Such states of East Asia as China, Japan, the Republic of Korea depend seriously on import of primary power resources. No wonder, they do their best to extend possibilities of renewable power engineering as the industry, which could cut volumes of crude oil, natural gas and coal import and provide higher power independence. The accident at the Fokusima-1 nuclear power station resulted in re-estimation of the place and role of nuclear power stations in the power generation structure not only in Japan. It formed another ground for accelerated introduction of renewable power engineering technologies. Apart from traditional solar and wind power stations we can see brand new solutions, among them the use of hydrogen for power needs. These technologies came into being in the 1960s – 1970s but only in the 2000s and later the acceptable level of security was reached as well as, at least partial commercial efficiency of using hydrogen as a power source in industry, municipal sector and transport. The article provides information about the readiness of formal institutions in the mentioned-above countries to pass over to hydrogen power plants, it also studies the present day investment mechanisms of supporting business in this field. To do this we should analyze the legal base of activity regulation in the sphere of production and consumption of hydrogen for power needs in China, Japan and the Republic of Korea and to compare results attained in this direction. This analysis could estimate a potential niche for Russia as an exporter of power hydrogen. Russia possesses all necessary resources for getting green hydrogen with the help of the hydrolysis method at hydroelectric stations. It is an acute trend as the ecologic situation in East-Asian states is continuously deteriorating.

The article studies problems dealing with the development of low-carbon economy in construction and housing and municipal facilities. Topicality of the subject is connected with implementation of key provisions of the Strategy of Social and Economic Development in the Russian Federation dealing with low level of green-house gas emission up to 2050 (2020). The aim of the research is to elaborate methods of low-carbon economy through stimulating power savings in construction and operation of buildings, using innovation structures and materials at the expense of trading in quotas on green-house gas emissions, introducing climatic taxation, setting-up climatic foundations and supporting power-saving projects. The author puts forward a project of low-carbon economy development on the basis of power-efficiency in operating buildings and constructions. As a criterion of such project realization we can consider ecologically corrected net discounted profit with regard to savings in fuel and power resources and cut in green-house gas emissions. A new standard was worked out to recalculate economized power through using power-efficient construction materials in operating buildings and cut in CO2emissions. Power-efficiency of houses was estimated based on territories of industrial zones in Moscow, which showed a reduction in approximately 2.6 tons of CO2 per 1,000 m² of housing area. The article offers economic tools to regulate climatic projects, including concessional taxation of power-efficient buildings, subsidizing interest rates in crediting in the field of power- and resource-saving.

Housing market in Russia is one of the most important indicators of economy standing. Accelerated functioning of the majority of fields and branches of regional economy is provided by its development. Provision of affordable housing, which meets today’s requirements of comfort and safety, is a priority of social and economic policy of our country. On this basis the author analyzed key indicators characterizing the current situation on residential real estate market in the Russian Federation and federal areas. They are as follows: provision of the population with residential RE, commissioning of RE, the number of apartments of completed construction, the volume of damaged housing, average prices on market, etc. As a result of the analysis the following trends were identified: by figures of housing area per one dweller Russia is lagging behind developing and industrial countries; commissioning of residential RE has dropped and prices on 1 m² have risen. Methodological foundation of the research was formed by economic and statistic methods, synthesis, systematic analysis and comparative analysis. For this article the author used academic literature by home and overseas authors and information of the Federal Service of State Statistics and the Bank of Russia. The findings of the article can be useful for authorities in making managerial decisions and for academic community dealing with issues of residential RE market.

The article analyzes wordings of the category ‘ecosystem’ as a form of interaction in economics. Drawbacks of the current definitions of the term were identified and the wording of the category ‘ecosystem’, which is the most substantiated for the present research, was presented. The term ‘microcosm of ecologic taxation’ was introduced and defined. Common features and differences, the structure, elements and the internal set-up of the ecosystem and microcosm were described. The author underlined the strategic importance of the ecosystem approach in view of possible evolution of the ecosystem (microcosm) value (principle idea) in conditions of instability, the place of microcosm of ecologic taxation was identified in the economic system of Russia. The key part in microcosm being studied is assigned not to economic entities and administrative agents but to the network of interrelations, tools and control levers integrating them. The forms of its actors’ interaction are shown, i. e. persons united by their involvement in ecologic tax payment (beneficiaries, tax payers and bearers). The idea and definition of the cluster as an association underlying microcosm were given. The cluster was shown as a complicated association of simple entities of economic relations, working in similar social-demographic, climatic and natural-resource conditions. The cluster structure was depicted as an element of the structure of ecologic taxation microcosm. The article substantiated the possibility to use microcosm of ecologic taxation as a management tool aimed at providing ecologic security of the country.

Periodicals of economic literature thoroughly described the influence on inflation exerted by fluctuations of the national exchange rate and other external factors, which become apparent in imported inflation. The article analyzes and estimates the most important factors stimulating inflation in the city of Sevastopol. As the information base the authors used data of budget administration in Sevastopol in 2016–2020, official statistics and information of the Bank of Russia, as well as works by economists. This analysis helps identify factors exerting steady long-term influence on annual figures of inflation showing key trends in price dynamics in the region. Researching causes of negative impact on inflation processes takes into account the budget channel of regional economy financing, including through social benefits to people, retail crediting and other factors. The method of correlation analysis gives an opportunity to identify the most important acute pro-inflation factors. The findings can be used as extra information to forecast inflation processes in the region with regard to the impact of steady factors, which could improve the quality of forecast and provide price stability in the region.

The article proposes, when forming innovative ratings of Russian regions, to proceed from the following basic requirement: the rating should reflect the effectiveness of efforts to accelerate economic growth by improving technologies, methods of management and human capital. It is shown that the rating of innovative regions of Russia Associations of Innovative Regions of Russia (AIRR) is a significant factor in the regression describing the rates of economic growth of regions, but its structure is not optimal. Of the four sub-indices of the rating of innovative regions of Russia AIRR, only two are significant, and the optimal combination is not their sum, as in the original formula, but the quotient, which characterizes the cost-effectiveness of innovative activities. The paper discusses the feasibility of using regression analysis in the formation of innovative ratings. From a practical point of view, the results obtained make it possible to form an additional source of information support for the assessment by federal and regional authorities of various options for projects to accelerate economic growth through innovative activity. The proposed methodology based on the use of econometric analysis can be applied to other ratings. This approach will improve the quality of ratings as tools for making economic decisions.

Russian migration policy is facing a number of problems, whose effective solution has not been found yet. They include the absence of infrastructure for social and cultural adaptation and integration of migrants and high level of illegal migration. The system of organized drawing-in workers-migrants has not been developed. To resolve these problems it would be useful to analyze the experience of the soviet period, when complicated migration problems were successfully settled. A system of steps aimed at assisting socio-cultural adaptation and integration of internal migrants was promoted by involvement of the population in their solution. The present article analyzes specific features and mechanisms of state migration policy of the soviet period, which supported the needs of economy in labour, helped populate the remote areas of the country and create conditions for the development of human capital. State policy in this sphere was planned and successive: it staked at internal labour migration; migration flows were regulated; state was interested in the development of industrial, agricultural and cultural potential of territories, where migrants arrived. Critical study of the experience of migrants’ adaptation and integration in this period, identifying mechanisms, which can work in current conditions would allow us to optimize today’s migration policy and practice of its pursuing.

The article studies the content of the multi-aspect psychological and managerial phenomenon of ‘motivation’, provides its wordings in works by Russian and overseas researchers and shows correlation of notions ‘motivation’ and ‘motive’. The author proves the importance of motivation for efficient HR management at today’s companies, reduction in labour turnover and rising interest in work results. Key lines in tangible and intangible motivation work with personnel are underlined. The article pays special attention to analyzing the form of employees’ motivation in such Russian companies as Magnit, Metalloinvest, BELUGA GROUP, Gasprombank. Findings of the research give an opportunity to identify general, universal trends of personnel motivation in Russian companies (benefits, official employment, career possibilities, etc.) and specific, typical only of a given organization (programs of corporate loyalty and employees’ support, labour automation, corporate transport provision, free holidays on the sea side, awards, sport facilities, etc.). It is shown that in some big Russian companies remuneration includes fixed and non-fixed proportions, where the amount of the latter depends on employee’s attaining of key indicators of efficiency.

The article provides a criterial assessment of the notion ‘start-up’ in the context of its use in business environment and academic literature and, at the same time, the author’s definition of the term. By analyzing the potential of Russian business in view of possibilities for start-up development the author shows key problems of businesspeople-beginners. The goal of the research is to demonstrate how digital technologies promote business start and what opportunities can be used to bring into life its major characteristic, i.e. impetuous growth within a short period of time. The author analyzes existing on the market information technologies for start-ups, systematizes principle requirements to them and shows accessibility of free BMP-systems in initial variants for small and medium entrepreneurship (SME). Findings of the research prove that start-up emergence in SME environment is, on the one hand, a challenge to the given sector and, on the other hand, could create a spot of global growth for national economy. Digital transformation today takes place in location, where existing digital structures are digitalized or new ones are designed. The most important of them are digital, automated structures of sale and marketing; new types of customer loyalty, support and service; new products, services and business-models. The author identifies 4 problems for conventionally positioned companies with the analogue business-model: digital transformation provides tools, environment and opportunities for improving the existing business-processes and implementing new business ideas, which require operative introduction; business-models of start-ups make competition in SME environment more severe; traditional policy of ‘zero mistake’ would not allow small and medium enterprises to introduce innovation and retain highly-qualified personnel. Solution of these problems can give an opportunity to move a traditional MSE company to the category of start-up.

In this article the author studies the impact of the pandemic on entities of small and medium entrepreneurship. Topicality of the problem in business is becoming more and more serious due to the spreading pandemic. Every day we can hear experts talking about possible consequences of the pandemic. All of them come to the same conclusion: today’s economy suffers a setback. Full lockdown, self-isolation, numerous restrictions have exerted a serious impact on entrepreneurship. Small and medium business possesses the lowest level of stability as compared with big business, therefore within the period of economic slump it incurs maximum losses. It is necessary to mention the situation with customers and clients. Real incomes of the population are going down and buying capacity is dropping. All these factors influence companies and as a result they lose profits. SME is crucial for the development of the state economic strategy. Protection and support of this sphere shall be a priority for economy.

A number of international organizations have published recently the forecasts concerning aspects of economic impact exerted by corona-virus pandemic. In July update of economic outlook for 2020 the IMF forecast a drop in global GDP by 4.9% in 2020, which is lower by 1.9 per cent point in comparison with the April forecast, which will be followed by partial restoration and growth by 5.4% in 2021. The report on global investment for July 2020 shows a downfall in global foreign investment to 40% in 2020 and later its further decline by 10% in 2021. MOT estimates the COVID-19 impact, which will cause an increase in global unemployment by 5.3 m (a low scenario) and 24.7 m (a high scenario). It proves that support of business activity will be especially difficult for small and medium enterprises. The article shows how COVID-19 pandemic influences entities of small and medium entrepreneurship (SME) and demonstrates first evidences and estimations of its impact. It also provides a list of political steps aimed at raising SME sustainability in 60 countries. Taking into account the fact that the situation is changing very fast, the review of possible steps is not exhaustive, in some cases it includes political measures only planned for implementation that are being still discussed or considered. The latest surveys of enterprises showed a certain improvement of the situation connected with serious political efforts aimed at elimination of liquidity deficit at small and medium enterprises and suspension of local restrictions in some countries. In this context political perspective is slowly shifting from measures of supporting liquidity for SME entities, which are still a priority in the majority of countries, to measures of supporting restoration.

The article shows the process of founding and developing trade union functions at education institutions. On the ground of factual material the role and importance of the Russian Plekhanov University of Economics were studied in different periods of interaction between workers of people’s education and society and state in order to ensure their defense in sphere of labour. Today the Professional Union of Workers of People’s Education and Science of the Russian Federation keeps upholding social and labour rights and professional interests of teachers, pre-school nurses, lecturers and other workers of education. The principle goal of developing contractual regulation in social and labour relations is to improve its quality and efficiency for workers of education. The trade union has joined both Russian and international union movement. When we reveal history of the trade union, it can help union bodies and activists comprehend both the past and the present significance of the trade union movement in education.

In conditions of digital economy development intangible assets act as one of key sources of progress, as a strategic factor influencing conditions and prospects of the national finance system development, which stipulates topicality and timeliness of the research. The absence of a simple definition of the notion ’intangible assets’ in Russian and overseas literature, its close connection and coincidence with such terms as ‘intangible, intellectual assets’, ‘goodwill’, ‘intellectual capital’, poor understanding of industrial purpose of intangible assets in organization business make up debatable aspects of the paper. The goal of the research is to reveal the economic content and to estimate capacity of organization intangible assets. As for the theoretical aspect of the research the author studies the notion ‘organization intangible assets’ in view of Russian and overseas legislation, identifies its distinctive characteristic and shows the logical interrelation between such notions as ‘intangible, intellectual assets’, ‘goodwill’, ‘intellectual capital’. Concerning the practical field of the research the author grounds the choice of J. Tobin coefficient both for estimation of intangible asset capacity and assessing the risk of getting / missing profits of their use. As a result a low capacity of intangible assets was elicited, which at the same time show risk of inefficiency use.

The world rating of the ratio of automobile roads of the highest technical category and the total length of roads places Russia at the end of the first hundred. State began paying attention to the problem of developing the road-transport infrastructure only about 5 years ago, including elaboration and implementation of national and federal projects and allocation of great amounts of money for them. In conditions of finance shortage, especially on the regional level, the necessity to raise private capital to the road-transport industry becomes more and more acute. It could help build more projects, get more benefits and repay investment. The article explains the state interest in using the state-private partnership for founding and developing the road-transport infrastructure. The author identifies tools of state participation, which are used now in road-transport industry in the Russian Federation and proposes the lines of stimulating the state-private partnership development in road-transport industry. Special attention is paid to such key trends of extending forms of interaction between state and business in this sphere as setting up channels of continuous provision of information to concerned people that deals with new technologies and projects, upgrading regional legislation, elaborating programs supporting research and development in road construction, training highly-qualified personnel, etc. The development of road-transport infrastructure can improve accessibility of territories and provide access to global markets, which could foster economic and social effects.

Today we witness the rise of a new type of economy i.e. digital economy, whose foundation is formed by digital ecosystems. The article deals with the idea of digital ecosystems, specific features of their founding and developing. The author describes the pre-conditions of their emergence, which include the development of technology, customer’s desire to meet his/her needs in full and with minimum efforts, the necessity to eliminate geographic barriers and the ambition of business to get bigger profit at the expense of providing extra goods and services to the customer. The article studies the borders, structure and key elements of digital ecosystem. Special role is assigned to the organization – leader. The author shows a scheme of interaction of the customer and the platform and describes the mechanism of transforming data into knowledge in the interaction process. The author puts forward three approaches to shaping digital ecosystems: the development of own services, purchasing of outside ones and partnership agreements. The biggest in the world American and Chinese digital ecosystems were analyzed: Google, Apple, Facebook, Amazon, Alibaba and Tencent. The home experience of building digital ecosystems was investigated, such finance organization as Sber, Tinkoff Bank, VTB and companies Yandex, Mail Group and MTS were discussed. It makes it possible to draw a conclusion that Russian market of ecosystems is still on the stage of shaping, but it has positive prospects of integrating into digital economy being built.

The efficiency of any organization work and its financial wellbeing depend mainly on policy of managing debt receivable and its results. It is explained by the fact that debtor liabilities form the current company assets by 30–40% on average. To provide liquidity and solvency organization top management shall not allow the excessive immobilization of own working capital and its freezing in the form of non-repaid counterpart liabilities. At the same time to minimize debt receivable in current condition of company functioning is not possible. The principle cause of debt receivable rise is high competition on food and service market, due to which companies offer to their clients different conditions of settlement by contracts. This practice results in cash deficiency and can have a negative impact on finance standing of the company, which requires using different tools that could provide the timely repay of liabilities by counterparts. The article substantiates that only complex and systematic application of different methods of debt receivable optimization can give an opportunity to reach the result and raise efficiency of organization work. The effective control over debt receivable is possible, if the system is built that allows to get operative information and encashment of indebtedness without exposing the company to risks, as its excessive amount and low quality threaten profitability and solvency of the organization.

The article describes characteristics, problems and experience of promoting highly-technological products of civil and double purpose at entities (including enterprises) of the defense and industrial complex of Russia and provides recommendations aimed at increasing efficiency of this trend. The authors identify specific features of promoting highly-technological products of civil and double purpose, analyze key tools of marketing communications used in promotion with due regard to specificities of the target market and products. Promotion strategy for civil products of ‘Tulmashzavod’ was worked out and its efficiency was estimated. By analyzing the empiric material the authors put forward the trends whose development could foster improvement of economic and communication efficiency of promoting highly-technological products of civil and double purpose at home enterprises of the defense and industrial complex.

From the beginning of the global pandemic 2020 and by results of the 3-rd quarter 2021 COVID-19 has been the major factor influencing both customer behavior of Russian buyers and customer market, which is facing unprecedented measures affecting customer demand. The principle goal of the research is to assess the impact of pandemic consequences on Russian customer market, key retail players and cost of foods as the most significant attribute for decision-making in buying things. The authors study customer behavior patters in the aspect of deliberate consumption trends, green eco-agenda and healthy life style, which in view of restriction rise in the 4th quarter 2021 because of pandemic is extremely acute for Russian buyers. Within the frames of evaluation of commodity circulation sphere the segment of on-line trade was investigated, as it continuous its growth and rises its market share in the segment of Food and Non-Food. Apart from that the authors compared figures of buying foods in on-line and off-lines stores.

The article studies the most evident examples of fast growing business from start-ups to companies – unicorns, analyzes causes of their quick success and shows key trends of future start-ups. The authors identify trends of realizing business start-ups of future companies – unicorns, among which technological start-ups, fintech start-ups, start-ups in the field of transport, EdTech, medical start-ups, e-commerce. The authors review the most successful companies-unicorns of the new decade of the 21st century. They analyze different lines in business development from electronic on-line platforms for designing on-line games, education services, estimating the efficiency of ad campaigns and marketing analysis to production of grapheme nano-tubes with higher electro-conductivity and strength. The article identifies vectors of companies – unicorn evolution in view of demand for digital products (services, applications) on the part of internet- space market and information technologies, as well as needs of new technology and innovation market, where the major trend is development of unique materials (production). The role of entrepreneurship of new formation (for B2C market) is demonstrated in order to raise comfort, accessibility and ergonomic characteristics of products/services and at the same time to increase their basic functionality for convenience and relative simplicity for users. The article gives examples of home companies – unicorns that grew up from start-ups, whose capitalization exceeds $1bn. The authors study the most popular markets, where a considerable number of companies – unicorns are located and show statistics of successful start-ups of 2020–2021. Start-up trends and requirements to them aimed at attaining the status of successful company with high capitalization were characterized.

Diversification is a type of strategic planning of enterprise functioning, which is connected with extending investment activity. A process of diversification adequately planned and arranged could raise productivity of company work and each of its divisions. Russia has got a positive experience of production diversification in both civil and defense purpose products, however this experience was so dubious and controversial that hindered the development of a common concept. The theoretical basis of the strategy is not uniform and universal, which in its turn makes its application more complicated. The article studies the notion of diversification and shows key advantages of its use. The author analyzes consequences of incorrectly developed strategy of diversification in integrated economic structures and also provides stages of realizing the diversification strategy.

The current economic situation in hotel business functioning exerts serious impact on its development in conditions of innovation paradigm. Innovation of work is a key link in the development of hotel enterprises in today’s world. The author grounds topicality of using innovation in the work of hotel enterprises, studies the dynamics of innovation activity level at hotel enterprises in Moscow, investigates the structure of expenses on innovation projects in the work of hotel enterprises and makes a comparative analysis of the rate of innovation activity of hotel enterprises in Moscow and some European capitals. In research materials the author on the basis of retrospective statistics underlines a serious impact of pandemic on the level of innovation at hotels. To make comparative analysis of the rate of innovation activity at hotel enterprises in Moscow the author recommends using the coefficient of advancing /retarding, which is formed on the basis of comparing the index of expense growth on implementing innovation projects and the index of efficiency indicator growth of hotel enterprises.

The article provides key trends of developing food industry in the world, shows approaches to supporting innovation lines in academic research in the EU and other countries with high level of food security. Theoretical and methodological aspects of the innovative potential and competition in enriched and specialty foods are discussed. The authors show the necessity to develop and introduce scientifically grounded methodology and information support of analyzing, evaluating and forecasting the competitiveness of manufacturers and certain types of produce, which take into account the dynamic development of technologies and innovation on market of enriched and specialty produce and steps aimed at improving the product properties and rational satisfaction of customer preferences. The authors substantiate principles of effective innovation development of enterprises of food industry, including complex realization of innovative potential, detailed and systematic use of all types of innovation, optimization of material and labour use, stable access of economic entities to market data and results of marketing research, guarantee of physical and price accessibility of innovation foods for all categories of the population. Principle mechanisms of their implementation are grounded on the basis of strategic partnership between entities in the technological chain of developing foods of high quality.