Tools for evaluating the competitiveness of innovative clusters

Federal programmes to support regional clusters in Russia were introduced several years ago. Today, they need updating and revision. A promising starting point for effective support for hi-tech and innovative clusters may be an evaluation of cluster performance aimed to understand whether further development and financing of cluster projects are required and whether the list of supported clusters should be extended or reduced. This article analyses the case of the Silicon Saxony innovation cluster (Germany), using the World Bank’s methodology for cluster competitiveness evaluation. Each analysis tool is provided with concrete data obtained for Germany and the Silicon Saxony cluster over the past ten years. Competitive clusters considered in the analysis are Minalogic in Grenoble (France) and Micro- and nanosystems in Catania (Italy). The results of employing the methodology are examined from the perspective of its possible use in evaluating the competitiveness of innovative clusters in the Russian Federation. Early recommendations on adapting the methodology are produced

Adhocracy as a Modern Form of Organization of Russian Universities Activities

Currently, state institutions of higher education are under business pressure, public and public authorities, that leads to the creation of conditions for dynamic changes in the external and internal environment of universities. In this regard, this paper is devoted to the issues of the Russian universities transformation from a professional bureaucracy into an adhocratic structure, which allows you to flexibly respond to the challenges of the external environment, to solve new challenges facing universities. The methodological base of the study includes theories of organization management in relation to higher education. The authors consider in sufficient detail the theoretical aspects of the differences between professional and innovative organizations, their structure, design parameters, coordination mechanisms, and situational factors. As a result of the study, important conclusions were drawn regarding the mission of the modern university; features of the transition from a professional type of organization to an adhocratic one; the main distinguishing features of adhocracy from other management systems are formulated. The practical significance of the article lies in the fact that the higher education system has been proposed a new structure characteristic of the innovative form of organization. The results of the study may be of interest to government bodies that shape and implement national educational policies