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The paper deals with the problems of banknote production of the Imperial Russian State Papers Manufactory (hereinafter — Manufactory) during the First World War. The purpose of the work is to provide information about the project of cooperation between Manufactory and the Partnership of Typography «A. A. Levenson» that arose in wartime circumstances. The relevance of the work is seen from the fact that the issues not reflected in historiography. The study will provide more complete and clear picture of the Russian banknote production during the First World War; the solutions to the crisis of the industry and the role of prominent printer S. S. Ermolaev in this process. Unpublished sources from the Central State Historical Archive of St. Petersburg (hereinafter — CSHA St. P) served as the basis for preparing the work

For the majority of Russian companies in recent years to become a reality the implementation of mixed paper and electronic document management with the constant increase in its electronic component and the emergence of new organizational and technological forms. The idea of mixed electronic and paper document is the basis of the conceptual approach of gradual expansion of the use of electronic documents. This fact is particularly important in view of what is now different organizations are at various stages of implementation and use of electronic document technologies. Furthermore, the use in the foreseeable future a mixed electronic and paper document allows to take into account the advantages and disadvantages of paper and electronic media.

The article analyses the global trends and prospects of development of pulp and paper industry. It assesses the directions of application of biotechnology in forestry and pulp and paper industry. The paper presents forecasts of growth and market development of products created using biotechnology. It identifies goals and objectives for the development of biotechnology pulp and paper industry in Russia.

In the optics of attention was the story of the Japanese writer Komatsu Sake "Paper or hair", written in 1963. According to the content, the loss of paper changed the usual way of life of people, becoming a source of existential fears. As we believe, the artistic narrative anticipates the events of our time associated with the spread of the coronavirus infection COVID-19. An artistic description of the situation by a Japanese writer, a phenomenological immersion in reality and theoretical reflections by M. Heidegger's work on the existential of fear helped to reconstruct the psychological States of people in the context of a pandemic and to identify the structure of fear. In modern life, fear manifests itself in three aspects: before-than fear, fearfulness and about-than fear. As a result of the all-embracing nature of fear, the fearogenicity of being is born, which violates the stability of the individual's existence, its being in, dwelling in, and mastering with. The above leads to the individual's awareness of the direction of life towards death, which forces him to adapt to new conditions. As a support of the personality in its opposition to fear, we can call hope and effective manifestations that perform the role of care.

For the majority of Russian companies in recent years to become a reality the implementation of mixed paper and electronic document management with the constant increase in its electronic component and the emergence of new organizational and technological forms. The idea of mixed electronic and paper document is the basis of the conceptual approach of gradual expansion of the use of electronic documents. This fact is particularly important in view of what is now different organizations are at various stages of implementation and use of electronic document technologies. Furthermore, the use in the foreseeable future a mixed electronic and paper document allows to take into account the advantages and disadvantages of paper and electronic media.

The article analyses the global trends and prospects of development of pulp and paper industry. It assesses the directions of application of biotechnology in forestry and pulp and paper industry. The paper presents forecasts of growth and market development of products created using biotechnology. It identifies goals and objectives for the development of biotechnology pulp and paper industry in Russia.

This paper discusses the latest data on the production of selected paper and paperboard, plastic, glass, wood and metal packaging. During the study period 2016-2020/2021, there was an increase in the production of selected paper and paperboard packaging compared to 2016. There has been an increase in the production of paper sacks and bags, cartons made of paper or paperboard other than corrugated and cartons made of paper or paperboard. Among plastic packaging, the production of plastic bags and sacks played a significant role and has been growing steadily since 2016. The production of glass packaging (clear glass bottles with a capacity of less than 2.5 liters for beverages and food) increased between 2016 and 2021. Flat pallets were the dominant product among wood packaging in 2020. The decline in box pallet production was significant not only relative to 2019, but also relative to 2016. In the group of metal packaging with a capacity not exceeding 300 liters, the highest production was recorded for barrels and similar containers for any material (excluding gas), made of aluminium. It reached 93228 tonnes in 2020 and was 2.4% higher than in 2019. The packaging market in Poland and worldwide has been gradually increasing its value over the past years. The production of packaging in Poland in the coming years should grow dynamically, although not as fast as before. Undoubtedly, today the biggest challenge for the packaging industry is the rising prices of raw materials, which can negatively affect the profitability and liquidity situation of manufacturers. In particular, the prices of plastics have gone up considerably, but the costs of pulp, metals, wood and glass are also increasing, so the raw material pressure is now affecting the entire packaging industry

The electronic document management system is one of the most popular products for implementation at various enterprises in various industries, ranging from heavy industry to state organizations and federal authorities. Document flow in many companies is carried out on paper, and this, in turn, causes great difficulties in processing, storing and executing documents. Paper archives occupy hundreds of square meters of storage space, and if necessary, it is very difficult to find the right document among a large amount of waste paper. In this regard, many companies begin to review their activities and move away from paper document management to electronic

The reform of the system of waste management of production and consumption has been implemented for the third decade, but so far it has not been completed and requires further adjustment of all systems of state and municipal administration in order to achieve the stated goals. The article examines the historical roots of the system of waste management of production and consumption and its efficiency. The paper analyses the reasons for the insufficient functioning in Russia of the system of waste management of production and consumption. Improving efficiency requires the development of new approaches to the development of integrated measures and systemic solutions that include the full range of incentives, both material and moral.

The paper analyzes monograph «The Money of the Revolution and the Civil War: 1917–1920», prepared by the head of the Department of Modern History of Russia at St. Petersburg State University, Doctor of History, Professor M. V. Khodyakov. The book is released in 2019 by the St. Petersburg State University Publishing House (St. Petersburg). It analyzed features of the author’s approach in covering financial history at a turning point in the functioning of Russian statehood during the Revolution and the Civil War. An attempt is made to analyze the most significant regularities of the interrelated development of the state-political and financialeconomic spheres. The scientific, methodological novelty of the monograph is noted, as well as certain aspects that are promising for further study of the problem covered in the reprinted work

Forest resources and their processing are one of the main components of the economic base of the regions of the European North of Russia. At the same time, the mere fact of the presence of rich wood reserves does not at all indicate their effective use. In this regard, the assessment of the existing production potential of the timber industry complex of these constituent entities of the Russian Federation is of particular relevance and importance. The article discusses the approaches of modern researchers to the assessment of both the forest raw materials and the economic and production potential. The author’s technique is proposed, based on the use of reference values and calculations of the integral indicator of the production potential of the timber industry complex. As a result of the study, the author came to the conclusion that the production potential of the timber industry of the regions of the European North of Russia is not fully used – only 62%. In terms of regions, the leader is the Komi Republic, and the outsider is the Murmansk region. The largest reserves are available in the use of forest and market potential. The low level of use of the first is explained by low rates of development of the estimated cutting area, as well as insufficient volumes of reforestation. Low indicators of assessing market potential are due to the fact that low value-added products still dominate in the structure of production of the timber industry complex.

The aim of the article is to develop a method for management decisionmaking, ensuring the sustainable development of enterprise structures in the conditions of crisis. To this end, the author makes a comparative analysis of modern methods of justification, adoption and implementation of administrative decisions in enterprise structures, focused on sustainable development in the conditions of crisis. The results of this analysis show that all of these methods involve quantifying the scale of different criteria, which do not reflect causal logic of the preferences of some other criteria. The results of the ranking cannot be distinguished from a number of other similar ratings (with slight differences in the weights), therefore, the expected nature of the uniqueness of the decision-making model is not provided. To solve the problems indicated in this paper, we propose an alternative approach to the aggregation of conflicting preferences of managerial decisions: to come up with a quality solution to resolve conflicts between the preferences of solutions through a variety of criteria, and to aggregate them to the final decision. The author develops unified method of decision-making. The fact that the method provides information to clarify the criteria values and the reasons for their relative importance to the decision makes it particularly attractive in times of crisis, as it creates an opportunity for the delegation of authority and the use of standard solutions. It allows to reflect the logic and the causal relationships of ranking criteria, as well as to simplify the process of management decision-making, eliminating it from a difficult procedure for placing the weighting factors. The method is recommended for the use in making decisions with a small number of options and criteria. It can also be used as a test has taken management decisions, taking into account only the most significant criteria.

A nation brand impacts on a country’s economic development, stimulating or, contrarily, limiting people and organisations’ readiness to invest various resources within a particular jurisdiction. Simultaneously, a nation brand originates in all activities of organisations operating in the country’s territory. The paper aims to develop theoretical foundations of the nation brand management as a system. The methodological basis of the study is the concept of nation branding and the systems approach. A set of general scientific methods of analysis, synthesis, systematisation and generalisation are used. As a result, the paper provides and describes a system for the nation brand management that comprises input (existing perception of a country), transformation processes (creation of an image), and output (the image shaped). The value of the developed system lies in its ability to coordinate the interests of diverse stakeholders. The article presents a vision of 7-S model implementation for the nation brand based on the understanding of the relationships that lead to the formation of nation brand as well as the representation of external and internal dynamic processes that evolve over time, etc. The findings contribute to grasping the essence of the nation brand management using the principles of the systems approach, which potentially enhances the country’s economic development.

The growth of cities and the transformation of their urban structure reflect the impact of numerous factors: economic, political, social, ideological and others. The Ural region with its concentration of larger cities is among the most urbanised in Russia. The paper explores the urbanistic processes in the Ural region at the turn of the 20th–21st centuries in the context general economic, political and moral factors. The methodological basis of the research rests on the theories of urbanisation and urban development, and the evolutionary approach. The study uses analytical, statistical, and comparative methods. The data for 1989–2022 reflecting the dynamics of urbanistic processes is taken from the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation. The boundaries of the Ural agglomerations are sourced from the official territorial and strategic planning documents. The findings indicate several trends in the transformation of the Ural settlement system and its urbanistic structure, in particular, a qualitative change of the cities’ industrial structure, a decrease in the employment in industry and a fall in the urban population, intensification of agglomerations processes and population tending to concentrate in larger cities. The indicated processes of deurbanisation and deindustrialisation of the Ural region result in the augmented share of larger cities, greater imbalance between size groups of cities. The paper is the first to describe the Ural Urban Square that encompasses four larger urban agglomerations – Ekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Ufa, and Perm. The paper underscores that the Ural Urban Square becomes a place of concentration of investment, human, economic, and social resources, the core of the development of the Ural macroregion and its neighboring territories.

The transport has a special role to play in the regional socioeconomic development, which changes depending on the prevailing trends for population mobility, introduction of advanced technologies, extension of economic connections, and growth in regional production. The study explores the problem of the interface between transport and regional economy on the example of the Ural Federal District. Methodologically, it relies on the theories of spatial development and regional economics. The main method of research is correlation and regression analysis. The evidence is the socioeconomic data on transport as well as values of gross regional product of the Ural Federal District for 2010–2020 sourced from the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation. The paper develops a model for forecasting GRP. The analysis indicates the presence of the relationship between the socioeconomic metrics of the transport sector and gross regional product of the Ural Federal District. In particular, there is the correlation between the indicators “density of public roads with hard surface”, “deaths in road accidents per 100,000 population” and gross regional product of the Ural Federal District. The paper concludes about the need to develop a composite indicator for assessing the transport sector that will reflect the ongoing digital modernisation and introduction of innovations.

The need to consider economic risks and respond to demographic challenges pushes the issues of creating and maintaining the quality of regions’ human potential, as well as saving population health to the research agenda. The aim of the study is to investigate the resourcing of regional health care systems in Russia in order to determine the level of medical care accessibility. Methodologically, the paper relies on the concepts of systems and regional economics, labour economics. The study applies time series and comparative analyses, as well as index, score-rating methods, composite coefficients calculation. The data is the socioeconomic and health care statistics by federal districts for 2005–2022 taken from the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation. The paper finds that regions differ in terms of the level of the medical care accessibility. Reportedly, the Ural Federal District ranked high for the efficiency of regional health care systems in 2021, which, according to the analysis, is due to the developed systems of preventive and emergency care. Conversely, the Siberian and Far Eastern Federal Districts were at the bottom of the ranking because of the deficit of physicians in emergency departments and scarce health care financing. The findings may underlie the development of measures on the improvement of health care resourcing, management, and efficiency both at national and regional levels.

Tightening competition among food retailers stimulates them to develop new formats of stores for urban spaces, which also can be economically efficient in rural areas. Appearance of a new format of stores that excites clientele’s interest and is able to compete with pick-up points and liquor stores may become a key to the domination in the market. The paper examines the prospects of creating an optimal format for food retailers that hold potential for spread in rural areas. Methodologically, the study relies on a systems approach, the cyclical theory of retail, and spatial development theories. The method encompasses three stages: first, holding a comparative analysis of the format structure of food retailers for 2015–2023; second, evaluating the territorial distribution of the two formats of retail chains (hard discounters and convenience stores) using the case of Volga and Ural Federal Districts; third, determining new formats of retail chains outside cities. Based on the analysis of market trends in the development of retail chain stores the paper suggests a conceptual model of the optimal retail format for rural areas with respect to product range, pricing, distribution of sales area, and additional services. The suggestions about the improvements in the model of the retail format for rural areas may spur the retail trade growth and promote the development of trade infrastructure outside urban areas.

The banking sector stability determines the financial immunity of a national economy. Current economic and political tensions precondition the need for predicative diagnosis of factors behind a decrease in a bank’s financial stability taking into account national specificities. The paper aims to explore the impact of intrabank parameters on a risk of deteriorated financial stability of Russian banks. The methodological basis of the study is the theory of financial management as applied to the banking practice. The research methods include content analysis, multiple regression, and logit modelling. The evidence comes from the published financial statements of Russian banks for 2018–2023. The paper suggests an approach for rating banks according to their financial stability and develops logit models for evaluating the risk of losing financial stability based on the CAMELS parameters. The analysis demonstrates a noticeable positive impact of the return on assets and a noticeable negative effect of the overdue loans share on a bank’s financial stability. At the same time, capital adequacy and current liquidity produce an ambiguous effect on the financial strength: they are significant only up to a certain point, after passing which they no longer exert any impact on the financial stability (the so-called “surplus paradox”). The study finds that the impact of the parameters differs for the mediumand long-term forecasting horizons: for a 6-month period, the return on assets is a more significant predictor of the financial instability risk, while the overdue loans share is more important for a 12-month period. The findings extend the understanding of the influence that bank’s internal factors have on their financial stability and can be useful in building the algorithms for analysing and forecasting banking risks.

Subject. Digitalisation of educational organisations’ activities is impossible without the intensification of all parties of academic and educational processes. At the moment, the effectiveness of digitalisation of educational organisations depends to a large extent on the effectiveness of the innovative activities of management. Purpose. This paper specifies the range of tools for the development and improvement of the results of research and innovation activities of an educational organisation in the course of its virtualisation, considering all participants of this process. Methodology. In this paper we conducted a critical analysis of the works of researchers indexed in the Scientific Electronic Library by the following research areas: “research activities of educational organisations, digital economy” and “innovation activities of educational organisations, digital economy”. Results. A plan was suggested for the intensification of research and innovations, including all participants of these processes: students and academic staff of an educational organisation based on positive non-advertising mentions in mass media where the educational organisation was named as the current place of employment. Conclusions. Specifying the range of tools for developing the innovations and research results of educational organisations in the course of their virtualisation allowed the authors to differentiate between the concepts of “research activities” and “innovation activities” in relation to an individual educational organisation, emphasise the item “Positive non-advertising mentions in mass media with the educational organisation named as the current place of employment” as part of the ranking system of this educational organisation as a tool for the intensification of research and innovation activities of students and academic staff in the digital economy, and show that the intensification of research and innovations of educational organisations in the digital economy is based on intellectual property items.

Continuity of generations is a very serious issue for Harbin residents. Harbin residents have always tried to preserve the memory of their ancestors. Preserving the history of Russian emigration has a high relevance of the problem. The history of many Russian families is connected with Harbin, where there was the largest Russian diaspora. Nowadays this city is the administrative center of the Chinese province of Heilongjiang. We should not forget about the people who built the Chinese Eastern Railway, as well as about the Russian emigrants who lived in Harbin, but kept the image of Russia in their hearts and contributed enough to Russian culture and science. The purpose of this paper is to study the Russian emigrants life in Harbin and to restore contact with their descendants. The article uses historical and system analysis and bibliographic research method. The paper tells about the amazing life of Nikolai Nikolaevich Znamensky: his childhood in Harbin, his relatives, his move to the USSR, his admiration of nowadays China, and also focuses on the message of Nikolai Nikolaevich Znamensky to modern Harbin residents.

The paper considers the features of holacratic structure as one of the forms of flexible organization management. The aim of the paper is to investigate the possibilities of integrating this tool into the management of Russian IT companies, as well as to analyze the consequences of such an implementation. The author solved the following tasks: the main features of holacracy in the context of Agile philosophy are outlined, the features of holacratic and traditional hierarchical structures are compared from the point of view of the system approach to organizational management, the statistics of the use of this technology in the activities of domestic IT companies is studied, the most significant results of the implementation experience of recent years are given, the arguments in favor of the use of holacracy as an organizational management tool in IT companies are substantiated. Based on the analysis of the scientific literature on project management and a number of Internet sources, the authors have identified the readiness attributes that an organization should possess for successful transition to a holacratic structure. The risks and difficulties of such a transition are considered, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of this management method. The application of flexible management methods, including holacracy, seems to be the most expedient for those Russian IT market participants, whose activity implies the presence of cross-functional teams and microservice architecture. As a conclusion, the authors emphasize the decisive role of the personal factor in ensuring the proper level of self-organization of the company and its readiness for holacracy,and recommend a compromise variant of using holacratic principles for Russian IT.

Pyramid schemes are adapting to the digitalisation era and mimicking various organisations. The organisers of these schemes quite often appeal to such human qualities as greed and the desire to get rich quickly. Thus, it is becoming increasingly relevant to develop new methods for countering pyramid schemes taking into account modern realities and behavioural characteristics of an individual decisionmaker. The focus of the research is on selecting sludge tools to fight against digital pyramid schemes. Methodologically, the study relies on the concepts of behavioural economics, in particular, of the nudge theory (nudges vs sludges). The methods include brainstorming, focus groups. The evidence comes from primary qualitative research, in-depth interviews with both non-professional investors and experts in the field of financial market held in 2022. The analysis allowed defining the concept of sludge and present the types of sludge tools. The paper provides an original list of sludge tools as well as a set of practical tools to counter pyramid schemes, which, in particular, consists of legal restrictions, monitoring of Ponzi schemes’ activities, financial enlightenment, a legal information system, self-coordination of investors, and an individual approach. The paper concludes that sludge tools differ in terms of the length of impact and the speed of obtaining a result. Short-term sludges generate a fast effect and prevent from investing in pyramid schemes without preliminary preparation of participants; they, for instance, include placing a poster with a warning against Ponzi schemes, ensuring a careful reading of the contract, mandatory familiarisation with the List of entities with detected signs of illegal activities in the financial market created by the Bank of Russia, taking a risk test for assessing the probability of a decreased price or lost asset, ensuring advice of a financial counsellor as an obligatory stage of investment. The findings contribute to the understanding of the need for proactive (preventive) measures’ development aimed at countering fraudulent schemes.

The arrival of the new phenomenon “industrial ecosystem” to the field of production organisation makes investigating it particularly relevant. The paper focuses on describing its essence, indispensable structural elements, as well as delves into the practical significance allowing for the trends in Russia’s technological and ecological development. Methodologically, the paper is based on the concepts of industrial revolution, circular and digital economies. Methods of desk research and systematisation are used. According to the findings, the concept “industrial ecosystem” appeared within industrial ecology and represents a kind of a business ecosystem. In Kleiner’s systems concept, this type of ecosystem is considered as a total of an industrial cluster, a platform, a network, and an incubator. Comparative analysis of various forms of production organisation allows identifying industrial cluster as the most appropriate basis of the ecosystem. It is proved that the digital platform, the communication and logistics network, and the business incubator (technology park) are important for ensuring efficient operation of an industrial cluster. The paper validates the treatment of industrial ecosystems as a transitional form between natural (biological) and non-natural (business) ecosystems. The goal orientation of industrial ecosystem is handling both socioeconomic and environmental problems due to setting up closed-loop industrial cycles. The paper presents an original scheme of an ecosystem taking into account the principles of circular economy: industrial enterprise – circular industrial cluster – industrial ecosystem.

The energy strategy of Russia involves a transition to a diversified energy generation characterised by a structural diversity of plant types, as well as the use of small-scale energy technologies. The purpose of the study is to identify the barriers that hinder the implementation of small-scale power generation in the Russian Federation and justify the avenues for its development. Methodologically, the paper relies on the systems approach. Methods of content and logical structural analysis, in-depth interviews are applied. The empirical evidence comes from analytical reports, normative and legal documents, as well as results of surveys of 96 specialists in the field and heads of power plants and power engineering enterprises conducted during 2021– 2023. The findings indicate there are four groups of problems in the Russian energy system: technological backwardness; difficulties with integration of small-scale power generation facilities into the energy market; absence of state support mechanisms; surplus of power generation capacity. Accordingly, the paper provides recommendations for overcoming them, in particular, it is necessary to introduce mechanisms for the support of small-scale power engineering and integration with engineering and consultancy companies, as well as make use of energy service agreements; second, to introduce standards for connecting small-scale power generation facilities, develop guidelines for designing and commissioning them; third, to amend tax regulations and learn from successful foreign experience; fourth, to replace retired power generation equipment with new small-scale power generation facilities located closer to load centres. The theoretical significance of the research is linked with detailing the concept “small-scale power generation” as a segment of energy sector as well as its structure in relation to the Russian Federation, specifying classification characteristics of low-capacity power units. The findings are practically valuable for government authorities, power generation enterprises and equipment manufacturers due to the developed organisational and methodological guidelines.

Subject. The goal of “Smart University” information system is to increase the efficiency and quality of the academic process at Saint Petersburg State University of Economics through the automation of its various aspects and phases which is based on mathematical modelling. The optimization model of finding a fair matching of students to academic trajectories is discussed in the paper as a mathematical kernel of one of the information system’s components. Objectives. The goal of the paper is to provide an exact mathematical formulation and corresponding numerical results to the problem of finding a fair matching of students to academic trajectories, their preferences and academic performance was taken into account. Method. The optimization model was developed to find a matching in the many-to-one two-sided market, the corresponding concept of stable matching and conflicts was discussed. Results. The optimization model of finding a fair matching was verified by numerical simulations with the full-scale data for the students of the “Econоmics” academic program of the Saint Petersburg State University of Economics. Numerical results demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed model in finding a fair matching with a minimum number of conflicts and with a maximal level of satisfaction of agents from both sides of the market (students and academic trajectories) with the matching obtained.

Sharing economy as well as consumption and resource use models associated with it are forms of interaction between economic agents that involve the application of digital technologies. At the same time, sharing economy goes through several development stages, which determine the specifics of its implementation and penetration. The purpose of the paper is to identify and describe the stages in the sharing economy development. Methodologically, the research relies on institutionalism, digital economics, and sharing economics. Methods of systematisation and comparative analysis are used. The study reveals five stages in the sharing economy development: basic, technological, platform, social and advanced – that differ in terms of spread and level of digital technologies and initiate and support emerging institutional changes. The paper proves that external factors such as the appearance of IT giants and the COVID-19 pandemic affected the change of stages in the development of sharing economy. Digitalisation promoted the evolution of new sharing economy tools and altered the nature of goods and services consumption. The findings are of practical value since they can be used in forecasting the outcomes of sharing economy projects.

Mostly center–periphery model of territorial development, long-standing domination of transfers in the structure of municipal budget revenues have formed the protracted, chronic nature of the socioeconomic problems. This necessitates refining goals, principles and content of municipal government, especially in the economic sphere. The paper aims to revise the propositions of the theories of local self-government against the backdrop of the emerging concept of well-being economy, which together constitute the methodological basis of the research. The study applies a suite of general scientific methods, including retrospective analysis and systematisation. Based on the review of pre-revolutionary works of Russian scientists and essayists for 1870–1917 devoted to zemstvo and town and city self-government, the paper deduces an image of well-being of a territory under local government. In particular, its well-being presupposes providing local internal and external amenities, care for food security, health, education, safety from various threats (fires, diseases, crime); organising the economic life of a territory through the municipalisation of socially important industries and services, generation of employment, as well as stimulation of economic activity through cooperation and issuing loans. Having compared the narratives of the well-being economy concept and the propositions of the theories of local self-government, the paper demonstrates that this concept can be implemented by means of local self-government, since their theoretical bases correspond to each other. The study concludes that there is a need to realise the potential of the local government system laid down by Alexander II, emperor of Russia. This requires making the interaction between residents and local government closer, disseminating knowledge about municipal government, and providing greater financial opportunities to local authorities so that they could concentrate on addressing local problems and expressing residents’ interests.

Enterprises develop and interact with the global environment. Their activities are influenced by various factors, and timely identification of the degree of their influence allows forecasting business development and reasonably choosing development strategies. The work is based on the hypothesis that in the global environment, under the influence of internal and external factors, tools can be developed for enterprise assessment and business strategy formation. The puprose of the paper is to develop a toolkit for evaluating an enterprise in a global environment for choosing a development strategy. In the article, the authors conduct a study of the influence of factors of the global environment on the development of the enterprise, propose a model with the help of which it is expedient to forecast the metastate of the enterprise and put forward proposals for choosing an effective development strategy. A structural and logical model for ensuring the stable development of business systems has been proposed. In the process of research, the authors developed a system of indicators that form an integral index that characterizes the effectiveness of the development of business systems. The basis of the integral indicator of the metastate of the development of business systems is a set of indicators for assessing the development and changes in the state of business systems in a dynamic global environment. The economic and mathematical model of estimating the metastate of business systems is considered as a reflection and formalization of the main, essential parameters of business systems development (production, technological and property, personnel, social, financial, material and supply, marketing, foreign trade. The integral metastate index of business systems systematically reflects the effectiveness of the Kharkiv machine-building business systems and allows determining strategies for their development. The selected machine-building enterprises have been grouped by the following types of development strategies: a rapid growth strategy aimed at ensuring the development of enterprises, offensive positions; a strategy of moderate growth and stabilization, characterized by stable parameters of business systems development, adequacy of resources for development, aimed at saving resources and costs, market expansion and development, product upgrades, innovative development; a strategy of curtailment, reduction, which is characterized by negative development trends due to lower profits, reduced assets, reorientation of consumers to other products or markets. As a result of the research, a methodological approach to the assessment of trends in the development of business systems has been developed, which will allow obtaining additional advantages in the global environment. Determination of benefits becomes a basic characteristic for monitoring information provision regarding the organization of enterprise activities in a global environment. The paper makes a contribution to the research of the methodology for assessing the development of enterprises that can be applied to other enterprises, not only to the Kharkiv area. In the event of a change in the influence of global environmental factors, the degree of influence should be specified. The work offers an opportunity to develop further research from the point of view of strategic management, the concept of six sigma, and production optimization.

The purpose of this paper is to examine how COVID-19 has affected the Global South and what major response was given by the policymakers to improve the pandemic situation and improve the economy of the Global south specially in selected countries in Africa. It explores the social and economic effects that pre-existing structures, inadequate political responses, and several crises, along with other variables. This pandemic had created significant adverse effects on the Global South economies. The shutdown declared by countries at the world level and its effect on business in commodity, tourism, service sector, education, and money flows have all had an impact on the gross domestic product (GDP). Those countries experience adverse effects that are vulnerable in all sectors in the middle lockdown term due to adverse implementation of their policy and less resourced supply to their population. Additionally, COVID -19 is having negative social effects like the emergence of new susceptible and increased inequality among the people. This paper discusses some of the policies implemented by the Global South at the time of the pandemic crisis, and their effects on the population which is also characterized by their inability to access domestic resources and their restricted ability to access foreign financial resources. Key words: Global south, pandemic, COVID -19, political economy, gender disparity, unorganized sector, financial resources, African countries.

Introduction. The work updates the situation with the enhanced sustainability of industrial enterprises in the Arctic territories of the Russian Federation since they are characterized with resources’ high potential associated with high environmental risks due to their exploration. Purpose. The paper aims at comparing the key indicators for sustainable development of the leading industrial enterprises in the Russian Federation in terms of their environmental impact. Materials and Methods. The authors reviewed modern studies related to the assessment of industrial development in the Arctic from the standpoint of technology, environmental friendliness, the formation of a data system, which reflect the trends in environmental load on the territory from the activities of industries. The identified trends in the sustainable development of industrial enterprises in the Arctic zone were analyzed and analytically interpreted. Methodologically, the paper synthesizes the methods of retrospective analysis and identifies the trends by analyzing rated key sustainability indicators defined by the data of industrial enterprises. Results. The paper proves the need for an in-depth analysis and detailed analysis of indicators of industrial load on the environment in the Arctic territories. The database for comparing key indicators was compiled, and the key trends in the sustainable development of industrial enterprises were identified. The analysis of their dynamics showed the multidirectionality in the development of industrial enterprises. The trajectories of enterprises’ efforts in achieving sustainability parameters were described: when the growth of expenditures is associated with a decrease in emissions and waste from production activities; when production and environmental indicators show multidirectional dynamics; when the enterprise growth rate decreases, environmental indicators improve. Conclusions. Thus, the authors substantiated the need to develop and implement a mechanism for regulating environmental policy at the state level, which would provide for measures aimed at active and systematic reduction of the environmental load on the environment in the Arctic territories. Keywords: sustainable development, Arctic territories, industrial enterprise, environmental innovation, industrial and environmental policy Funding: the work was performed under the Research Plan of the Institute of Economics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Introduction. Regional heterogeneity is among the factors that could define efficiency of central banks’ inflation targeting monetary policy. Purpose. The paper aims at assessing the impact of a commodity bundle structure of the RF constituents on regional inflationary processes by clustering based on regional consumer price indices and share of goods and services in the commodity bundle. Materials and Methods. The paper refers to k-means clustering. Results. The study shows that the commodity bundle structure affects inflation rate and volatility. A food share in the commodity bundle is the key distinguishing feature. The regions with a higher share of food in the commodity bundle are characterized with higher inflation volatility, while the regions with a higher share of services and non-foods in the commodity bundle reveal lower inflation volatility. The cluster with a high share of food in the commodity bundle is dominated by comparatively poor regions. The other cluster mostly consists of regions with million-plus cities. This indirectly confirms Engel’s law. It is worth noting that we could divide regions into two constant groups in 2016–2020, although in 2021 and 2023 we observed significant changes in the cluster centers determined by a change of a region’s consumption model. If a food share in region’s population spending declines and a spending share of such items as cars, travelling, and leisure goes up, then inflation volatility decreases. Conclusion. The shift from one cluster to another presupposes that population of the region should decrease their food expenditures and increase the consumption of goods and services which satisfy high-level needs. This is likely to reduce inflation volatility in Russia on the whole. Keywords: inflation volatility, Engel’s law, inflation, cluster analysis, policy rate, k-means clustering method, heterogeneity, commodity bundle, food commodities, household spending, regional economic analysis

Introduction. The article analyzes the interpretations of the concept “megaproject” and proposes the author’s definition of the concept presupposing explicit and implicit beneficiaries and ensuring high-tech products with a high potential for market sales. Purpose. Based on the results of the regression analysis, the paper draws conclusions and describes the behavior strategies of the explicit and implicit beneficiaries in the megaproject when its results are being registered and after it. Materials and Methods. Theoretically and methodologically, the paper refers to the works of scientists examining megaprojects. The regression analysis for thirty constituent entities of the Russian Federation made it possible to determine that the indicators of their budget revenues illustrate that cash flows determined by the investment return from the investments in fixed capital go through the budget system with a minimal tax burden. Results. It has been found that in the analyzed period, the return on investment in fixed assets was determined by the investors’ speculative motives when using financial market instruments under personal guarantees of the heads of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation. At the same time, the applied financial market instruments gave the minimum inflow of taxes into the budget system of the Russian Federation. Conclusions. In its model, Russia is closer to the continental civilizational type; the balance in the socio-economic relations determined by megaprojects with their maximum contribution to GDP could be achieved when national self-identification is distinctly shaped; national self-identification could only be developed with due regard to the quantitative and structural composition of population.

Adoption of IT innovations is a challenge for higher education organizations, and the main reason for the difficulties is not the failure innovations’ implementation, but the failure of fulfillment - the inability to get each employee to use the innovation in a skilled, consistent and committed way. It is important for HEIs that the innovation is accepted and supported by staff and that the HEI realizes some economic benefits as a result of the implementation. In order to manage the process of resistance to innovation in higher education institutions, it is first necessary to recognize the causes of resistance to changes, then to consider a possible strategic approach, formulate tactics and methods of levelling the resistance to changes. The research paper considers software import substitution in higher education institutions as an innovative project. It is noted that higher education institutions face a number of difficulties in the transition from predominantly foreign software to domestic analogues, such as the lack of experience of teachers and students in using domestic digital services and solutions, the need to transfer data from one system to another, and additional costs for the replacement of licensed software. The paper presents recommendations for the management of departments aimed at levelling the resistance in the process of transition to new software.

The paper presents a defense of the standard psychological theory of personal identity against Mark Walker’s criticism of it. Walker claims that the conceptual tools of standard psychological theory of personal identity are insufficient to solve the problematic cases of branching in the context of moral and legal responsibility questions, and argues in favor of an approach to these problems that involves the type/token distinction. In the current paper I argue against Walker that the approach he suggests is untenable, and that the conceptual tools of standard psychological theory are sufficient to provide an adequate analysis of the cases mentioned.

Since entering the era of bioeconomy, the biotechnology industry economy represented by the bio pharmaceutical industry is leading a new wave of technological revolution. China’s strategic deployment for the bio pharmaceutical industry economy has achieved remarkable results, but there is still a large competitive gap compared with the United States and other biomedical powers. The goal of this article is to study the American biomedical market and find out the gap, so as to provide inspiration for the development of the biomedical industry in China and other countries. The Porter Diamond Model is used to build the theoretical research method analysis framework of the international competitiveness of the bio pharmaceutical industry. Taking the United States as an example, the paper analyzes its competitive advantages in six aspects: the elements of the biomedical industry, the enterprise structure and competition, the demand conditions, the relevant and supporting industries, the government and development opportunities. Based on this, the paper puts forward policy recommendations conclusions for China’s development of the bio pharmaceutical industry, so as to provide reference value for the development of the pharmaceutical industry.

Scientific economic discourse holds a certain pool of theories and concepts, which are now considered generally accepted. They rely on a developed evidence base, have passed through several stages, and have mature schools of thought. Yet as we can see from the history of economic thought, during their genesis these theories were not always connoted and contextualized unambiguously. Perhaps at present we are witnessing the formation of a new scientific theory – noonomics. The paper aims to study its essence, basic characteristics and postulates and to prove that it belongs to the modern stage in the development of the theories of economic dynamics and stadiality in economic processes. These theories constitute the methodological basis of the research. The methods include systematisation and generalisation used to reveal the key propositions of the theories of economic cycles and dynamics; logical structural analysis and causal analysis to track the evolution of the foundations underlying the theories of technological development; the method of particularising to describe the essence of noonomics. The paper identifies the relevant characteristics of the theories of economic dynamics and stadiality of economic processes and examines noonomics in the context of the said theories. The research confirms the scientific foundations of this concept. The results contribute to the understanding of a transition to the next stage in the economy and society’s technological development by extending the boundaries of the theories of economic dynamics.

The issues of Sino-Russian cooperation in science and technology are the subject of the studies by both Russian and Chinese economists. However, there are still few works that systematise the main science and technology indicators (MSTI) of both countries and the impact of sanctions on the science and technology development. Filling this research gap is the goal of the present contribution. Methodologically, the paper is based on macroeconomic analysis. The methods include retrospective and comparative analysis, grouping, as well as SWOT analysis. The data were sourced from the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation, the World Bank, and the National Bureau of Statistics of China. The paper identifies success factors behind China and Russia’s science and technology development and reveals that the common factor for both countries is high quality of human capital. The MSTI analysis of each country for the period of 2010–2021, such as the share of R&D expenditure in GDP, the ratio of patents issued on inventions to country’s workingage population, the share of high-tech exports and imports in GDP, international publication activity, etc. demonstrates national differences in their scale. The SWOT analysis of the Sino-Russian cooperation in science and technology shows that the main threat to the cooperation is the sanctions pressure. The authors conclude that such cooperation does not promote Russia’s science and technology development; moreover, it may itself put the country in jeopardy as it could turn into a resource appendage of the PRC. The findings can be useful in the development of road maps and strategies for the implementation of cooperation in science and technology between China and Russia.

Modern conditions brought forth digital investment platforms, which have offered new possibilities of raising capital by entrepreneurs. The paper aims to rank these platforms to meet the information and analytical needs of agents in investment decision-making. Methodologically, the paper relies on the ecosystem approach, as well as propositions of digital, collaborative and platform economics. The paper applies the methods of grade rating, coefficient and correlation analysis. The evidence comes from public reports on investment activities of 68 crowdfunding platform operators and other information available on their websites. To rank the platforms, the study considers the factors related to investment activity (competitiveness, market activity, scaling up, etc.) and risks (financial insolvency, credit and litigation risks, etc.) and then designs a method for a rating-based assessment of investment activity and risks. The paper provides a multivariate assessment of investment activity and risks including systemic ones and specific for certain types of crowdfunding. The study presents the ranking of 68 crowdfunding platforms, identifies types of platforms according to the criteria “investment activity – risks”, as well as the criteria of security of investment (Co-Fi, Peers.money, Potok.Digital, InveStore, InvestGO) and association with a high risk. The method can be useful for investors and borrowers to justify their financial decisions; for the Bank of Russia to perform control and supervision procedures; and for professional community to outline directions for the development and promotion of the crowdfunding in Russia.

Turbulent socioeconomic environment significantly affects the state and dynamics of the regional labour market. The paper develops and tests a methodological toolkit for assessing the state of a regional labour market allowing for the main socioeconomic trends – digitalisation and innovative development of the economy. Labour economics constitutes the methodological basis of the research. Methods of economic statistical and content analysis were used. The evidence is the 2021 data of the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation concerning the labour markets of the Central Black Earth economic region of Russia, which comprises Belgorod, Voronezh, Kursk, Lipetsk and Tambov oblasts. The suggested method for investigating the state of the regional labour market takes into account the impact of digitalisation and innovative development processes on the latter. Testing the method at the case of the Central Black Earth economic region revealed that the regions’ labour markets appreciably lag behind other subjects of the Russian Federation in terms of wages and encounter labour shortages against rather low rates of digital transformation and innovative development in their economies. The paper formulates recommendations for all parties of the social partnership, which suggest boosting the investment attractiveness of regions; creating high-productive jobs; spurring the activities of trade unions and associations; retaining the youth in the regions; increasing the efficiency of career guidance; attracting labour migrants, first and foremost, from other Russian regions due to improvements in economic, social and household infrastructure; promoting competencies of citizens of pre-retirement age and retired citizens; creating conditions for acceleration of digital transformation as well as expanding regions’ innovation activities.

Production digitalisation is a significant factor in the development of mechanical engineering that triggers countries and regions’ economic growth. Implementing digital integration at industrial enterprises implies that production operations are linked through a corporate information system. The paper aims to develop and test a method for assessing the economic effect from digital integration at mechanical engineering enterprises. Methodologically, the study rests on the theories of production organisation and integration as well as the main postulates of the concept of industrial digitalisation. The study applies methods of econometric modelling. The evidence base is the information about the activities of one of the Ural macroregion’s largest mechanical engineering enterprise – Production Association “Ural Optical and Mechanical Plant named after E. S. Yalamov” (UOMZ). The paper systemitises ideas about the essence of the economic effect from digital integration. The case of the enterprise is used to identify the level of specific costs in this process and to forecast their changes depending on different factors using econometric modelling. The value of the findings consists in broadening the scientific and practical understanding of the economic effects brought about by industrial digitalisation.

A recent paper found that during 1995–2012 the dispersion of income inequality between Russian regions was decreasing, i.e. convergence of regional inequalities took place. This result is of no use for analyzing the impact of socio-economic policy, as it may aim at reducing income inequality of the entire country’s population and regional populations, but in no way at equalizing inequalities between regions. Moreover, the found phenomenon itself can be either positive, if regional inequalities converge to low values, or negative, when they converge to high values. In order to clarify this issue, a more detailed study of the convergence process is needed. The aim of this study is to reveal the ‘anatomy’ of regional inequality convergence in 1995–2012, and the divergence that followed it in 2013–2022, i.e. the internal pattern of these processes. To this end, the paper explores the evolution of the regional Gini indices distribution, namely, that of main distribution statistics and the distribution itself (represented by a histogram). The results obtained suggest that convergence of regional income inequalities in Russia in 1995–2012 is almost exclusively due to ‘catching-up’ of low-inequality regions with high-inequality regions. Therefore, this process cannot be considered positive. Divergence of regional inequalities in 2013–2022, on the contrary, was accompanied by a decrease in income inequalities in the regions, improving the situation with spatial inequality in Russia

The paper investigates the nuances surrounding the cultivation of creative entrepreneurship within the realm of classical music, employing rigorous qualitative research methods. Through in-depth interviews, ten pivotal criteria have been discerned, wielding substantial influence over the entrepreneurial landscape within the creative sector. To glean a comprehensive understanding, twenty-two expert respondents were categorized into age brackets, facilitating a nuanced comparison of their perspectives across each criterion. The utilization of expert assessment techniques, specifically ranking the weight and significance of each criterion, further refines the analysis and contributes to a nuanced portrayal of entrepreneurial development in the creative domain. Furthermore, the research contextualizes these findings within the broader socio-economic and cultural dynamics shaping the creative sector. By examining the intersection of market demand, and entrepreneurial acumen, the study elucidates the strategic imperatives driving success in classical music entrepreneurship. Moreover, the paper explores the implications of digitalization and globalization on entrepreneurial practices within the creative domain. With the advent of new technologies and evolving consumer preferences, entrepreneurs must navigate an increasingly interconnected and competitive landscape. This necessitates a reevaluation of traditional business models and a proactive approach to harnessing emerging opportunities in the digital age. Overall, the paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the strategic criteria underpinning entrepreneurial progression in the creative sector, offering valuable insights for practitioners, policymakers, and scholars alike.

The Global Innovation Index 2022 ranks the Republic of Uzbekistan among the top three economies in Central and South Asia. The country has been active in introducing innovations in various fields, from road transport technologies to biotechnology. The relevant programmes and resolutions of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan have been adopted. The Republic of Uzbekistan is becoming an increasingly attractive destination for foreign investment. The country has a strong potential and abundant resources, both natural and human. By pursuing a consistent policy, the Republic of Uzbekistan is gradually beginning to assert itself on the world stage, and is striving to become a leader in Central Asia. Thus, the consideration of new projects carried out within the framework of innovation policy is relevant. The aim of the presented paper is to identify main innovation policy development trends in the Republic of Uzbekistan. To analyze the innovation policy of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the authors considered the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan coordinating the activities of the Ministry of Innovation Development, the New Uzbekistan Development Strategy for 2022-2026, as well as local and Russian experts’ assessments. The research literature, mass media sources, public opinion polls and statistical data, as well as the legal framework were studied. In this paper a diagnosis of the Ministry of Innovative Development of the Republic of Uzbekistan has been made, and the key tasks and directions of the country’s reforms in this area have been identified. The main projects, which attract significant investments and introduce new technologies and personnel, are described. The author’s position is as follows: the government of the Republic of Uzbekistan is struggling with the problems that hinder innovation reforms, as well as actively developing cooperation with foreign countries, international organizations and attracts the investments of private investors.

The paper considers the problem of price and financial stability of the Bank of Russia, as well as the issue of the influence of inflation and currency exchange rate volatility on economic growth rates. It has been proved that the growth in prices for services has a significant impact on the inflation dynamics. It is the dynamics of the consumer price index for services that generally determine inflation in the service sector. It has been substantiated that in the policy of the Bank of Russia it is expedient to use non-monetary instruments to reduce inflation, namely the development of competition and control over the pricing mechanism on the market. Effective measures that contribute to reducing the variation in prices for services and inflation are: raising competition in the economy and the growth of control over the activities of natural monopolies; measures aimed at developing competition in the housing and communal services market, control over the formation of tariffs in the light of the implementation of programs intended to increase the efficiency of natural monopoly subjects; implementation of the requirements for the growth of transparency and openness of the activities of natural monopolies, especially in terms of tariff calculation, as well as the growth of control over their activities; the participation of the Bank of Russia, together with the territorial offices of the Bank of Russia and the Offices of the Federal Antimonopoly Service in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, in the process of monitoring and approving the tariffs of natural monopolies. Based on the results of the study, the authors of the paper developed proposals for non-monetary instruments as a measure to reduce inflation and improve the policy effectiveness of the Bank of Russia on inflation targeting.

In this paper, the authors consider models for building digital economy systems in foreign countries. The relevance of research is primarily due to the need to develop a clear and coherent understanding of the optimal scheme of digital construction in the economy of the Russian Federation, which at the initial stage is impossible without analyzing the experience already existing in the world. It is necessary to identify both stimulating and inhibiting factors that influence the effectiveness of the digital transformation of foreign economic systems. The purpose of the study is to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the most successful global models of building a digital economy, followed by the development of an understanding of their applicability in Russia. Thus, in this paper, the authors offered their answer to the question: “Can the Russian Federation successfully apply the already proven strategy of digital transformation of the economy or is it necessary to develop unique own solutions?” To do this, the authors examined statistical data characterizing the economy of advanced states from the point of view of digital transformation, regulatory documents regulating state policy in this area, as well as the positions of researchers working in this direction. The use of the statistical analysis method made it possible to compare the factors of influence and the results of digital construction. Within the framework of a formal and logical approach based on the study of the provisions of strategic planning documents of foreign countries, the authors formulated some possible scenarios for the further development of the digital transformation of the economies of Europe, the United States and China. As a result of the conducted research, the authors concluded about the possibility of using certain digital construction tools used abroad, in Russia, and also assess the degree of effectiveness of the introduction of foreign models of digital transformation into the practice of the domestic economy.

The paper presents identification of the main directions and conceptual approaches of methodological support for corporate change management digitalization and improvement of organizations. Within the framework of the study, the prospects of applying the methodology of system-dynamic simulation modeling in the conditions of digital transformation of the economy and management are analyzed. The issues of mastering the areas of growth of the organization and carrying out economically justified transformations, implemented including through the investment management strategy, are investigated within the framework of system-dynamic modeling of economic systems proposed by J. Forrester. The use of such modeling has been carried out to improve organizational forms and increase the efficiency of organizations’ management. The article discusses the current problems and key tasks of digitalization of corporate governance using a systematic approach. The tendencies of improving the methodology of system-dynamic simulation modeling are investigated. The development scheme of the system-dynamic modeling’s stages presented in the classical literature on system dynamics is given. Variants of methodology development based on the synthesis of classical approaches with advanced corporate governance practices and current works of foreign, Russian researchers are proposed. Ultimately the synthesis proposed in the paper will make it possible to create models based on the synthesis of methodologies, and most effectively master the growth’s areas of organizations, as well as to carry out economically justified transformations implemented, including through an investment management strategy.

Government programmes as an element of strategic planning are meant to logically link budget expenditures with attaining long-term priorities of socioeconomic development. In the Russian Federation, the vast majority of regional budget expenditures are programme expenditures. At the same time, a plenty of practical examples evidence the imperfection of the established methodological approaches to financing government programmes, which impairs their outcomes. The paper aims to produce practical recommendations on improving the assessment of government programmes’ financing efficiency in the subjects of the Russian Federation. Methodologically, the research relies on the approaches of programme-based budgeting. The methods are logical structural analysis and synthesis. According to the qualitative analysis of the government programmes’ financing at the regional level in the Russian Federation, the major problem of assessing the efficiency of this financing is the insufficient coherence between its structure and expected outcomes. As a consequence, the target programme method is applied formally. The analysis of the case of the Sverdlovsk oblast demonstrated that the existing method for assessing the efficiency of the government programmes’ financing in the subjects of the Russian Federation actually evaluates performance rather than efficiency of the financing. In line with this, the paper formulates practical recommendations concerning the improvement of the method for assessing the efficiency of the government programmes’ financing and the development of the system for their financing in the constituting entities of the Russian Federation: to decompose target indicators more accurately, to avoid including financing of maintenance activities, to impose stricter requirements to the composition of the funding and the quality of goal-setting.

The geopolitical turbulence and the implementation of large-scale international sanctions dictate the need to assess the degree of readiness of the states to a longterm civilisational confrontation. The article aims to construct and test a new analytical tool – antifragility index of the national economy. Methodologically, the research is based on the idea that in the presence of several industries, the national economy obtains a functional foundation and a possibility to exist autonomously in conditions of disrupted international trade relations. To put this idea into practice, the article proposes a heuristic algorithm for constructing an antifragility index of the economy taking into account the priority of such industries as agriculture, pharmaceuticals industry, production of means of labour, and mineral extraction. Based on the national statistics of eight states – the USA, Canada, Great Britain, Germany, France, Switzerland, Brazil and Russia – the paper presents pilot calculations of the index. According to the results, only Russia’s index showed an upward trend in 2003–2020, while in the other seven countries it went down. The antifragility index is shown to have an ability to capture the peculiarities of political cycles and event shocks in the world economy. The research provides empirical evidence that the change of the leading country, amongst other things, is associated with the accumulation of structural disproportions in the economy: the weakening of its foundation made up of vital industries and excessive complication of the industrial superstructure in the form of the non-productive sphere. The paper proposes scaling up the constructed index to a broader sample of countries in order to clarify the regional disposition of forces in the global geopolitical space.

The uncertainty promotes the transformation of corporate strategies in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. Metals industry is among the most important ones for the Russian economy since the management of economic development at industrial, regional and national levels significantly depends on the sustainability of metals enterprises. The paper aims to assess the sustainability of Russia’s leading metals companies and the alignment of their corporate strategies with the principles of sustainable development. The concepts of sustainable development and ecosystems constitute the methodological basis of the study. To determine whether the companies’ strategies correspond to the said principles the authors applied the own set of tools and methods. The evidence is the information about the activities of seven Russian ferrous and non-ferrous metals enterprises. Along with economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainable development, the paper considers an investment and technological one. The paper justifies the choice of indicators for measuring these pillars and proposes a composite index that reflects the total level of sustainable development of enterprises. The ratio of this index to its standard deviation allowed empirically establishing the quantitative borders for classifying the level of sustainable development of Russia’s largest metals enterprises and distinguish between four types of these enterprises. The value of the research lies in detecting the trends in the creation of strategies by Russia’s leading metals companies according to the sustainable development principles.

The paper presents an overview of a monograph prepared by a team of scholars representing the Ural school of regional economics, which was created under the leadership of Evgeny Animitsa and is based in the Ural State University of Economics. Methodologically, the monograph relies on a wide range of approaches in the fields of philosophy of science, regional economics, economic geography, urban studies, finance. The main research method is content analysis of achievements in regional economics and related branches of science. The review examines interrelations between the development directions of the Ural school of thought and general global trends in regional economics and reveals the specificities of the Ural science. The synopsis of the monograph’s key chapters allows evaluating the contribution of the authors into the new ideas linked both with the theoretical consideration of the current economic situation and the state-of-the-art applied research into the economy of regions, agglomerations, cities. The paper outlines a number of controversial issues concerning the fallouts of ongoing economic reforms: the possibility of emergence and the focus of synergistic effects; problems of training research personnel and reforming the system of vocational education at regional level; development of impact investment system; formation of urban agglomerations and location of productive forces in regions. Particular emphasis is put on the social orientation and comprehensive development of regional economy by supporting the well-being economy. The review demonstrates that the research of the Ural school of regional economics clusters around the major problems of science, and in some cases is ahead of world academic achievements.