Russian Network Research Articles

Evaluations of Similarity Measures on VK for Link Prediction

Recommender system is one of the most important components for many companies and social networks such as Facebook and YouTube. A recommendation system consists of algorithms which allow to predict and recommend friends or products. This paper studies to facilitate finding like-minded people with same interests in social networks. In our research, we used real data from the most popular social network in Russia, VK (Vkontakte). The study is motivated on the assumption that similarity breeds connection. We evaluate well-known similarity measures in the field on our collected VK datasets and find limited performance results. The result shows that majority of users in VK tend not to add possible users with whom they have common acquaintances. We also propose a topology-based similarity measure to predict future friends. Then, we compare our results with the results of other well-known methods and discuss differences.

Dynamical Topology of Highly Aggregated Input-Output Networks

The paper studies topological properties of weighted directed graphs corresponding to highly aggregated macroeconomic input-output networks in Russia and the USA. As these graphs are complete or almost complete the study focuses on weight-sensitive characteristics of weighted directed networks. The analysis shows that while some generic features such as the fat-tailed nature of edge weight distribution, weighted fraction of triangles of different types and, to a certain extent, ranking with respect to PageRank and Hubs centrality are universal and do not change in time, the slopes of edge weight distributions, clustering coefficients and ranking of vertices with respect to certain centrality measures show visible evolution. The evolution of input-output matrices is also studied through analyzing the evolution of a distance between input-output matrices at varying time horizons.

Topological characteristics of the Buddhist Community in the VKontakte social network

This paper provides an analysis of virtual Buddhist communities in the VKontakte social net¬works. Social media have become the environment for the emergence of new religious activity forms. Digital social media are a very promising field for sociological research of religious activity and identity. Actually, digital religion is a new agenda in the Sociology of Religion and Digital Social Studies. At the same time this field is connected to the methodological and technical problems of Big Data and social networks studies with its weak structured and increasing volume. VKontakte is the most popular social network in Russia with more than 380 million users. This article deals with an attempt to analyze a number of important topo-logical characteristics of the graph model of social network VKontakte community of Buddhists. For the graph of friendship of Russian Buddhists under consideration, assortativeness, the distribution of degrees of vertices, and the lengths of the shortest paths of the graph are investigated. It is shown that at present there is a significant growth of the Buddhist segment of the social network, there is an increase in the number of Buddhist communities and Buddhist users. This segment as a whole reproduces social and network character¬istics, but Buddhism is not an assortative feature, and Buddhist communities are weakly structured and are under the influence of many differentiating factors.

The Culture Of Political Communication In Social Networks In The Republic Of Tatarstan

In conditions of fast changes and economic transformations in social Russian world, the problem of civic participation in these processes is one of the most important, because today, traditional channels and mechanisms of interaction between the population and the state are imperfect. This article analyzes the status and the level of the regional political communications in social networks in Russia. It`s based on the research of accounts of authorities of Tatarstan Republic. The results of the study indicate that the level of activity of politicians in social networks, and the degree of their popularity of online diaries among the Internet audience is low. In the course of the study, we faced the task to develop an understanding of the modern concept of of political communication because the concept and the sphere are at the stage of formation. In this article we have stopped to a greater extent on the normative definition of culture: when culture acts as a system of rules of almost all aspects of life and of human existence: perception, thinking, activities, behaviors.

New tariff regulation for natural monopolies: what should it be?

For the last several years, the Russian Federation has been artificially restraining the growth of tariffs for the services of natural monopolies. A simple decision, which is taken hastily a few years ago as a short-term anti-crisis measure, has every chance of becoming a "solution" for many years to come. The authors attempt to analyze the short-term and long-term effects of the tariff regulation and present the results obtained in the framework of the basic research program of the Higher School of Economics on the impact of tariffs in the energy sector on the main macroeconomic indicators, most often used as arguments in favor of tariff restraint. It is shown that tariffs, including the ones for electricity networks, should cover all efficient costs of regulated companies in full which enables reliable and safe power supply for sustainable and efficient development of industries and wellbeing of the population. The authors present for the first time the results of the estimations of the efficiency of the operational costs of electric networks in Russia obtained on the models developed by the Institute of Pricing and Regulation of Natural Monopolies. The models are based on the data envelopment analysis (DEA) technique, one of the most advanced and most common methods in contemporary tariff setting.

Development of a terrestrial reference frame in the Russian Federation

The present article is written in response to the recent call of the United Nations for the enhanced international cooperation of different countries on global geodesy to build the Global Geodetic Reference Frame (GGRF). It reviews historical landmarks in the development of the State Geodetic Reference Frame on the territory of Russia over the last two centuries. It discusses major steps in creating the Russian terrestrial reference frame by both the ground-based and space geodesy methods relying upon the satellite observation techniques. Currently the State Geodetic Reference Frame undergoes a radical improvement in order to effectively implement the potential of modern satellite technologies through the use of the Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS). We outline the current status of the National Geodetic Network in Russia, its hierarchical structure and accuracy. We pay a particular attention to the high-precision State Geodetic Coordinate System (GSK-2011), created simultaneously along with the global reference-ellipsoid, and designed for various types of users to conduct the land surveying and mapping in Russia. We also present the geocentric coordinate system (PZ-90.11) used for navigating space missions, solving various problems of global geodesy, and supporting the continuous operation of GLONASS.

COMPLEMENTARY INSTITUTIONS FOR FUNDING REGIONAL ECONOMIES

With long-term funding resources unavailable, the real sector of the domestic economy is deprived of the opportunity to boost the investment activity. The structure of the investment sources shows the predominant role of the banking system and budgetary funding in this process. The large-scale goals of the domestic economy, along with the needs of the new industrialization, require not only implementation of large investment projects but also the use of new approaches to the monetary policy as well as the improvement of basic and complementary institutions for funding the real sector of the economy. It is the development of complementary institutions that can substantially increase the investing effectiveness. With this purpose the paper examines regional banking structures and non-bank funding institutions. The research methods included the institutional analysis, the structural and dynamic analysis of the Bank of Russia data and regional statistics. It is determined that the Russian economy needs more regional institutions, particularly regional banking networks and government structures, to support the real sector. Their advantages are the ability to take into account the specifics of regional businesses, knowledge of customers, flexibility, efficiency in decision-making, individual approach, the ability to establish partnership relations and neutralize possible shortcomings of federal institutions. At the same time, it is confirmed that the regional banking network in Russia tends to shrink due to tightening of laws introduced and violation of competition rules by large banks. The effects of low activity in the sphere of lending to small and medium-sized businesses related to restrictions in capitalization of regional banks, slow capital accumulation rates as well as the limited access to the interbank lending market and the CBR refinancing system have been revealed. The paper determines the complementary nature and role of the emerging system of state institutions for funding the real sector of the economy. It is noted that today these institutions do not possess significant resources, are poorly coordinated and lack a strict system of performance indices. The role of the regional business support infrastructure being established in a number of industrial regions is assessed based on the data of the Sverdlovsk Region as a traditional industrial region of the Russian Federation.

РАЗВИТИЕ ФРАНЧАЙЗИНГА В МАЛОМ ГОСТИНИЧНОМ БИЗНЕСЕ

The study is aimed at identifying trends in the development of small accommodation facilities in the world, to which it is appropriate to include hostels. Examples of the development of hostels in Europe and the USA are considered, such tendencies of their development as boutique hostels creation, formation of various kinds of associations / associations and use of the network form of organization of activity are revealed. In addition, the trends in the development of hostel networks in Russia, the conditions for buying a franchise, the problems of functioning and ways to solve them are analyzed.

Performance of gas turbines in Russia under the changing climatic conditions

The impact of the expected climatic changes on the performance of gas turbine units (GTU) as part of the power industry and gas pipeline network in Russia is considered. Long-term estimates of changes in the average annual air temperature throughout the country are made based on the authors’ model. The calculations using the efficiency value of gas turbine units as a function of the ambient air temperature show that climatic changes will significantly deteriorate the operational efficiency of gas-turbine equipment in practically all of Russia’s regions. Based on publicly available statistical data, we assessed the installed capacity of gas-turbine power stations (including combined-cycle power plants) and gas-turbine drive of gas pipeline network. Three development scenarios have been considered for gas turbine power in the national electric power industry, differing in the rates of new facilities’ commissioning. Integrated estimates have been made of the increase in gas consumption in Russia’s gas pipeline network and power industry resulting from climatic changes by 2030 and 2050. It is shown that the total increase in the annual gas consumption associated with a reduction in the efficiency of gas turbine units due to climate warming by 2030 could reach approximately 130000 tce (of which approximately 90000 tce in the gas pipeline network and 40000 tce in the electric power industry) and more than 170000 tce (120000 and 50000 tce, respectively) by 2050. Should more optimistic scenarios be implemented for the development of the electric power industry, this effect will increase 1.5–2.0 times by 2050. Despite high absolute values, the increase in GTU fuel expenditures due to higher ambient temperatures resulting from climate change in Russia will only amount to a fraction of a percent of the total gas consumption and will be two orders of magnitude lower than the savings in space heating.

Innovation by coercion: Emerging institutionalization of university-industry collaborations in Russia.

This article explores the emerging institutionalization of collaborative university-industry networks in Russia. The Russian government has attempted to use a top-down public policy scheme to stimulate and promote network-building in the R&D sector. In order to understand the initial organizational responses that universities and companies select while structuring collaborations, the article utilizes conceptual perspectives from institutional theory, especially drawing on arguments from strategic choice, network-building, and network failure studies.

Networking for sustainable Foresight: A Russian study

A key element of any government's Science, Technology and Innovation policy is stable analytical infrastructure to support strategic decision making. Experience from many countries shows that substantial policy decision making requires collecting and analysing a broad range of information to develop proactive and future-oriented policies. Accordingly, infrastructure providing this information as well as evidence for policy-making must possess the capabilities for collecting, assessing, and processing information. However, information in this context is highly specific and subject related information, which is frequently embodied within expert knowledge holders. Therefore, information management in this light imposes special challenges on infrastructure.The present study discusses some methodological approaches and practical studies to set up a network of STI Foresight network in Russia, integrated into the national Foresight and planning system. We outline the principles for goal setting, network architecture, creating a network of experts, selecting key information products, and methodological support. Russia's STI Foresight network, built on principles presented here, has been fully operational since 2011 and provides expertise on a large scale for a variety of governmental and industry organizations.

Dynamics of regime personalization and patron–client networks in Russia, 1999–2014

Many comparative scholars classify personalist regimes as a distinct category of nondemocratic rule. To measure the process of regime personalization, and to distinguish such a process from overall authoritarian reversal, is difficult in comparative context. Using the Russian political regime in 1999–2014 as a case study, we examine the dynamics of regime personalization over time. Relying on original data on patron–client networks and expert surveys assessing the policy influence of the key members of the ruling coalition, we argue that having more clients, or clients who are more powerful, increases the power of patrons – and that where the patron is the ruler, the resulting measure is an indication of the level of personalization of the regime. We trace regime personalization from the changes in political influence of the president's associates in his patron–client network versus that of other elite patron–client networks. We find that as early as 2004, the Russian regime can be regarded as personalist, and is strongly so from 2006 onward.

Protected Areas and Sustainable Development: A Chance for Biodiversity or a New Self-Deception

The Russian Federation has a unique and highly developed system of especially protected nature reserves and is in many respects a pioneer in reali-sing the concept "from islands to eco-nets" (SOBOLEV et al. 1995; OSTERGREN and SHVARTS 1998; SITTLER et al. 2000). The nucleus of the ecological network in Russia encompasses: 1) federal pro-tected areas-first of all strict nature reserves (zapovedniks; IUCN category I) and national parks (IUCN category II); 2) regional protected areas of the subjects of the Russian federation (al-together about 15,000, 111.5 millions ha)-first of all sanctuaries, nature parks, natural monuments (IUCN categories II-V); and 3) various categories of protected forests (altogether 271 millions ha forest grounds, 180.6 millions ha of which are covered with forests). Today, in the Russian Federation, 99 strict nature reserves exist with a total area of more than 33 millions ha, of which 26 millions ha on land area with inland waters (1.56% of the entire territory of the Russia Federation). The reserves are located in 65 of the 89 federal regions. Most reserves (93) were directly supervised by the State Committee for Environmental Protection, four are managed by the Russian Academy of Sciences, one by the Federal Forest Service, and one by the Ministry of Higher Education. According to cur-rent legislation the state reserves have a status of environmental research or-ganisations, with a staff of about 5000 people. Prominent Russian naturalists established this nation-wide system of zapovedniks more than 80 years ago. The first national park was founded in 1983, and today in Russia 35 national parks exist with a total area of more than 6.7 millions ha; all of them were managed by the Federal Forest Service.

Subcarrier Wave Quantum Key Distribution in Telecommunication Network with Bitrate 800 kbit/s

In the course of work on creating the first quantum communication network in Russia we demonstrated quantum key distribution in metropolitan optical network infrastructure. A single-pass subcarrier wave quantum cryptography scheme was used in the experiments. BB84 protocol with strong reference was chosen for performing key distribution. The registered sifted key rate in an optical cable with 1.5 dB loss was 800 Kbit/s. Signal visibility exceeded 98%, and quantum bit error rate value was 1%. The achieved result is a record for this type of systems.

The 2013 Chelyabinsk meteor ionospheric impact studied using GPS measurements

On 15 February 2013, the Chelyabinsk meteor event (the largest in size since 1908) provided a unique opportunity to observe ionospheric perturbations associated with the ablation and ionospheric impact of the meteor using GPS measurements. The hypersonic bolide generated powerful shock waves while acoustic perturbations in the atmosphere led to the upward propagation of acoustic and gravity waves into the ionosphere. In our research, we applied two different techniques to detect ionospheric disturbances in dual-frequency global positioning system (GPS) measurements during the meteor impact event. The data were collected from near-field GPS networks in Russia, GPS Earth Observation Network (GEONET) in Japan, and Plate Boundary Observatory (PBO) stations in the coterminous U.S. Using a novel wavelet coherence detection technique, we were able to identify three different wave trains in the measurements collected from the nearest GPS station to the meteor impact site, with frequencies of approximately 4.0–7.8 mHz, 1.0 −2.5 mHz, and 2.7–11 mHz at 03:30 UTC. We estimated the speed and direction of arrival of the total electron content (TEC) disturbances by cross-correlating TEC time series for every pair of stations in several areas of the GEONET and PBO networks. The results may be characterized as three different types of traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs). First, the higher-frequency (4.0–7.8 mHz) disturbances were observed around the station ARTU in Arti, Russia (56.43°N, 58.56°E), with an estimated mean propagation speed of about 862 ± 65 m/s (with 95% confidence interval). Another type of TID disturbance related to the wave trains was identified in the lower frequency band (1.0–2.5 mHz), propagating with a mean speed of 362 ± 23 m/s. The lower frequency ionospheric perturbations were observed at distances of 300–1500 km away from Chelyabinsk. The third type of TID wave train was identified using the PBO stations in the relative short-period range of 1.5–6 min (2.7–11 mHz) with a mean propagation speed of 733 ± 36 m/s. The observed short-period ionospheric perturbations in the U.S. region is, to the best of our knowledge, the first observational evidence of the coincident the long-range meteor-generated infrasound signals propagating in the ionosphere.

Managing and Measuring Business Networks in Russia

Managing and Measuring Business Networks in Russia

CouchSurfing as a spatial practice: Accessing and producing xenotopos

The aim of this study is to analyse the production of space in the CouchSurfing hospitality network in Russia. The article proposes the notion of xenotopos, which literally means 'the place of strangers', in order to capture the relational dynamics of host and guest interactions and their co-present experience of space, time and life rhythms. The article examines the interaction between the spatial knowledge of the host and of the guest in order to see how the sharing of this knowledge affects the spatial trajectory of the guest. The article also considers the potential applicability of the concept of rhythm in the analysis of CouchSurfing as a spatial practice. The findings suggest that CouchSurfing allows users to open up new spaces of hospitality situated away from conventional tourist circuits by accessing local knowledge and grasping local life rhythms, both of which become essential intangible aspects of the CouchSurfing experience.

Seismic picture of a fault zone. What can be gained from the analysis of fine patterns of spatial distribution of weak earthquake centers?

Association of earthquake hypocenters with fault zones appears more pronounced in cases with more accurately determined positions of the earthquakes. For complex, branched structures of major fault zones, it is assumed that some of the earthquakes occur at feathering fractures of smaller scale.It is thus possible to develop a «seismological» criterion for definition of a zone of dynamic influence of faults, i.e. the zone containing the majority of earthquakes associated with the fault zone under consideration. In this publication, seismogenic structures of several fault zones located in the San-Andreas fault system are reviewed. Based on the data from a very dense network of digital seismic stations installed in this region and with application of modern data processing methods, differential coordinates of microearthquakes can be determined with errors of about first dozens of meters.It is thus possible to precisely detect boundaries of the areas wherein active deformation processes occur and to reveal spatial patterns of seismic event localization. In our analyses, data from the most comprehensive seismic catalog were used. The catalogue includes information on events which occurred and were registered in North California in the period between January 1984 and May 2003. In this publication, the seismic data processing results and regularities revealed during the analyses are compared with the data obtained from studies of fault structures, modeling and numerical simulation results. Results of quantitative research of regularities of localization of seismic sources inside fault zones are presented. It is demonstrated by 3D models that seismic events are localized in the vicinity of an almost plain surface with a nearly constant angle of dip, the majority of events being concentrated at that conventional surface. Detection of typical scopes of seismicity localization may prove critical for solution of problems of technogenic impact on fault zones for the purpose of partial stress release. The obtained results suggest that the region, wherein active deformation takes place during preparation of medium earthquakes (M≤6.5÷7.0), includes a number of local «strips», each about 100 m in width. The latter size is comparable to a scope of technogenic capabilities of producing an impact on geo-environment. It is hoped that studies of both fine spatial and temporal patterns of seismicity in the vicinity of fault zones will allow to find reliable pinpoints for definition of both place and time for implementation of technogenic impacts. In our opinion, the implemented study demonstrates the burning need to establish test sites with dense and wellequipped local seismic networks in Russia.

Market driving multinationals and their global sourcing network

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore how a global supplier network can support and contribute to a market driving strategy. Theoretically, the paper contributes by integrating the market driving strategy and the network approach. IKEA is considered one of the leading market driving firms. The paper studies its activities in establishing supplier networks in Russia and Poland.Design/methodology/approachThis is an exploratory study of four suppliers of IKEA in Poland and Russia. Data are collected through 11 in‐depth interviews with IKEA's corporate and middle level managers and with managers and technicians from its suppliers in Russia and Poland. Results are drawn through matrix coding techniques and pattern matching.FindingsFindings confirm IKEA's market driving strategy and how it has been able to restructure the market and successfully develop an efficient supplier network as a part of its market driving strategy.Originality/valueMarket driving approach has been suggested as a more pro‐active form of market orientation. It is characterised by an ability of the firm to shape the market conditions, to influence customers and offer completely new value propositions through its unique business process.

Analysis of possibility of using neural network to forecast passenger traffic flows in Russia

Abstract At present the problem of forecasting passenger transport demand is of immense importance for air transport producers as well as for investors since investment efficiency is greatly affected by the accuracy and adequacy of the estimation performed. The aim of the present research is to analyze the possibility of using a neural network approach to forecast the expansion of the air‐transport network in Russia.