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Earthquake-induced deformations located near Murmansk City were investigated for information on the age, tectonic position and spatial occurrence of paleo-earthquakes. The main earthquake-generating zone is identified to be the system of strike slip faults and reverse-oblique faults trending NNW along the Kola River valley. We used radiocarbon analysis and paleogeographic reconstructions and revealed three episodes of increased seismic activity: from 9500 to 10 500 cal BP, from 892 to 1182 cal BP, and from 200 to 300 cal BP. Based on the peak ground velocity estimation method we suggest that an earthquakes with a maximum moment magnitude up to Mw ≈ 6.0–6.5 may have taken place in the studied area. The recorded location of seismogenic deformation near faults indicates area of strong Late Glacial and Holocene earthquakes occurring in the northern Kola Peninsula; this is also consistent with observations concerning the historical events of 1772 and 1873, which took place near the area. Combined with previous data on palaeoseismicity in Kola region, our studies indicate a longer lasting and more complex spatial and temporal history of postglacial seismicity in the Northeastern Fennoscandian Shield area. In contrast to the generally accepted opinion, strong seismic events occurred not only during the deglaciation period or immediately after it, but continued until the late Holocene and the last centuries. Glacial isostasy as a factor giving rise to stresses has become minimal by the present time, while the tectonic factor continues to be felt.

The Treaty on Open Skies has been an important legal instrument contributing to global arms control in recent years. Signed in 1992, the Treaty on Open Skies allows the monitoring and collection of data on military potential through observation flights over one another’s territories, thus becoming a confidence-building and transparency measure among its signatories. The recent decisions by the US and Russia to withdraw from this agreement impact the security situation globally and regionally. They reflect a gradual erosion of the architecture of arms control that has been introduced since the end of the Cold War. Georgia remains the only state in the South Caucasus to be a signatory to this Treaty. It is also the only state in the region to remain (since 2008) in a conflict with Russia. While striving to join the EU and NATO, it lies on the land of strategic importance to Russia and other regional and global players. The main objective of this publication is to discuss the importance of the Treaty on Open Skies, considering its specificity from a regional perspective, and to assess the implications of the withdrawals of the US and Russia from the Treaty on security in Georgia and in the South Caucasus. Using a descriptive approach and legal-political analysis, the author discusses the creation, functioning, and causes of the breakdown of this legal-institutional system, while looking at its importance for global arms control and security related consequences it may trigger for the region. A closer look at the South Caucasus highlights the author’s belief in the Treaty’s critical role in the region and the importance of preserving its existence.

Purpose. This paper aimed to investigate factors that influence the intention of educated youth in remote areas of Siberia to start-up business under the specific conditions with post-communist legacy. Special attention is paid to the willingness of graduates to run a business in agriculture. Methodology / approach. We surveyed 470 university students and applied logistic regression to analyze the probability of becoming self-employed. Results. Study results reveal that being male, an existing family entrepreneurial tradition, and effort of respondents to increase their quality of life, such as a desire for a higher income and career efforts, improve the intention to be self-employed. Preference to live in rural areas decreases the entrepreneurial intention. We identified an important path dependency problem that arises from the low entrepreneurial literacy and tradition of the families because setting up a private business is a novelty in Russia. Originality / scientific novelty. The Global Entrepreneurial Monitor Review ranks Russia among countries with the lowest entrepreneurial intention. This fact may threaten the development of the country as self-employment represents an important trigger for the economic development of a region, especially for its rural and remote part. Entrepreneurs in agriculture might help in re-cultivation of the abandoned land in Russian Siberia if the entrepreneurial education and incentives were set properly. Practical value / implications. A promotion of entrepreneurship education at the universities, removing administrative barriers to business development, and launching programs to support young entrepreneurs, especially in rural areas, might be crucial in increasing the entrepreneurial activity of youth. This study has important implications for policymakers and education system as youth entrepreneurship provides an opportunity to decrease unemployment, ensure the income of the rural population, and promote sustainable growth of rural areas.

There are a small number of highly vulnerable countries, but their economies are weak-ened by the slowdown in international trade, rising interest rates, and falling global business activity. It should be noted that the main task of state policy aimed at ensuring the economic security of the state is the introduction of measures aimed at ensuring the socio-economic interests of society and achiev-ing the stability of the national economy, and especially the stability of its financial component, which is primarily due to the strengthening in the XXI century of the integration and consolidation of financial markets and the formation of the global financial system. The authors define and classify various theoreti-cal concepts of financial security as a dynamically developing state of financial processes and economic relations. The analysis of financial security of the country was carried out – as the most important condi-tion of formation of adequate strategy of economic development of the territory of the state.The development of an effective mechanism to ensure the financial security of the state is impos-sible without scientific understanding of its economic essence, research and development of methods of evaluation and revision of theoretical approaches to ensuring the stability and stability of the financial system. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the substantiation of the author’s concept of improving the mechanism of ensuring the financial security of Russia in the economic situation in the country.

Tanks and anti-tank weapons in modernized and innovated forms will still appear on battlefields in the next 20 years to eliminate armoured targets and personnel with the usage of precision-guided munition. The progress of electronation and digitalization of tanks allows better situation awareness on the battlefield and cooperation with other military assets. An active protection measures were introduced to protect the crew such as reactive armour, active defence weapon systems and composite armour. By establishing a safe perimeter with active defence systems, tanks can sustain the incoming anti-tank weapons. Hence is the U.S. Army currently looking for a replacement of 3rd generation Abrams tanks. The U.S. Army is considering in this case unmanned vehicle as well. The Russian Federation on the other hand enhances conventional tank scheme with modern technologies. Far too much electronation does not have to be necessarily due to the automatic loading mechanism always a step forward.

Increasing fertility and decreasing mortality are major response strategies in Russian demographic reform, which has led to significant decreases in both abortion rate (AR) and infant mortality. This study explores mechanisms influencing the socioeconomic conditions leading to abortion and infant mortality. Spatial panel economic analysis using data from the 83 regions of the country covering four time periods was applied. Every 1000 USD increase in per capita gross regional product (GRP) can lead to a decrease of the AR by 0.075, while one year life expectancy increase would lower it by 0.441. For infant mortality rate (IMR), GRP also shows a positive impact, particularly in recent years, while the population size of the region has a negative impact. Every 1000 USD increase in per capita GRP would result in a rate decrease of 0.064 in IMR, and every increase of 1000 added population would lead to an increased IMR by 2.05. The harvest effect between AR and infant mortality that was evident earlier, but not in the recent years, implies that the health care system in Russia is effective. A comprehensive improvement in wellbeing, income, etc. can contribute to mitigation of abortion and infant mortality. Theoretically, this study extends current research by comprehensively displaying the spatio-temporal patterns of abortion and infant mortality in Russia and qualifies the impact of regional socioeconomic disparities with regard to these two issues.

We use detailed micro-level data on consumption and income for a 1998-2004 panel of Russian households to study the effects of the flat income tax reform in 2001. We show that the gap between household expenditures and reported income is a meaningful measure of tax evasion. We use the difference-indifference and regression discontinuity approaches to assess the response of tax evasion and worker productivity to the flat tax. We find that the tax evasion response (10-12%) is larger than the productivity response (0-4%), and thus increased tax revenues and reported earnings are largely driven by improved tax compliance.

The article considers the origins of economic reforms in modern Russia over the period of 25 years. It is shown that by 1991 consequences of unreasoned decisions and hasty actions have reached their culmination point and both political and economic attempts to realize the concept of 'convergence', to implant democracy in totalitarianism and the market in a centralized system of management have failed. At the same time it was impossible for the country's regions to maintain the inter-industry contractual communications and that had destroyed the 'center - regions' relations which had developed over the previous decades. The study and discussion of issues of the last 25 years of reform in Russia are proposed as the main theme for the journal 'Spatial Economics' in the year 2017. The goal of such studies and discussions should be to achieve a systemic i'pression about sources, trends, successes and failures of reforms, as only on this basis the initial model of the Russian socio-economic transformation can be developed. The researcher presumes that this model reviews each region as the most important element of the general system of knowledge and the resource and institutional policy constructed on its basis

Olga N Tkacheva,1 Nadezda K Runikhina,1 Arkadiy L Vertkin,2 Irina V Voronina,1 Natalia V Sharashkina,1 Elen A Mkhitaryan,1 Valentina S Ostapenko,1 Elena A Prokhorovich,2 Tamar Freud,3 Yan Press3–5 1Russian Gerontology Clinical Research Center, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University of Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation, 2Moscow State University of Medicine and Dentistry named after AI Evdokimov, Moscow, Russia; 3Department of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Sial Family Medicine and Primary Care Research Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, 4Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment Unit, Clalit Health Care Services, Yassky Clinic, 5Community-Based Geriatric Unit, Division of Community Health, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel Background: Delirium, a common problem among hospitalized elderly patients, is not usually diagnosed by doctors for various reasons. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a short training course on the identification of delirium and the diagnostic rate of delirium among hospitalized patients aged ≥65 years. The secondary aim was to identify the risk factors for delirium. Methods: A prospective study was conducted in an acute-care hospital in Moscow, Russia. Six doctors underwent a short training course on delirium. Data collected included assessment by the confusion assessment method for the intensive care units, sociodemographic data, functional state before hospitalization, comorbidity, and hospitalization indices (indication for hospitalization, stay in intensive care unit, results of laboratory tests, length of hospitalization, and in-hospital mortality). Results: Delirium was diagnosed in 13 of 181 patients (7.2%) who underwent assessment. Cognitive impairment was diagnosed more among patients with delirium (30.0% vs 6.1%, P=0.029); Charlson comorbidity index was higher (3.6±2.4 vs 2.3±1.8, P=0.013); and Barthel index was lower (43.5±34.5 vs 94.1±17.0, P=0.000). The length of hospitalization was longer for patients with delirium at 13.9±7.3 vs 8.8±4.6 days (P=0.0001), and two of the 13 patients with delirium died during hospitalization compared with none of the 168 patients without delirium (P=0.0001). Conclusion: Although the rate of delirium was relatively low compared with studies from the West, this study proves that an educational intervention among doctors can bring about a significant change in the diagnosis of the condition. Keywords: delirium, elderly, inpatients, Russia

This text focuses on process of armament policy of the Armed Forces of Georgia and how it was influenced by country’s effort to join NATO. Authors argue that Georgia’s proclaimed pro-western ambitions should have also been reflected in the process of materiel procurement. Authors investigate the time period from 2003 to 2008 when growing military expenditures reached it’s top. Text shows that only few major acquisitions in that period were focused on western military equipment and that Georgia’s military acquisitions did not reflect countrys inclination towards west and NATO.

This paper discusses the recent history of auditing in Russia from 1987 to the present time. This kind of research, such as any inquiry into history, calls for a well-grounded periodization. For the purposes of this study, factors were determined which influence the regulatory and methodological support of auditing; in accordance with the results of the analysis of their time intersections – the logical addition – qualitative leaps in the development of auditing in Russia were identified, which are represented as stages of its evolution. Through the application of this method, four stages in the recent history of auditing in Russia were identified: pre-history (the birth of the Russian auditing, the “wild” auditing); establishment of auditing in Russia; government regulation and licensing; self-regulation of audit activity.

Falling oil prices are leading to a reduction in domestic demand and lowering of the ruble exchange rate, thus enhancing the price competitiveness of Russian producers and stimulating the supply side of the economy (especially in foreign markets unaffected by the recession). Indeed, all of this create the possibility of offsetting the decline in domestic demand to a varying degree through increased net exports. However, the present study shows that, taking into account all of the structural problems of the Russian economy, the devaluation of the ruble may lead to a more severe recession than anticipated by most experts in their estimates, judging by average consensus forecasts (as of the end of September 2015).

Global crisis forms new economic policy agenda which raises new questions for economic theory and economic thinking. This paper deals with these new intellectual challenges. Among them: growth theory and the risks of secular stagnation, unconventional macroeconomic policy and the prospects of financial stability, inequality and growth, the new welfare state, the prospects of globalization vs. de-globalization, and the re-industrialization in advanced economies. Based on the analysis of global trends, the paper discusses the roots and features of current Russian economic problems, compares the 2008–2009 and 2014–2015 crises, and factorizes the last one on three main components. The analysis includes the effects of sanctions against Russia on the current economic situation and the structural problems that slow down economic growth. Special attention is paid to examples of medium-term and long-term steps that can provide sustainable development for the Russian economy.

This paper addresses the role of R&D cooperation with external partners in companies implementing inbound and outbound open innovation. The results of the survey of 206 companies show that the cooperation with external partners is different in companies implementing inbound, outbound, and coupled open innovation compared to closed companies oriented towards internal R&D. Increased importance, success, and intensity of cooperation with external partners are observed for companies with internal R&D and inbound, outbound, and coupled open innovation compared to other firms. The more a company implements open innovation, the higher the intensity, importance, and success of cooperation with external partners are. The importance and success of cooperation with domestic partners is higher than for cooperation with foreign partners for all types of companies.

This study investigates the rate of erosion during the 1951–2006 period on the Bykovsky Peninsula, located north-east of the harbour town of Tiksi, north Siberia. Its coastline, which is characterized by the presence of ice-rich sediment (Ice Complex) and the vicinity of the Lena River Delta, retreated at a mean rate of 0.59 m/yr between 1951 and 2006. Total erosion ranged from 434 m of erosion to 92 m of accretion during these 56 years and exhibited large variability (σ = 45.4). Ninety-seven percent of the rates observed were less than 2 m/yr and 81.6% were less than 1 m/yr. No significant trend in erosion could be recorded despite the study of five temporal subperiods within 1951–2006. Erosion modes and rates actually appear to be strongly dependant on the nature of the backshore material, erosion being stronger along low-lying coastal stretches affected by past or current thermokarst activity. The juxtaposition of wind records monitored at the town of Tiksi and erosion records yielded no significant relationship despite strong record amplitude for both data sets. We explain this poor relationship by the only rough incorporation of sea-ice cover in our storm extraction algorithm, the use of land-based wind records vs. offshore winds, the proximity of the peninsula to the Lena River Delta freshwater and sediment plume and the local topographical constraints on wave development.

The article presents the survey results of obstacles to small innovative companies as a case study of Nizhny Novgorod region of Russia as an area with high innovative potential and great level of socio-economic indicators. Based on the semi-structural personal interviews with 19 experts - the management of support infrastructure, results shows some typical for this region impediments: bureaucracy; lack of trust, poor collaboration within the innovation system; poor information support; legislative obstacles to innovations and intellectual property protection; low interest of large companies in collaboration with small ones. The findings and recommendations can help policy-makers to meet the needs of small innovative companies, and increase the innovative activity of small firms through the improvement of the assistance programs.

This article examines the causal relationship between the energy consumption, electricity consumption and GDP in Russia by using time series data from 1990-2011 implying the Toda and Yamamoto approach, which is revised form of the Granger (1969) causality test (Econ. 66 (1995) 225). The maximum order of integration was determined by using PP and ADF unit root tests. The Toda and Yamamoto test is applied regardless of whether the series are I (0), I (1), or I (2), mutually cointegrated or non-cointegrated. The variables were estimated at level in the unrestricted lag-augmented VAR. The AIC, SC and LR lag criteria were used to determine the optimal lag length. The diagnostics tests were performed at the optimum lag selected by estimating the variables at level and confirmed the stability of the unrestricted VAR model. The empirical evidence showed that there exists a the bi-directional causality from electricity consumption to GDP that implies the validity of feedback hypothesis but no causality was found for GDP and energy consumption supporting the neutrality hypothesis. The estimated results confirmed that both the economic growth and electricity consumption empirically support each other and have a mutual and complementary relationship. But on another hand the energy sector of Russia has no impact on the economic growth for a period 1990-2011. Furthermore, if the Government of Russia devises policies to promote the access of energy and higher level of consumption, economic growth will not be affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the innovation strategy of Russian Railways, the biggest transport company in the world. Russian Railways has chosen a strategy of international science, technology and innovation (STI) cooperation outside their own network. This strategy is a novel approach for Russian State-owned enterprises (SOE). Based on the analysis of innovation development program and interviews with managers, the paper studies the company’s experience with the chosen strategy. Thereby, the paper enhances the understanding of innovation processes in major public service companies which are crucial for the socio-economic processes inside and outside national boundaries.

Rhomaleosaurid plesiosaurians were a common and ecologically significant component of Early Jurassic marine faunas, primarily as large-bodied predators. They declined in abundance and made their last fossil appearance in the Middle Jurassic. However, the geographic pattern of rhomaleosaurid extinction has thus far been obscured by spatial bias in the Middle Jurassic marine reptile fossil record, which is strongly focussed on low-latitude European assemblages. We report two rhomaleosaurid specimens from the Callovian (late Middle Jurassic) of the UK and Russia. Along with Borealonectes from Arctic Canada, these are the youngest-known occurrences of rhomaleosaurids. The UK specimen is the first identified from the Callovian of Europe, despite intensive fossil sampling over almost 200 years and the recovery of hundreds of other plesiosaurian specimens. Its discovery indicates that rhomaleosaurids were present, but extremely rare, at low palaeolatitudes of the Callovian. The Russian specimen is one of relatively few marine reptile specimens from its mid-palaeolatitude assemblage, as is also true of Borealonectes, which occurs in a high-palaeolatitude marine assemblage. Furthermore, we suggest that a mid latitude southern hemisphere occurrence from the Callovian of Argentina, previously referred to Pliosauridae, in fact represents a rhomaleosaurid. These findings suggest that rhomaleosaurids were actually common elements of mid-high palaeolatitude marine faunas, indicating a geographically staggered pattern of declining rhomaleosaurid abundance, and demonstrating the apparent persistence of an archaic marine reptile group in cool, mid-high latitude environments of the Middle Jurassic. It is therefore possible that sustained Middle-Late Jurassic global warming accelerated the ultimate extinction of rhomaleosaurids. Our findings suggest that widening the geographical breadth of fossil exploration could considerably enhance current knowledge of Jurassic marine reptile evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Use of dispersants requires assessment of which environmental values are at stake. In the Barents Sea this issue is of high concern as large oil spills can cause transboundary pollution, affecting the interests of two neighbouring countries. The Joint Contingency Plan in the Barents Sea does not set any specific requirements for use of dispersants and lets Norway and Russia follow their national procedures. The Plan emphasizes that in case of transboundary pollution the decision to use dispersants shall only be undertaken upon common agreement. The paper presents a comparison of the national regulatory approaches of Norway and Russia to using dispersants. The research is based on the analysis of legislative documents and interviews with oil companies, oil spill responders and relevant national authorities. The research reveals that in both countries use of dispersants requires preliminary authorization of the national agencies. In Norway the pre-approval procedure and the algorithm of dispersants involvement in response to a real accident are clearly documented and are regularly tested. This has made the process of approval for using dispersants more efficient. In Russia the lack of practical experience in using dispersants and well-established approval procedures can result in a long and unclear permitting process for each oil spill case. This could seriously hinder the use of dispersants to combat transboundary pollution in the Barents Sea, even if it is considered to be beneficial. We conclude that the development of a harmonized approach for dispersants use in the Barents Sea should be thoroughly assessed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the perestroika, the operation of Soviet museums of history and literature came under question in the media and by the intelligentsia. What impact did political and economic liberalization, the abolition of censorship, the budgetary crisis and the international context have on these institutions? Forced to undergo changes in order to attract visitors, these museums have modernized their exhibitions; and public relations is now their central preoccupation. These formerly ideological institutions have turned away from macrohistorical interpretations to focus on everyday life, local history and the private lives of famous persons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the rate of erosion during the 1951-2006 period on the Bykovsky Peninsula, located north-east of the harbour town of Tiksi, north Siberia. Its coastline, which is characterized by the presence of ice-rich sediment (Ice Complex) and the vicinity of the Lena River Delta, retreated at a mean rate of 0.59 m/yr between 1951 and 2006. Total erosion ranged from 434 m of erosion to 92 m of accretion during these 56 years and exhibited large variability (σ = 45.4). Ninety-seven percent of the rates observed were less than 2 m/yr and 81.6% were less than 1 m/yr. No significant trend in erosion could be recorded despite the study of five temporal subperiods within 1951 -2006. Erosion modes and rates actually appear to be strongly dependant on the nature of the backshore material, erosion being stronger along low-lying coastal stretches affected by past or current thermokarst activity. The juxtaposition of wind records monitored at the town of Tiksi and erosion records yielded no significant relationship despite strong record amplitude for both data sets. We explain this poor relationship by the only rough incorporation of sea-ice cover in our storm extraction algorithm, the use of land-based wind records vs. offshore winds, the proximity of the peninsula to the Lena River Delta freshwater and sediment plume and the local topographical constraints on wave development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study on the estimation of the probability of introduction and establishment in alien species that depends on the shipping time. The study relates the risk estimation of biological invasion of Asian gypsy moth Lymantria dispar (L.) in North America and New Zealand using a two-dimensional phenology gypsy moth life stage model (GLS-2d) in various marine trade routes. Results show that probabilities depend on the departure and length of time of invasion vectors like ships.

enomenal spread of unconventional means of payments has been one of the most controversial features of Russia's post-socialist economic development. Orthodox analyses tend to trace the causes of the non-monetary economy to the inconsistency of political reforms, to the legacy of the past, and to endemic corruption. This article challenges such accounts. From the perspective of international political economy, the proliferation of nonpayments, severe liquidity squeeze and the structural disjuncture between Russia's financial and productive circuits are the outcomes of the country's pursuit of the paradigm of the Washington Consensus. In this light, barter and nonpayments in Russia are neither the‘inevitable’features of the market restructuring, nor simply the residue of the command system. The non-monetary economy in Russia is a peculiar reaction to the politico-economic imperatives brought onto the country by the deregulated financial markets and by the neoliberal political ideology that underpins their global expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In October 2002, Chechen rebels took hostages at a performance of the first Russian 'musical'. During this time, the author was conducting fieldwork at the institute where the actors in this performance had been trained, in the directing department, in a new program combining musical theater with Stanislavsky's realism. In tracing social and ideological associations across these sites, the author outlines a resonance between terrorist and realist ideologies about communication. Muscovites producing metadiscourse about events and processes in both sites seemed to presume that communicative acts, if they are to performatively alter the social world, must stimulate emotion by orchestrating particular social differences. This article will explore, in contexts of theatrical pedagogy, relations between 'difference', 'conflict', and `feeling' within ideologies of communication that drive both theatrical realism and readings of terror. I do not argue that all forms of making 'difference' constitute terror, but rather that realism and terror can both use difference similarly to draw or to focus attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Through a comparative analysis of Germany and Russia, this paper explores how participation in the memorialization process affects and reflects national identity formation in post-totalitarian societies. These post-totalitarian societies face the common problem of re-presenting their national character as civic and democratic, in great part because their national identities were closely hound to oppressive regimes. Through a comparison of three memorial sites-Sachsenhausen concentration camp memorial in Germany, and Lubianka Square and the Park of Arts in Russia-we argue that even where dramatic reductions in state power and the opening of civil society have occurred, a simple elite-public dichotomy cannot adequately capture the nature of participation in the process of memory re-formation. Rather, mutual interactions among multiple publics and elites, differing in kind and intensity across contexts, combine to form a complex pastiche of public memory that both interprets a nation's past and suggests desirable models for its future. The domination of a 'Western' style of memorialization in former East Germany illustrates how even relatively open debates can lead to the exclusion of certain representations of the nation. Nonetheless, Germany has had comparatively vigorous public debates about memorializing its totalitarian periods. In contrast, Russian elite groups have typically circumvented or manipulated participation in the memorialization process, reflecting both a reluctance to deal with Russia's totalitarian past and a emerging national identity less civic and democratic than in Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies suggest that the allocation of expenditures in education is important for growth. The state of public education spending in many transition economies highlights the need for an assessment of the nature of education expenditures in these countries. This paper attempts to fill this gap in the literature by estimating the determinants of education expenditures in the Russian Federation. Results from panel data analysis show that revenue and the student-population ratio have a positive impact on education expenditures while the effect of population density is negative. Three regional variables also show significant impact. The income and price elasticity of public education expenditures are estimated to be 0.57 and −0.18, respectively, a result comparable to studies from other countries. The results presented here provide insight into how fiscal institutions and the structure of the political process in Russia may affect the degree of resource allocation in the educational sector during the transition process. JEL classifications: L10, O57. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the protective effects of education and marriage against homicide mortality in Russia. Individual data are obtained from death records and population data from the 1994 micro-census, and differentials in mortality from homicide are estimated employing two different methods: a straightforward approach using census data and proportional mortality analysis. We find that the latter underestimates the impact of education on homicide mortality. Despite differences in effect sizes, however, both methods reveal a significantly higher risk of homicide victimization for those that are unmarried and less educated. We conclude that education and marriage likely provide social capital and coping skills that protect individuals against violent victimization, even during times of dramatic social change and dire economic circumstances such as those faced in transitional Russia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on the social embeddedness perspective, this article examines the impact of entrepreneurs' social capital on their firm performance in post-Soviet Russia. Based on face-to-face interviews with 75 Russian entrepreneurs in 1995 and follow-up interviews in 1999, the study examines effects of structural embeddedness, relational embeddedness and resource embeddedness on firm performance. The main finding is that relational embeddedness and resource embeddedness have direct positive impacts on firm performance, whereas structural embeddedness has no direct impacts on performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]