Russian Economy

Obwohl die Ukraine den territorial zweitgrößten Staat Europas darstellt, ist sie nur selten Objekt adäquater Medienberichterstattung, tiefgehender öffentlicher Diskussionen und politischer Auseinandersetzung in Deutschland. Im Resultat ist das deutsche Engagement für die Gazprom-Unterwasserpipelines Nord und South Stream von unzureichender Berücksichtigung des Spannungspotentials dieser Projekte für die russisch-ukrainischen Beziehungen gekennzeichnet. Der niedrige Stellenwert der Ukraine im deutschen öffentlichen Diskurs steht im Widerspruch zur erheblichen geo- und sicherheitspolitischen Bedeutung des Landes. Eine Neuorientierung der europäischen und deutschen Ostpolitik ist überfällig. While territorially being the second largest state of Europe, Ukraine is only rarely the object of adequate media representation, deep public discussions or political debate in Germany. As a result, the German involvement in Gazprom’s underwater pipelines Nord and South Stream is characterized by a lack of attention to their potential of increasing tensions in Russian-Ukrainian relations. The low salience of Ukraine in German public discourse is in contradiction to the geopolitical importance of the country. A reorientation of the EU’s and Germany’s Eastern policies is overdue.

"Oil and gas currently play a crucial role in Russia’s political and economic development. The energy sector currently accounts for approximately two-thirds of Russia’s exports, around 30 percent of Russia’s GDP, and almost half of the Federal Budget revenues (Gromov, 2011). However, in order to understand what kind of role oil and gas play in Russia’s development, it is necessary to look beyond the headline statistics and consider the discourses and broader political and economic context within which Russia’s development is taking place. This is especially important given that the most powerful Russian energy actors are state-controlled and answer to a Government that must balance the interests of various political, economic, and social actors, as well as be an actor in its own right.

The doctoral research on which this paper is based examines the role of natural gas in discourses on Russia’s political and economic development, and considers Russian conceptions of gas as a strategic resource in discourses on Russia’s modernisation and energy security. This paper specifically examines changes in Russian discourses on oil and gas during the Putin and Medvedev Presidencies, before considering possible developments in the post-2012 period."

After nineteen years of negotiations, Russia finally joined the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in August 2012. This paper delivers an original evaluation of the accession process. The analytical innovations are in a two-level game approach to assess Russia's WTO bid and in a comparative perspective of the accession duration. Following a review of the existing theories of international economic integration, the proposal is made to measure the two-level game theory against an institutionalist perspective taking in account the Russian case-specificity. After a chronological analysis of the different accession stages, the limits of a theoretical case study are made evident. Judging through a comparative perspective and taking in account the economic structure and initial institutional settings, the Russian case is not seen as especially abnormal.

"Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate labour market practices in a transition economy in relation to broader institutional configurations.
Design/methodology/approach: Through a review of relevant literature and the analysis of statistical data the paper reveals some specific factors influencing labour market practices in a transition economy.
Findings:The paper establishes a link between inefficient enforcement and the emergence of compensating institutional arrangements on the one side and the unusually broad implementation of flexible working time and flexible pay on the other as a crucial factor that made the stabilization of
employment in Russia possible.
Originality/value:The paper reveals how a formal regulatory system, which on the face of it is similar to what is a norm in the majority of European countries, may coexist with a distinctive labour market model and explores issues of relevance to academics, researching in the field, policy-makers,
human resource managers, employers and employees.
Keywords: Employment, Enforcement, Institutions, Russia
Paper type: Research paper"