The article analyses the main features of the intellectual activity results market through the lens of the product boundaries definition. Frequently the pirated copy is not considered as a substitute for original products in legal cases. However, unlicensed computer programs should be included in the product market boundaries regardless of its legal status if the consumer considers them as substitutes. The difference between these types of products (original and pirated) are hidden not in transformation but in transaction characteristics. It is also important to take into consideration the possible complementarity between pirated and original products expressed in the information and network effects. In order to assess the buyers' choice it is necessary to adjust the methods evaluating product market boundaries prescribed by «The Procedure of market competition analysis» of the Russia's Federal Antimonopoly Service.
Paper is devoted to the analysis of impact of foreign trade and antitrust policies on development of competition and the position of domestic buyers of Russian metal products. It presents a stylized description of the development of the Russian metallurgy over 25-year period, considering the peculiarities of industry, which influence the problems of competition policy; paper describes the application of competition and foreign trade policies in the industry, taking into account relationships with industry structure. It illustrates the problem of trade-off between an increased competitiveness in world market and consumers protection within the country in relation to industries with the dominance of large exporters. The analysis revealed contradictions in pursued policy: approval of mergers that might restrict competition in the markets of metal products in Russia, and relatively high level of import protection are not consistent with regular investigations of violation of antitrust legislation by Russian metal producers, based on harm imposed to domestic consumers.
The compatibility between the priorities of industrial policy, aimed at promoting sustainable development, and competition defense by means of antitrust law remains a question open for discussion. The paper demonstrates that it is the institutional environment that defines which characteristics of ecological externalities influence the possibility of accounting for these externalities by market players and regulators in the specific case of cooperation agreements between competitors. It is shown that positive externalities having the characteristics of public goods may be taken into account only in a limited way, which can lead to type I errors by antitrust authorities when determining the legality of horizontal agreements.
Transformation of normative regulation of the public procurement system in the conditions of formation of the Eurasian Union is a very important tool in formation of common markets of goods and services. However, its impact on the development of entrepreneurial activity is ambiguous, which requires the development of regulatory impact assessment instruments of projects normative acts in the field of development of competition policy and procurement system of Eurasian Economy Union.
The reality of Russia confirms the relevance of studying the specifics of the historical form of policy prevalent in the country. In order to analyze the nature of the existing order of power in post-Soviet Russia, different analytical categories are required compared to democracy or authoritarianism. This warrants using approaches and methods which lie at the border between political science and sociology. Such approaches allow for examining politics as a process and a result of not only the elites' doings, but also a group of actors, which is not only not outlined, but, on the contrary, isn't really limited. The author of this article offers an authentic policy typology, starting with its ideal variety, being institutionalized, based on universal trust rather than force and on competition between projects and decisions aimed at common benefit, conducted within an indefinite circle of free citizens. Compared to true policy, the main distinctions of other phenomena is a lack of institutionalization in the case of "under-policy", lacking principles of unrestricted participation and alignment towards common good in the case of "pre-policy", and the use of unlawful violence in the case of "anti-policy". These phenomena can be described using the collective term "quasi-policy". "Under-policy" and "pre-policy" are inherent to people's "natural state", and can be used as a means to adjust public life and the circulation of resources, while "anti-policy" is a perverse form of social order which arises from not knowing any non-violent solutions to various problems. Based on the empirical data, the author shows that "pre-policy", which is becoming ever less effective, is prevalent in Russia, while also considering possible trends for its subsequent transformation. "Pre-policy" is characterized by syncretism of the governmental, economic and legislative domains of public life, being an archaic phenomenon by default. However, the degree of "pre-policy's" archaism varies. In Russia's case it is quite high. In Russia we see a high degree of integration on the social level within situational informal groups (cliques), combined with a low degree of trust on the societal level, which leads to there not being ideologically manifested political differentiation. The tendencies when it comes to the transformation of Russia's "pre-politics" are multidirectional and conflicting: together with amplified "pre-policy" by means of increasing archaism, we can also observe pre-political actors occasionally resorting to certain principles of "under-policy" and "anti-policy", when "pre-policy" is unable to help said actors solve the problems that they face.
By default, it is assumed that competition policy, and especially antimonopoly control of mergers is subjected to the universal principles of preventing the threat of competition restrictions. However, the mergers approval policy in particular sector can be subordinated to specific objectives. In the article, based on the analysis of data of mergers decisions in the motor fuel sector by Russian Federation Federal Antimonopoly Service regional offices in 2010–2015, it was shown that the decisions were consistently subjected to the objective of maintaining the share of independent retailers of petrol in regional markets.
The purpose of the article is to assess the possibility of using cluster policy in Russia's industry as an instrument for developing dynamic competition (encouraging innovation activity). Drawing on the results of a detailed systematic review of the cluster theory, the author identifies the reason for its weak operationality: an implicit premise on entrepreneur's passive role in the innovation process. He then attempts to remove this premise by explaining the motives of company's behavior through a modified product variety model which is tested on empirical data from the U.S. and Russia. The results of testing show that at similar level of economic activity the geographical concentration of industrial enterprises in a cluster contributes to the intensification of innovation processes. A relatively more competitive behavior of firms in a cluster is explained through the theory of industrial markets and new institutional economic theory. The analysis concludes with valuable recommendations for economic policy.
The purpose of the article is to assess the possibility of using cluster policy in Russia's industry as an instrument for developing dynamic competition (encouraging innovation activity). Drawing on the results of a detailed systematic review of the cluster theory, the author identifies the reason for its weak operationality: an implicit premise on entrepreneur's passive role in the innovation process. He then attempts to remove this premise by explaining the motives of company's behavior through a modified product variety model which is tested on empirical data from the U.S. and Russia. The results of testing show that at similar level of economic activity the geographical concentration of industrial enterprises in a cluster contributes to the intensification of innovation processes. A relatively more competitive behavior of firms in a cluster is explained through the theory of industrial markets and new institutional economic theory. The analysis concludes with valuable recommendations for economic policy.
Social issues created by a network/digital transformation of society are coming to the forefront of political relations. Given such conditions, we are witnessing a large-scale renewal of social-professional structure, an escalation of social competition, an increase in social inequality, and a decline in the status of middle-class citizens. In the long run, the technological revolution might lead to a decrease in living standards for a significant part of the population of developed nations. Transformation of employment effectively undermines the current model for social policy, which has traditionally been built around creating new jobs and decreasing unemployment as the main objective of public administration. Since the turn of the century, the former balanced mechanism for developing social policy has been upset, and the equilibrium and stable social model is gradually deteriorating. The current model of a welfare state and social-political relations based on consolidated interests is at risk. All around the world modern advanced society relies on it and cannot adequately evolve without it. And one of the main objectives for a government would be making sure that social activity doesn't lag behind the occurring changes. However, the current social policy model in a number of countries, including Russia, does not fully correspond with the process of rearrangement, since, given the conditions of a network society, social policy's target groups tend to change. Forecasts of development within the social-labor realm are unfavorable for large groups of workers, who will have to deal with further polarization in terms of social standing and income, unless the government and society implement a set of effective measures. We are in need of alternative policy, based on coordinating the activities of the main participants of social-political relations. This will require a new political approach, aimed at providing a dynamic social balance, an increase in prosperity, and a decrease in poverty and inequality. Policy based on wider support, a broader resource base and increased opportunity for accomplishing relevant tasks seems to bear the most promise. Meanwhile the government needs to consolidate efforts, while performing an intermediary role in the respective system for making political decisions. Such a political network might result in increased social efficiency.
