the state, as well as protection from excessive control by the bureaucratic apparatus. Acknowledgements. This article is an output of a research project implemented as part of the Basic Research Program at the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE University). The authors thank the staff of the Moscow School of Management Skolkovo and the Agency for Strategic Initiatives for their help in organizing access to the field study, participating in the collection of data and discussing the first results of the field work, and also express their gratitude to their collocutors for an open and honest conversation.

Labour market status and depression in Russia: A longitudinal study, 2011-2017.

This is the first longitudinal study to examine the relationship between depression and the labour market in Russia. Using data from 2011 to 2017, we identify the impact that not being in employment has on mental distress, and we explore the mechanism underlying the observed association. Using data from the Russia Longitudinal Monitoring Survey - Higher School of Economics, we employ random-effects regression models to estimate the impact of employment conditions on the likelihood of reporting mental distress in Russia. This method allows us to distinguish between the selection effect associated with mental distress and direct causation. Controlling for a range of socio-economic and demographic characteristics, we find that unemployment and labour market inactivity are strong predictors of the likelihood of reporting depression and serious nervous breakdown. However, we find that rather than negative labour market events giving rise to mental distress, the selection effect actually dominates, and the direction of causality therefore operates in reverse. Knowledge of the underlying mechanism that links unfavourable labour market outcomes with mental distress is crucial for designing policies that can address this link. We argue that our findings provide grounds for the initiation of anti-stigma campaigns among employers, policymakers, health practitioners and politicians as well as the general population. Eradication of the perception that mental disorders are somehow different to 'real' illnesses will not only prevent Russians from self-selection into unemployment but may also transform outdated approaches to mental health care in Russia.

Private and public transfers: substitute or complement?

The paper analyzes the relationship between private and public social transfers in Russia. The research relies on the data from the Russian Longitudinal Monitoring Survey (RLMS-HSE) carried out by the Higher School of Economics in 1994–2018. The household is the unit of the analysis, the method of logistic regression is applied. The study has shown that when a household receives public social transfers, it is less likely to receive private transfers. So, the findings appear to bear out the hypothesis that public transfers crowd out private transfers in Russia.

Building Competitive Advantages Within the Frames of Different Approaches to Competitiveness Management (illustrated by the company ‘Belgorod Plant RITM’)

Serious changes that took place lately in business environment form new challenges to processes of enterprise management. The article studies specific features of current management aiming at shaping and retaining competitive advantages of the organization. The author reviewed different approaches to the interpretation of the notions ‘competitive enterprise’ and ‘competitive advantages’. Processes of shaping competitive advantages on the basis of identifying strong and weak sides of the organization were discussed. The empiric base of the research was made by data of Rosstat, the Federal Customs Service, the Institute of Statistic Research and Economy of Knowledge of the Higher School of Economics and the company ‘Belgorod Plant RITM’. The competitive environment on market of seeding-machines was investigated. Special attention was paid to measures of state support to market of agricultural equipment. At the result of the research a conclusion was drawn that market of seeding-machines is fast growing with high competition. External and internal factors affecting the competitive potential of the enterprise were studied and specific features of enterprise management in conditions of competitive environment were systematized. It was shown that the company ‘Belgorod Plant RITM’ has a number of competitive advantages, among which the availability of own technological developments and no dependence on imported components. Recommendations were prepared aimed at improving competitiveness of the company ‘Belgorod Plant RITM’.