WebWISE: Web Interface Control and Sequential Exploration with Large Language Models

The paper investigates using a Large Language Model (LLM) to automatically perform web software tasks using click, scroll, and text input operations. Previous approaches, such as reinforcement learning (RL) or imitation learning, are inefficient to train and task-specific. Our method uses filtered Document Object Model (DOM) elements as observations and performs tasks step-by-step, sequentially generating small programs based on the current observations. We use in-context learning, either benefiting from a single manually provided example, or an automatically generated example based on a successful zero-shot trial. We evaluate the proposed method on the MiniWob++ benchmark. With only one in-context example, our WebWISE method achieves similar or better performance than other methods that require many demonstrations or trials

"Feed from the Service": Corruption and Coercion in the State-University Relations in Central Eurasia

Education in Central Eurasia has become one of the industries, most affected by corruption. Corruption in academia, including bribery, extortions, embezzlement, nepotism, fraud, cheating, and plagiarism, is reflected in the region’s media and addressed in few scholarly works. This paper considers corruption in higher education as a product of interrelations between the government and academia. A substantial block of literature considers excessive corruption as an indicator of a weak state. In contrast to standard interpretations, this paper argues that in non-democratic societies corruption is used on a systematic basis as a mechanism of direct and indirect administrative control over higher education institutions. Informal approval of corrupt activities in exchange for loyalty and compliance with the regime may be used in the countries of Central Eurasia for the purposes of political indoctrination. This paper presents the concept of corruption and coercion in the state-university relations in Central Eurasia and outlines the model which incorporates this concept and the “feed from the service” approach. It presents implications of this model for the state-university relations and the national educational systems in Central Eurasia in general and offers some suggestions on curbing corruption

Developing international business relationships in a Russian context

The collapse of the former Soviet Union has opened up a wealth of business opportunities for companies seeking new markets in the Russian Federation. Despite this, firms intending to do business in Russia have found themselves hampered by cultural differences in business practices and expectations. As Russia integrates into the global economy, understanding such practices and the managerial mindset of business people is crucial for managers who hope to navigate Russia's complex markets. This study draws on the trust literature and adopts quantitative tools to deconstruct the Russian 'Sviazi' system of social capital business networking. We develop a model isolating three dimensions of Sviazi: one an affective or emotional component; the second, a conative component; and the third, a cognitive component. The model provides a useful guide for helping foreign firms to succeed in Russia, while also serving as a basis for further research in the field. Keywords

The French Revolution in Russian political life : the case of interaction between history and politics

Shlapentokh Dmitry. The French Revolution in Russian political life : the case of interaction between history and politics. In: Revue des études slaves, tome 61, fascicule 1-2, 1989. Les Slaves et la Révolution française. pp. 131-142

Bolshevism as a Fedorovian regime*

Dmitry Shlapentokh, Bolshevism as a Fedorovian regime. The ideas of the Russian nationalism of Russia as a chosen nation were transformed in the mind of some of the Russian thinkers as the idea of humanity as a "chosen species" in which mastery over nature would ensure humanity an eternal life. Nikolai Fedorov was one of the best representatives of this sort of thinking. His ideas became an integral part of the philosophy of the Soviet regime. The political and economic expansion of the regime were viewed as the spreading of human power over the cosmos. At the same time, the collapse of communism and the USSR, the heir of the Russian Empire, was a death knell for Russian intellectuals for such a vision of the relationship between nature and humanity.Dmitry Shlapentokh, Le bolchevisme, un régime fédorovien. La vision du nationalisme russe, où la Russie faisait figure de « nation élue », se transforma chez certains intellectuels russes en une vision de l'humanité comme une « espèce élue » à laquelle la domination sur la nature assurerait la vie éternelle. Nikolaj Fedorov fut l'un des meilleurs représentants de ce courant de pensée. Ses idées furent intégrées dans la philosophie du régime soviétique. L'expansion économique et politique du régime fut assimilée au développement du pouvoir de l'homme sur le cosmos. L'effondrement du communisme et la disparition de l'URSS, héritière de l'Empire russe, sonnèrent le glas de cette vision de la relation entre la nature et l'humanité.Shlapentokh Dmitry. Bolshevism as a Fedorovian regime*. In: Cahiers du monde russe : Russie, Empire russe, Union soviétique, États indépendants, vol. 37, n°4, Octobre-décembre 1996. pp. 429-465

Алданов в контексте Французской революции

Shlapentokh Dmitry. Алданов в контексте Французской революции. In: Revue des études slaves, tome 66, fascicule 2, 1994. pp. 359-379

The Western historians of the French Revolution in the late 19th century Russian intellectual history

Shlapentokh Dmitry. The Western historians of the French Revolution in the late 19th century Russian intellectual history. In: Revue des études slaves, tome 63, fascicule 4, 1991. pp. 739-751

Thermidor or Mongol Empire : History as political model in Russian émigré thought

Dmitry V. Shlapentokh, Thermidor or Mongol Empire: History as a political model in Russian émigré thought. The article demonstrates that the Russian émigrés had been preoccupied with the historical analogies of the events which followed the Bolshevik Revolution. There were basically two historical models: French and Oriental. According to the "French model", the downfall of the Bolshevik regime would come about and the regime would suffer its Thermidor. On the other hand, according to the "Oriental model", the regime would enjoy its stability. While the French model had been popular shortly after the Bolshevik Revolution, the Oriental model became popular in émigré thought from the 1930's to the end ofthe 1950's.Dmitry V. Shlapentokh, Thermidor ou Empire mongol : l'histoire comme modèle politique dans la pensée des émigrés russes. Le présent article montre que les émigrés russes se sont intéressés aux analogies historiques des événements qui ont suivi la révolution bolchevique. Il y avait au fond deux modèles historiques : le français et l'oriental. Selon le « modèle français », la chute du régime bolchevik devait se produire et le régime devait subir son Thermidor. Selon le « modèle oriental », le régime connaîtrait la stabilité. Alors que le modèle français a été le plus courant peu après la révolution bolchevique, le modèle oriental est devenu populaire dans la pensée des émigrés des années 1930 jusqu'à la fin des années 1950.Shlapentokh Dmitry V. Thermidor or Mongol Empire : History as political model in Russian émigré thought. In: Cahiers du monde russe et soviétique, vol. 32, n°3, Juillet-Septembre 1991. pp. 379-408

The French and Russian Revolutions as observed by foreign witnesses of the Russian Revolution

Shlapentokh Dmitry. The French and Russian Revolutions as observed by foreign witnesses of the Russian Revolution. In: Revue des études slaves, tome 65, fascicule 3, 1993. pp. 493-498