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Background: Within capitalistic economies the notion persists that only the most efficient and profit-maximizing companies and industries, that withstand the market mechanisms, should sustain. However, market mechanisms currently do not sufficiently consider non-monetary value creation such as social and environmental contributions. Thus, the notion of “survival of the fittest” drives industries that deliver social and environmental contributions, but are not as profitable, into extinction. One such industry whose viability is currently challenged is the indigenous Sami reindeer industry in Fennoscandia. Reindeer herding carries great social, cultural, and environmental value beyond economic terms. It is an essential part of Sami culture and does not only provide income but preserves traditional knowledge, practices, and identity. The reindeer industry, however, exists under pressure-like conditions and is facing multiple social, economic and environmental challenges. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to contribute to the understanding of the interrelations that constitute the struggle faced by the Swedish reindeer industry in which its viability is challenged. Method: This study is a grounded theory case study of the reindeer industry in Sweden. Following a qualitative theory building approach, key stakeholders were interviewed as part of fieldwork in Norrbotten County, Sweden. Through data analysis a theory was developed which is mapping out the struggle of the reindeer industry in its context. Conclusion: The study highlights the struggle of the Swedish reindeer industry from an inside-out perspective. The theoretical contribution is in the form of a process map which shows the interrelations and context of the struggle. Three conditions affecting the struggle were identified (missing value recognition, power asymmetry, and clashing cultures and values) whereas needs, challenges and adaptation strategies and the interrelations between them constitute the struggle. Overall, for the reindeer industry to be viable long-term, the political and economic systems need to recognize and respect the real value it is creating. Bakgrund: I kapitalistiska ekonomier finns det en föreställning om att endast de mest effektiva och vinstmaximerande företagen och branscherna, som klarar marknadsmekanismerna, bör bestå. Marknadsmekanismerna tar dock för närvarande inte tillräcklig hänsyn till icke-monetärt värdeskapande, t.ex. skapande av sociala och miljömässiga värden. Därför driver begreppet "den starkaste överlever" industrier som ger sociala och miljömässiga bidrag, men som inte är lika lönsamma, till utrotning. En sådan industri vars livskraft för närvarande ifrågasätts är den inhemska samiska rennäringen i Fennoskandia. Renskötseln har ett stort socialt, kulturellt och miljömässigt värde som går utöver de ekonomiska aspekterna. Den är en viktig del av den samiska kulturen och ger inte bara inkomster utan bevarar också traditionell kunskap, praxis och identitet. Renskötseln lever dock under pressade förhållanden och står inför flera sociala, ekonomiska och miljömässiga utmaningar. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie är att bidra till förståelsen av de samband som utgör den kamp som den svenska rennäringen står inför, där dess genomförbarhet utmanas. Metod: Denna studie är en fallstudie med grundad teori om rennäringen i Sverige. Efter en kvalitativ teoribildning intervjuades nyckelaktörer som en del av fältarbetet i Norrbottens län i Sverige. Genom dataanalys utvecklades en teori som kartlägger rennäringens kamp i sitt sammanhang. Slutsats: Studien belyser den svenska rennäringens kamp ur ett inifrån-och-ut perspektiv. Det teoretiska bidraget är i form av en processkarta som visar på kampens inbördes relationer och sammanhang. Tre villkor som påverkar kampen har identifierats (bristande erkännande av värden, maktasymmetri och kolliderande kulturer och värderingar) medan behov, utmaningar och anpassningsstrategier och deras inbördes relationer utgör kampen. För att rennäringen ska vara långsiktigt livskraftig måste de politiska och ekonomiska systemen erkänna och respektera det verkliga värde som den skapar.

The regular workshop “Economic Policy during the Transitional Period”, organized by professor Gregory Yasin (academic supervisor of the Higher School of Economics), was held on January 30, 2014. At this workshop professor Vadim Radaev (first vice-rector of HSE) delivered a report on “Is It Possible to Save Russian Apparel and Textile Industry?”, initiating a discussion of the current problems faced by the industry and development perspectives. Prominent experts in this sphere took part in debates on the future of Russian apparel and textile industry: Vugar Isaev (president and founder of the chain stores “Snezhnaya Koroleva”), Andrei Razbrodin (president of The Russian Union of Entrepreneurs of Textile and Light Industry, board member of TheRussian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs), Andrei Yakovlev (director of the Institute for Industrial and Market Studies). The central issue discussed at the workshop dealt with the reasons of the Russian textile and apparel industry survival after Soviet Union collapse despite sharp productivity decline. Nevertheless textile and apparel industry still vulnerable, facing the risks posed by global competition. Vadim Radaev suggests modernization strategies for textile and apparel, facilitating its growth. Do we have chances to enter in global supply chains? What role should government and companies play in this process? This article provides an overview of answers to those questions.