Lay Election Observers in Russia
Many Russians volunteering to observe the elections are middle-class professionals. They volunteer because they want elections to be fair and doubt the validity of previous voting results, finds a study by Yulia Skokova, Junior Researcher at the HSE Centre for Studies of Civil Society and the Nonprofit Sector.
HSE's Top 13 Most Interesting Studies in Economics in 2013
Elite motorists pose a mortal threat to the public; Russians are blowing their chances of building good public institutions; social media can bury politicians; reasons why our society is morally unstable and why expensive medical equipment is available but unused – these were the HSE's 13 most interesting and relevant research projects in 2013, according to Opec.ru.
Russians Leaving Provinces for Regional Capitals
Russia’s regional centres are growing and improving their demographics by attracting active young people from the provinces – which, in contrast, are ageing and experiencing depopulation. This subject is the focus of an article by Nikita Mkrtchyan and Lilia Karachurina, first published in the HSE's Demoscope Weekly.
Psychoanalysis will Help Business
The ability to stay in control and make decisions in predictable situations is not enough for business leaders. They have to be able to act inambiguous conditions, and this forces modern business leaders to master new leadership strategies. Andrey Rossokhin spoke on leadership and the modern role of psychoanalysis in business at a conference ‘Psychoanalysis and Business’, organized by the HSE Faculty of Psychology Department of Psychoanalysis and Business Consulting.
Students Need Assistance, Not Expulsion
Concerned about discipline and uniformity, teachers at Russian universities tend to squeeze out students perceived as not fitting in with the academic culture, suggests a study by Ivan Gruzdev, Elena Gorbunova, and Isak Frumin.
Businesses unite in search of protection from Siloviki
Interference in business by Siloviki is undermining steady economic growth. Andrei Yakovlev, Anton Sobolev and Anton Kazun at the HSE International Centre for the study of Institutions and Development have conducted research on the question “Can Russian business reduce political pressure from the state?”
It’s Easier to Transform Corruption than to Defeat It
As the economy improves and anti-corruption legislation develops, it’s highly likely that the market corruption will transform into a network one. Maria Kravtsova studied various forms of corruption in her paper ‘A Friend in Court or a Penny in the Purse? Reasons for Market and Network Corruption’.
Delayed Salaries Provoke Absenteeism
Opportunistic behaviour among Russian employees is often provoked by employers themselves. Delays in payment of salaries result in absences and a decrease in productivity. Andrey Kaplan studied these issues in his paper ‘Influence of Employee’s Individual Characteristics and Company’s Specifics on the Level of Absenteeism’.
Volunteers Are Happier and Trust People More
It is a myth that civil society is underdeveloped in Russia – more than a third of Russians take part in solving problems in their communities, and 3% volunteer for some or other organization. Elena Petrenko, Assistant Professor at the HSE Faculty of Sociology presented her report 'The Russian Volunteer Movement, Its Actors and Environment' at the Tenth National Conference on Voluntary work.
Traffic Jams May Force Motorists to Switch to Public Transport
More traffic jams and better public transport may force Moscow's motorists to leave their cars at home, suggest the findings of a recent study 'Dealing with Traffic Jams in Moscow: Factors Influencing the Choice of Private vs. Public Transport'.