Agricultural sector of Russia in face of globalization challenge

The paper analyzes the current problems of the Russian agrarian sector in the face of the increasing openness of the Russian economy and the continuing low competitiveness of domestic agricultural production.     

As Different as Chalk and Cheese? The Relationship Between Entrepreneurial Orientation and SMEs’ Growth: Evidence from Russia and Finland

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and firm growth and the moderating role of business environment for Russian and Finnish small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). For hypothesis testing, structural equation modeling is applied to the data set of 104 Russian and 117 Finnish privately owned SMEs. Results show that while in the Finnish market context EO dimensions are directly associated with firm growth, in the emerging Russian market the relationship is moderated by the dynamic and hostile environment. The results also provide evidence of the nature of EO for SMEs operating in Russia.     

Problems of peasant farms and their importance for Modern Russia

This article analyzes the development of peasant farms from 1990 to the present time and ascertains their increased share in the agricultural production and importance in the development of remote territories with small populations. An emphasis is put on the need for more state support for farming in remote areas of Russia, in particular, in Siberia and the Far East, near-border areas, and outposts of sparsely settled territories.     

Recent trends and factors of resource intensity in the agricultural sector

The article discusses some of the trends and factors reducing the resource intensity of the agricultural sector on the basis of its modernization in the medium and long term in the context of the growing openness of the Russian economy.     

Comparative efficiency of production in separate agricultural sectors

The paper considers comparative indicators of production results of agricultural enterprises and farm households. The calculated data presented by the authors indicate that the output and cost of products produced by farm households are overestimated in official statistics. It is shown that it is important to enhance the interaction between agricultural enterprises and farm households in order to increase the efficiency of agricultural production as a whole.     

Expect the unexpected: examining the shaping role of entrepreneurial orientation on causal and effectual decision-making logic during economic crisis

ABSTRACT

While many firms operate in dynamic environments, the competitive conditions faced by firms during an economic crisis are especially unstable and turbulent. We examine firm strategic decision-making in this distinctive context and investigate the question of whether causal and effectual logic provide similar paths to performance during such challenging economic times. Further, we examine the potential impact that a firm’s level of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) has upon the relationship between managers’ predominant decision-making logic and their firm’s overall performance in this crisis. To test these relationships, we employ a robust national random sample of 447 Russian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) collected from 2015 to 2016 during a period of economic crisis. Our results indicate that EO plays an important moderating role, shaping the nature of the relationships between managers’ decision-making logic and financial performance. Moreover, additional analysis identifies the presence of a non-linear relationship between both logics and the performance of SMEs.     

The role of social networks and institutions in the internationalization of Russian entrepreneurial firms: Do they matter?

Drawing upon network theory and institutional theory, this paper examines the influence of networks on the internationalization of Russian entrepreneurial firms. Our case analysis suggests that within the context of the Russian environment, networks play a much less important role in the internationalization process than it is usually assumed in the literature. For the Russian entrepreneurial firms examined in our study, the most important factor in their internationalization was their engagement in honest business practices that established trust and commitment in their relationships with international business partners. This study underscores the importance of the institutional context of an entrepreneurial firm’s country.