The Assessment of Corporate Social Performance Effectiveness: Russian Case

The research is devoted to a problem of assessment the effectiveness of social investments and Corporate Social Performance (CSP). We offer the original methodological approach to assess the effectiveness of CSP and social investments based on the conducted analysis. Qualitative and quantitative methods were used in the research. In our approach the effectiveness combines: the result (effect) of actions depend on goals that were set, comparison of the result and recourses invested (economy), comparison of goal setting and problems, including social problems, that can be solved (advisability). Moreover the approach considers the importance of both results for the subject and for the object of social investments (for business and for society). We focus on measurement not just social or economic effectiveness but social-economic performance. The methodological approach has been approved in the course of research included more than forty Russian companies. Approbation of the methodological approach proved the correlations between social investments costs and financial and reputation performance indicators. The offered methodological approach allows companies to realize self-assessment of CSP effectiveness, to highlight the priority departments and indicators of social investments, to improve corporate social strategy, to be prepared for Public Ratings / Contests on CSP. In addition, this methodological approach can be used for internal assessment of social investments effectiveness that can improve planning of rational social investments. The presented methodological approach of assessment of CSP effectiveness opens an opportunity to compare the effectiveness of CSP of different companies of a region or industry

Internal Resources of Increasing Retail Efficiency

Despite the difficult period for retail, Russian retail chains continue to develop and find new resources to improve the efficiency. The largest retail chains are expanding markets and continue to grow steadily. However, modern economic conditions place high demands on the activities of managers and staff in retail. Moreover, the unstable external environment forces the management to look for new opportunities of improving their enterprises competitiveness. An organizational culture is the important resource for improving the retail enterprise efficiency. Nevertheless, the effective organizational culture can be built only on the shared values of all staff. The article describes the results of the study of value orientations of managers and subordinates in connection with their work activity. We analyzed the "TD Intertorg" ("Narodnaya 7-ya Family") which was one of the largest food retail companies in St. Petersburg. We used the formalized survey methodology to study the value orientations of 170 employees of the company. We identified and characterized the differences in the value orientations of the administrative, retail and operational staff with high and low labor activity. Also we defined the key values for the creation of the organizational culture that increases the efficiency of the personnel of the retail company. We offered the mechanism of development organizational culture for the trade enterprise on the basis of values compatibility of the managers and subordinates. The results help us to optimize business communication process and improve the efficiency of the retail enterprise

Locally targeted cytoprotection with dextran sulfate attenuates experimental porcine myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury

Aims Intravascular inflammatory events during ischaemia/reperfusion injury following coronary angioplasty alter and denudate the endothelium of its natural anticoagulant heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) layer, contributing to myocardial tissue damage. We propose that locally targeted cytoprotection of ischaemic myocardium with the glycosaminoglycan analogue dextran sulfate (DXS, MW 5000) may protect damaged tissue from reperfusion injury by functional restoration of HSPG. Methods and results In a closed chest porcine model of acute myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion injury (60 min ischaemia, 120 min reperfusion), DXS was administered intracoronarily into the area at risk 5 min prior to reperfusion. Despite similar areas at risk in both groups (39±8% and 42±9% of left ventricular mass), DXS significantly decreased myocardial infarct size from 61±12% of the area at risk for vehicle controls to 39±14%. Cardioprotection correlated with reduced cardiac enzyme release creatine kinase (CK-MB, troponin-I). DXS abrogated myocardial complement deposition and substantially decreased vascular expression of pro-coagulant tissue factor in ischaemic myocardium. DXS binding, detected using fluorescein-labelled agent, localized to ischaemically damaged blood vessels/myocardium and correlated with reduced vascular staining of HSPG. Conclusion The significant cardioprotection obtained through targeted cytoprotection of ischaemic tissue prior to reperfusion in this model of acute myocardial infarction suggests a possible role for the local modulation of vascular inflammation by glycosaminoglycan analogues as a novel therapy to reduce reperfusion injur

Mental health prevalence and predictors among university students in nine countries during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-national study

The student population has been highly vulnerable to the risk of mental health deterioration during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This study aimed to reveal the prevalence and predictors of mental health among students in Poland, Slovenia, Czechia, Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Turkey, Israel, and Colombia in a socioeconomic context during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study was conducted among 2349 students (69% women) from May–July 2020. Data were collected by means of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), Gender Inequality Index (GII), Standard & Poor’s Global Ratings, the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker (OxCGRT), and a sociodemographic survey. Descriptive statistics and Bayesian multilevel skew-normal regression analyses were conducted. The prevalence of high stress, depression, and generalized anxiety symptoms in the total sample was 61.30%, 40.3%, and 30%, respectively. The multilevel Bayesian model showed that female sex was a credible predictor of PSS-10, GAD-7, and PHQ-8 scores. In addition, place of residence (town) and educational level (first-cycle studies) were risk factors for the PHQ-8. This study showed that mental health issues are alarming in the student population. Regular psychological support should be provided to students by universities

Programul screening-ului şi monitoring-ului familiilor canceroase în Republica Moldova. Comunicarea I. Cercetarea rudelor asimptomatice

Indivizii care prezintă un risc canceros familial majorat (în familie sunt udentifi cate 3 şi mai multe cazuri de neoformaţiuni maligne) necesită o abordare de screening deosebită de persoanele cu risc mediu, ce necesită screening standard. Printre cele 278 rude cercetate din 163 de familii cu anamneză oncologică neagravată, diverse patologii au fost depistate la 78(28.0%) persoane. Preponderent această patologie era reprezentată prin adenoame colorectale (13.3%) şi alte tumori benigne (12.6%). Rata neoformaţiunilor maligne printre rudele de gradul întâi a constituit 2.3%. În cele 74 familii cu anamneza oncologică agravată, în care printre rudele de gradul întâi, în afară de probant, erau 2 şi mai multe cazuri de NFM, dar formal care nu se raportau nici la unul din sindroamele menţionate, frecvanţa depistării patologiilor precanceroase şi canceroase la rudele de gradul întâi era destul de înaltă - 44.8%. Printre rudele de gradul întâi în aceste familii CCR a fost depistat în 11(10.3%) cazuri, NMPM – în 3(2.8%), CEM, CGM şi alte NFM în câte 1(0.9%) caz. случаю. Adenoame colorectale au fost depistate la 19(17.7%) pacienţi. Procentajul cel mai înalt de depistare a NFM a fost observat în familiile cu sindromul clasic HNPCC. Din cele 45 de rude asimptomatice de gradul întâi a probanzilor cu sindromul HNPCC, prin cercetarea colonoscopică la 29(64.4%) s-a depistat patologie colorectală: la 11(24.4%) – adenoame solitare şi multiple colorectale şi la 18(37.7%). Procentajul majorat de depistare a neoformaţiunilor maligne printre membrii familiilor cu anamneză eredo-colaterală agravată dictează necesitatea efectuării screeningului la aceste persoane cu scopul depistării precoce a formelor incipiente de cancer şi profilaxiei secundare a cancerului. Datele obţinute în urma cercetării pot servi ca bază pentru elaborarea algoritmului de screening la rudele asimptomatice ale pacienţilor cu CCR, tumori maligne ale sistemului reproductiv feminin şi neoformaţiunilor maligne primar multiple

A Comparison of Depression and Anxiety among University Students in Nine Countries during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The mental health of young adults, particularly students, is at high risk during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this studywas to examine differences inmental health between university students in nine countries during the pandemic. The study encompassed 2349 university students (69% female) from Colombia, the Czech Republic (Czechia), Germany, Israel, Poland, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, and Ukraine. Participants underwent the following tests: Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-8), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), Exposure to COVID-19 (EC-19), Perceived Impact of Coronavirus (PIC) on students’ well-being, PhysicalActivity (PA), andGeneral Self-ReportedHealth (GSRH). The one-wayANOVAshowed significant differences between countries. The highest depression and anxiety risk occurred in Turkey, the lowest depression in the Czech Republic and the lowest anxiety in Germany. The 2 independence test showed that EC-19, PIC, and GSRHwere associatedwith anxiety and depression inmost of the countries, whereas PA was associated in less than half of the countries. Logistic regression showed distinct risk factors for each country. Gender and EC-19 were the most frequent predictors of depression and anxiety across the countries. The role of gender and PA for depression and anxiety is not universal and depends on cross-cultural differences. Students’mental health should be addressed froma cross-cultural perspective

Modern-day Russia and the problems of the “silver” generation in the digital millennium

An important peculiarity of the future economy is principal change in the labor market structure determined by demographic factors one of which is significant increase of pension aged population. This age group becomes the key potential resource of increasing the number of employed people in all the developed and in some developing countries. Population with graying hair becomes a powerful resource for development of economy of a new type which has received a poetic name – “silver” economy. Studying the problems and prospects of developing the “silver” economy is one of the most actual scientific tasks of the modern time. The second important tendency of the modern era is vigorous development of technologies and transition to digital economy. Successful involvement in the changing labor market requires confident mastering of modern informational communicational technologies. However, this task is a certain challenge for representatives of the “silver generation”. A review of foreign studies on the problems of the influence of demographic changes at the labor market of developed countries on the structure and quality of labor force is represented in the article; a dynamics of using modern digital technologies by representatives of the “silver generation” is described; the instruments of stimulating the use of modern information technologies in older age groups are distinguished. The analysis of demographic tendencies in Russia is conducted; the necessity of involving employable representatives of older age groups in the labor market is justified. On the basis of the empirical study undertaken by the authors, the peculiarities of value orientations at work places of representatives of different age groups are distinguished and characterized, and also key psychological characteristics of representatives of the elder generations of employees as members of work collectives are described

Modern-day Russia and the problems of the “silver” generation in the digital millennium

An important peculiarity of the future economy is principal change in the labor market structure determined by demographic factors one of which is significant increase of pension aged population. This age group becomes the key potential resource of increasing the number of employed people in all the developed and in some developing countries. Population with graying hair becomes a powerful resource for development of economy of a new type which has received a poetic name – “silver” economy. Studying the problems and prospects of developing the “silver” economy is one of the most actual scientific tasks of the modern time. The second important tendency of the modern era is vigorous development of technologies and transition to digital economy. Successful involvement in the changing labor market requires confident mastering of modern informational communicational technologies. However, this task is a certain challenge for representatives of the “silver generation”. A review of foreign studies on the problems of the influence of demographic changes at the labor market of developed countries on the structure and quality of labor force is represented in the article; a dynamics of using modern digital technologies by representatives of the “silver generation” is described; the instruments of stimulating the use of modern information technologies in older age groups are distinguished. The analysis of demographic tendencies in Russia is conducted; the necessity of involving employable representatives of older age groups in the labor market is justified. On the basis of the empirical study undertaken by the authors, the peculiarities of value orientations at work places of representatives of different age groups are distinguished and characterized, and also key psychological characteristics of representatives of the elder generations of employees as members of work collectives are described

Applying blockchain in the modern supply chain management: Its implication on open innovation

Over the past decade, the blockchain technology has been actively embraced by an increasing number of companies. Blockchain has proven its effectiveness not only in the financial sector, but also in logistics and supply chain management, and has received extensive coverage in the scientific literature. At the same time, the implementation of blockchain in logistics and supply chain management (SCM) is technically difficult and requires significant financial costs. In this regard, its distribution in countries across the world is uneven. In this study, we compare the implementation of blockchain in countries with developed (Germany) and emerging (Russia) economies. Thus, our study provides new findings and information on the similarities and differences in blockchain implementation strategies in countries with developed and emerging economies. This comparative analysis reveals country peculiarities and different approaches regarding the application of blockchain technologies. The research methodology is based on the case study method. Three economic sectors are selected for the cross-country comparative analysis: the energy, food, and pharmaceutical industries. The analysis is focused on the use of blockchain along all three parts of the supply chain: upstream, production and downstream. Using theory building through case studies, our research results reveal many similarities in blockchain implementation in Germany and Russia. They show that blockchain is actively used in all three analyzed sectors by companies in both countries. Moreover, the technology proves its effectiveness in both upstream and downstream parts of the supply chain. In both Germany and Russia, blockchain is mainly used by large businesses due to its high costs. However, there are some differences regarding the implementation process of the technology in both countries. Firstly, the state support is required for some Russian blockchain projects. Secondly, none of the Russian companies has the necessary "full range" of blockchain competencies, so all Russian projects are carried out in collaboration with other parties, primarily IT partners. Thirdly, most of the Russian blockchain projects are still local in nature and relate to the use of technology in the relationship between the specific supplier and corresponding consumers

Research of innovations implementation within the seaport anti-crisis policy

The scientific task of the research consists in solving the difficult contradiction between the need to decrease the expenses according to the ant-crisis policy on one hand and the necessity to implement innovations for increasing efficiency of supply chain on the other hand. The features of modelling of the process of innovations implementations are studied regarding the seaport as an important element I supply chain infrastructure. Seaports are the main links of the global transport infrastructure. They make it possible to have trade partnership between countries. Here the process of innovation implementation on the example of anti-crisis measures for the ports as institutional and operational clusters is presented. Theoretical framework to conceptualize innovations at a commercial seaport as anti-crisis complex process. The primary objective for the commercial seaport is marine terminals’ modernization through rational distribution of cargo flows and reconstruction of capacities for certain types of cargo. New tools and technologies as well as modern intelligent control systems of industrial and economic processes can add up to the innovative component in the development of the commercial seaport. Active implementation of logistics transport and technological systems is proven to be the most effective route in the field of innovative development