Due to the unstable economic situation in Russia, it is imperative to identify the factors that determine the output of an enterprise (in particular, it is important for small and medium enterprises) and also to acknowledge that the parameters of the production function (i.e., return on factors of production, labor and capital) for Russian enterprises depend on the region. The scope of this study was limited to small and medium-sized Russian enterprises, and the parameters of the translog production function for them were arrived at using hierarchical models. The econometric calculations were based on data from 25,000 enterprises across 66 regions and 14 industrial groups from 2019 to 2020. (The sample consisted of companies that published financial statements for 2019 and 2020 in regions where at least 30 companies were also included.) The findings indicated that, in the first year of COVID-19 in Russia, the elasticity of output by capital did not change significantly, while the elasticity of labor increased. The hypothesis that labor elasticity of output is less in Moscow and St. Petersburg compared to other regions because those two cities have an oversupply of labor was confirmed. The related hypothesis that regions with high capital elasticity have less labor elasticity was also corroborated. In Russia’s eastern regions, in Siberia and the Far East, capital output elasticity was less from 2019 to 2020 because transport and business infrastructure were relatively undeveloped.

Demand for cash increases during crises and thus places additional strain on the payment infrastructure. Clustering the regions of the Russian Federation will facilitate differentiated response scenarios to shocks and improve forecasting tools that are responsive to specific regional characteristics. This article clusters Russian regions on the basis of the dynamics of their cash inflows and outflows. By applying correlation clustering analysis, Ward s method, and the K-Means algorithm, the authors identified groups of Russia s constituent regions with similar cash circulation patterns. For most denominations, the Elbow Method resulted in an optimal division into three clusters, whose boundaries varied with the volatility of operations. Most Russian regions exhibit similar dynamics in cash transactions for the most common denominations in circulation (5,000, 1,000, and 500 rubles). Major exogenous shocks tend to make regional patterns in the use of various cash denominations uniform. The formation of dominant clusters indicates that nationwide factors (such as changes in consumer behavior, adaptation to uncertainty, and unified economic policies) prevail over regional specifics in the dynamics of cash circulation. The results of the study have practical applications for the Bank of Russia and other financial institutions in their effort to transition to territorially oriented forecasting of cash demand with consequent opportunities to optimize logistical processes and minimize costs. The methodology proposed by the authors potentially has a broader scope, as it can be adapted to analyze other macroeconomic indicators.

This paper examines the role of dynamic commissions for ride-hailing platforms and finds they are a crucial pricing mechanism that directly balances the interests of passengers, drivers, and the platform itself. Dynamic commissions are a part of the ride-hailing platforms’ pricing used to balance supply and demand when trip intensity fluctuates and spatial distribution of demand is uneven. The objective of this paper is to analyze the advantages and limitations of dynamic commissions compared to fixed ones and to understand how dynamic commissions affect the resilience of platform markets and their ability to adapt to evolving market conditions. The methodology employed theoretical modeling of market equilibria in ride-hailing markets and was subjected to empirical verification using publicly available data. This approach provided a comprehensive evaluation of various strategies for managing commissions. The findings demonstrate that flexible commissions enhance platform adaptability to market fluctuations, reduce matching failures, increase driver earnings, and ultimately improve quality of service for passengers. Conversely, fixed commissions constrain a platform’s ability to maintain market equilibrium and result in decreased profitability, deterioration of service, and reduction in social benefit from it. These findings have significant implications for regulatory frameworks governing digital platforms in passenger transportation markets. The study underscores the necessity of adopting a hybrid approach to commission management that accommodates the interests of all stakeholders and promotes sustainable development within platform markets.

The article examines the grounds for adjusting state policy and corporate strategies in order to adapt to external shocks while avoiding structural and institutional traps (SITs) as Russia pursues technological leadership. Its purpose is to elucidate the adjustment of government policy and corporate strategies for adapting to external shocks and overcoming structural and institutional traps that may undermine Russia’s technological progress and also to consider how structural factors in regional development may affect that progress. The research employed a three-component approach combining qualitative analysis of corporate reports and cases, econometric modeling, and comparison of adaptation models. Structural and dynamic analysis was applied based on an assessment of the volume, structure, dynamics, and actual financing of national technological projects. Dysfunctions and the limited effectiveness of universal state support measures were examined. The significant impact of the quantifiable structural characteristics of regions on innovation was confirmed. Qualitative analysis indicated that the waves of business adaptation (import substitution, restructuring, new technologies) have been thwarted by specific SITs that correspond to the typology of them developed by the author. The innovative aspect of this research lies in developing the concept of institutional traps through the introduction and quantitative operationalization of SITs for the analysis of macro- and mesoeconomic processes, as well as in the empirical identification of the dual role of commodity dependence as a financial resource of adaptation and also a source of structural risks. Another special feature of this study is its examination of the strategies of the largest Russian companies and consideration of innovative processes in the context of the structural characteristics of regional development. Overcoming SITs requires differentiated support measures based on the diagnosis of structural constraints in the economy. The conclusions reached can be used to adjust tax incentives and government programs and to develop targeted measures aimed at overcoming structural and institutional barriers to development.

The article examines the work of the Russian academic Konstantin Gattenberger, a figure little known to modern students of the history of economics. Although Gattenberger was an original thinker, he was one of those theorists who fail to achieve fame in their profession. Nevertheless, he can rightfully be considered an innovator in various branches of economics and was ahead of his time on a number of points. In particular, Gatttenberger’s work in methodology engaged with the German historical school in what became known as the “dispute about methods.” Carl Menger’s famous article on this issue was published only two years later. Gattenberger also held original views on other methodological issues. In addition, he was the first economist to formulate the principle of the bank (deposit) multiplier and to show how it functioned. His theory of the cyclical development of the economy is still of interest, as is his way of defining an economic crisis, which differed from the generally accepted view.