News

On May 14, 2020, Alexei Vedev, Head of the Financial Studies Department, Gaidar Institute took part in the “Post-Pandemic World and Russia: New Reality?”online session held within the framework of the Moscow Academic Economic Forum (MAEF).  

On May 7, Stepan Zemtsov, Senior Researcher of the Innovation Economy Department, Gaidar Institute delivered a report on the topic “The Pandemic, Crisis and Digitalization:  How Should Russian Regions Adapt?” at the seminar on the global and regional economies  which was held at the Lomonosov MSE MSU.

The Forbes published a joint study by Vera Barinova, Head of the Innovation Economy Department, Gaidar Institute and Stepan Zemtsov, Senior Researcher of the Innovation Economy Department, in which they analyzed the impact of the crisis and the pandemic on the sector of small and mid-sized enterprises and the economy as a whole.

In the article carried by the RBK, Irina Starodubrovskaya, Director of the Center for Political Economy and Regional Development, Gaidar Institute told about the impact of the pandemic on large cities, the importance of rendering support to them, as well as the ways of mitigation of the current crisis’s implications.

On April 24, Natalya Kornienko, Head of the Tax System Development Department of the Gaidar Institute, took part as a co-speaker at the online conference “Monitoring tax operations. Business VS FTS".

The Gaidar Institute published an overview “Russian Economy in 2019. Trends and Prospects”.

Natalia Kornienko, Head of the Tax System Development Department of the Gaidar Institute, gave an interview to “Radio Russia” dedicated to creation of a single federal data information register on the Russian population. 

Nowadays, the authorities and business take advantage of bans, fines and penalties. It is assumed that ordinary citizens are selfish, who must be kept on a tight leash applying brutal force (or monetary benefits) and to channel them in the right direction. However, is it true? 

In the recent past, any government wishing to fill the treasury had to double down on alcohol excise taxes.

Gaidar Institute took part in the international initiative for research and development centers “In dark times, think tanks keep their lights on", dedicated to the fight against spread of coronavirus pandemic.

The third annual report “High-tech business in Russian regions-2020” dedicated to the examination of the development opportunities for regions and businesses amid crisis digital transformation has been published. The study was conducted by experts of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration, the Gaidar Institute and the Association of Innovative Regions of Russia with the support of the Interfax Group.
As noted by Stepan Zemtsov, Senior Researcher of the Innovation Economics Department of the Gaidar Institute, the principal author and editor of the report, the relevance of the non-resource business study increased significantly in 2020 amid falling oil prices, declining demand and the forced digital transformation of business as a response to quarantine measures. As part of anti-crisis measures, digitalization, robotics, introduction of online business models, expansion of distant work formats, will be a matter of priority for the coming years. Those businesses managing to successfully switch to digital transformation will survive and thrive after the crisis. 
The authors state in this study that a number of leading and the most successful regions in the development of high-tech business may become centers of long –term non-resource growth of the Russian economy, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Moscow region, Tatarstan, Nizhny Novgorod, Sverdlovsk, Chelyabinsk, Tyumen regions and some other RF subjects. The report presents the final typology of the regions according to conditions and results of high-tech development. The described differences between the regions in terms of digital inequality, Net-Ready, development of high-tech business, digitalization support practices and startups are significant, but now, in times of crisis, these differences became a proof of survival and economic growth in the future.
The report presents conclusions of annual monitoring, including a review of the personnel capacity in the regions, institutional conditions, infrastructure, public procurement, high-tech exports and tax revenues. A separate part is devoted to the development of startups with their potential to be the platform for long-term post-crisis development.
By the projection of experts, consequences of the current crisis can badly hit the high-tech business in 2020. In particular, public procurements were important for high-tech business while many of them have been frozen for the next few months. Many businesses (auto and aircraft industry, air transport) are focused on consumer demand, which has dramatically dropped. However, pharmaceuticals, electronics, medical products, ICT, R&D, education and healthcare can still win.
The authors of the study believe that a different economy awaits Russia after the crisis if it is possible to create conditions for digital transformation and industry 4.0. However, such crises last usually longer and harder because it will take time to find new solutions. Therefore, experts prepared several thematic reviews describing the possibilities for regions to adapt to digital economy by developing STEAM education (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics), supporting information technologies, and establishing corporate venture funds. Best regional practices related to digitalization support have been described.

Egor Gaidar would have turned 64 years old on March 19. On the occasion of his birthday, journalist Andrey Kolesnikov invited his friends and associates to the Sakharov Center to talk about the legacy of the architect of Russian reforms.

Aleksey Vedev, Head of Financial Studies Department of the Gaidar Institute for Economic Policy, joined the discussion on “Progressive taxation” in the program “ARE YOU RIGHT? YES!” at the OTR channel.

Due to current dangerous epidemiological situation,  Gaidar readings scheduled for March 26, 2020 in Yakutsk were postponed for safety reasons.
The new readings date will be announced later.

On March 10, Stepan Zemtsov, Senior researcher of the Innovation Economics Department of the Gaidar Institute, delivered his presentation “An assessment of regional innovation system efficiency in Russia: the application of data envelope analysis approach (DEA)” held at the RAS Central Economics and Mathematics Institute.