Abstract: The research subject is the mechanism of anti-corruption examination of normative acts for the purpose of the struggle against corruption in municipal authorities. The research object is normative and other legal acts of a municipal unit. The author considers the aspects of the struggle against corruption in municipal authorities. The study demonstrates that the problem of corruption leads to weakening and reduction of the quality of the socio-economic environment. Besides, the author shows that normative acts are initially prone to be included into corruption processes and can have informal signs of corruption. Corruption covers all levels of authority. Particularly, the author gives special attention to its manifestations at the municipal level and civil society, since most socio-economic processes aimed at controlled development of cities and other territorial units are performed at this level. The research is based on the method of normative-legal analysis, where the powers of municipal authorities are limited and the possibility to define the limits of impact on lawmaking is formed. The analytical method helps define the most difficult aspects of formation of comprehensive normative acts, which would be able to resist corruption. The author describes the mechanisms of broad participation of the population in the preparation of decisions of local authorities. Particularly, they include that possibility to extend the sphere of activity of innovative forms of participation of the population and public associations such as public expertise. The further direction of development of the studies is the definition of the mechanism of realization of the results of public expertise in forecasting the actions of normative documents of municipal authorities. 

Abstract: The subject of this research is the complex of socio-economic and political-legal relations emerging in the context of the work of the Union State authorities. The object of this research is the executive authorities of the Union State. The article demonstrates that transition towards the market relations alongside the establishment of the Union State require reforming the public administration mechanism and generating the new democratic political-legal structure that leans on the principle of separation of powers. The key priorities of state authority becomes the protection of human rights and freedoms, which in turns, requires a transition towards the new in their essence legal forms and methods of the work of executive authorities. The authors’ special contribution into this research consists in proving that the normative-legal and socio-economic base of regional administration in the Russian Federation and Republic of Belarus significantly differs in its efficiency. Depending on the scale of administrative activity of one or another region, the authors propose the ways for optimizing efficiency of the regional administration. The scientific novelty lies in the introduced by the author new and improved methods for assessing the efficiency of work of the regional authorities in the organizations of integration character.

Abstract: The subject of the study is institutional and economic relations influencing the development of competition among national innovation systems in the post-Soviet space aimed at ensuring economic security in the global world. The subject of the research is innovative systems of the Union State.  The authors claim that intensity of competition at the turn of the 21st century was conditioned by unevenness of economic and social development expressed in disparity of the development not only of separate countries but also of regions and industries through different capital accumulation rates. In this context, the formation and implementation of effective competitive strategies by international companies and states in order to ensure their high competitive status is a priority task of international policies of almost all developed countries of the world. The authors consider such aspects of the topic as competitiveness determined by the criterion of effectiveness of any economic entity. The level of NIS competitiveness also determines the world economic positions of countries.  The use of methods of theoretical analysis (induction and deduction, general-to-specific and specific-to-general analysis, theoretical comparison, comparison and generalization) along with targeted-programme method allowed to analyse the existing approaches and techniques for the study of various aspects of innovative systems integration of neighbouring countries with the aim of identifying, finalizing and developing new approaches to exploration of NIS competitiveness and development effects. Methods for empirical information procession and analysis (grouping, comparison, index, correlation and regressive analysis) allowed to obtain new reliable indicators on the development and functioning of the NIS of neighbouring countries. Scientific novelty of the research: it was shown that the forms and methods of state management in the field of scientific and technological activities are not properly regulated at the regional level. The evident trends clearly indicate that there is still no effective system of promotion of innovative activity of economic entities at the regional and state levels, and therefore there is a need in a special wide system of regulators of this process to revitalize the innovative activities.  The authors offered a mechanism for promoting the innovative activity of economic entities which should operate at all levels - from government to local authorities. The article also proposes a system of innovative activity financing from all possible sources. The concepts of competitiveness of national economy are of great practical importance for the development of programs improving national competitive advantages, as well as developing its export base at the national and regional levels over the long term. The places occupied by the regions of the Union State in the ratings of authoritative international organizations clearly demonstrate their non-competitiveness. A prerequisite for overcoming the crisis, for integration and solution of the national security problems is the development and implementation of global strategic architecture for improvement of its international competitiveness. 

Abstract:  
The subject of this research is the sociocultural and economic relations that emerge during the formation of state ideology of the image of Union State. The object is the regional mass media of the Union State, since information support on carrying out the budget of the Union State falls predominantly upon one global mass media source and does not promote the image of the state throughout the regions. The article examines mass media that are either private or state by the form of ownership, as well as provides the scenarios of development of the situation, when each of the mass media sources has access to the government procurement as the main channel of financial support of their activity. The author also reviews the impact of the federal and regional mass media upon the formation of image of the state through propaganda of the independent support of mass media or within the state programs. The article demonstrates that the Union State is in the position, when the global space faces the process of globalization and establishment of block formations. Development of Russia-Belarus Union has over 20 years of experience in building the intrastate partnership. The Eurasian Economic Union was founded on similar experience. The overcoming of contradictions and obstacles towards the future integration is based on the opportunities of ensuring the sustainable factor of joint development. And without any doubts, this factor must be the economic one. However, each block formation has its own environment for development, which in many ways represents the source of searching the ways of coexistence. The scientific novelty consists in formulation of the new methods pertaining to the current tasks of mass media to realize their functions. It is suggested to use the thematic of the social network structure, when the news and messages of the authorities reach the broader audience, because they carry maximal personalization and the interests is based on the cognitive strive for increasing the level of information awareness about the social conditions. The article also presents the regional aspects of such activity.
 

Abstract: The paper considers the problem of development of trade and economic relations between the regions of Russia and Belarus in the context of the Union State formation. The authors prove that to fully implement international cooperation in the spheres of trade, industry, power engineering, and socio-cultural sphere, it is necessary to develop transregional interaction in the spheres of transport, communications and Media. The research object is transregional communications of the Union State. The research subject is socio-economic relations within transregional communications of the Union State. The authors apply the method of system analysis to estimate the geographical dispersion of cooperation in the spheres of transport and communications and reveal the necessity to diversify such interactions according to the geographical principle. Special attention is paid to the analysis of border territories of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus. The authors prove that within the Union State, contacts and broader cooperation between the regions are connected with the difficulties of federative and unitary state structures, and offer organizational, economic, and legal measures to solve these problems. The authors consider the improvement of cooperation in the creation of transport infrastructure and the communications system as a prerequisite to the extension of innovation potential and the increase of investment potential of Russian and Belarusian regions. 

Abstract: The subject of this research is the forms, structures, and methods of corruption phenomena in the higher school. It is determined that corruption is a countermeasure for the goals of socioeconomic development. At the same time, economic education largely has negative consequences for the state economic development due to the practical application of the acquired knowledge and forecast of the normative legal foundation for increasing the sustainability of state alongside ensuring the development of the Russian Federation in international organizations. The structure of the corruption activity is presented. The scientific novelty consists in identification of the necessary structure and composition of the counter corruption measures. The authors determine the ways of counteracting from the side of the academic personnel and student community. Analyzing the problem of corruption in the higher education facilities, the authors highlight several key actors: heads of the educational sphere, teaching personnel, students, and parents. Between the aforementioned actors, emerge the so-called “non-normative relationships”, which contradict the ethical norms, job description, and legislative norms: bribery, exactions, favoritism, etc.

Abstract: The object of the research is the state and regional authorities. The subject of the research is the organisational and managing mechanisms that define efficiency of administration in terms of the project-based approach. The need to raise efficiency of state management at all levels of governance is becoming a crucial factor of Russian society's modernization. Defined as the process of transferring management functions and powers from central authorities to regional and local ones, devolution in its turn creates the need to look for efficient mechanisms of implementing socio-economic programs at the regional level. The research methods used by the authors include the analytical method, observation, comparison and description of social processes to study efficiency criteria of state authorities when using the project-based approach as well as the influence thereof on the social and economic development of the society. Adoption of project-based management methods is becoming an important instrument of the state policy aimed at sustainable development of territories. The isuses of institutional and procedural implementation of decentralization processes and granting necessary powers, functions and resources to regional and local authorities are growing especially important. The scientific novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the project-based approach to state management reveals new opportunities to modernize stage governance and offers a new system for evaluating the management mechanism efficiency at state and local authorities.

Abstract: The subject of the research is a set of measures and mechanisms that influence the efficiency of cluster projects. The object of the research is the interregional and interindustry entities in the Russian Federation and Belarus Republic as a single Union State. The authors of the article have analyzed the main indicators of their international cooperation as well as programs being implemented. They have covered not only prevailing programs proved and financed by the Union State but also initiation projects that arise as a result of cooperation between enterprises of different ownership forms in the territories of Russia and Belarus. The authors describe not only projects related to cooperation of neighboring territories but also remote districts. The research methodology involves the theory of cluster management, in particular, the part of the theory devoted to projecting distance entities, institutional monitoring of the general development of business infrastructure and comparative method to analyze participation of the state in the functioning of modern clusters. In their research the authors have demonstrated that innovative ability and technological availability are an essential element of the national economy's competitive ability taking into account the conditions of institutional changes. In the future the role of innovations in the process of developing the country's competitive ability will only continue to grow providing that the structure of the global industry will change towards high technology sectors. The drastic growth of nanotechnology and gene engineering will create new types of industry. However, a great number of problems related to the institutional basis of forming and developing competitive ability of innovation sectors of the Union State is still unsolved or understudied and thus require better research. For example, such spacial-time structures as innovation hubs still remain an understudied topic in the academic literature. The scientific novelty of the research is caused by the authors statement that it is impossible to develop and implement innovation clusters only through developing and politically implementing the Union State's development proejcts. Thus, the authors offer their own directions of implementing the provisions of the medium- and long-term cluster development and introduce the term 'innovation hub' as an aggregator of innovation projects. 

Abstract: The subject of the research is the mechanisms of cluster principles applied to organisation of industrial interaction at the regional level, in particular, the mechanisms that influence the innovative potential of the Central Federal District regions. The object of the research is the clusters of industrial regions in the Central Federal District. The author of the article covers such aspects as increasing innovative activity of regions and industrial clusters. He pays special attention at the  evidence base that the strategy of increasing economic competitiveness of the Russian Federation in general and RF regions in particular implies developing efficient industrial network systems and promoting cluster principles of industrial interaction organisation at the regional level. This provides better opportunities to both raise competitiveness of local business and boost up efficiency of the regional economic policy. The methodology of the research involves analytical, forecasting, and expert methods as well as the method of mathematical modelling of cluster evaluation. The scientific novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the author proves the need to conduct particular activities to create cluster-based innovative network clusters, to include measures aimed at developing priorities of national and regional clusters as part of the region's development programs and to involve scientific and educational centers into studying the global experience of clusters and training specialists to work under conditions of economy clusterization. According to the author, development of cluster compounds should be based on strategic solutions aimed at monitoring a profit zone related to the stages of social reproduction process.

Abstract: The object of this research is the innovation systems of the Union State. The subject is the establishment of structural orientation towards development of the innovation system within the integration unions. The transnational Russia-Belarus union is being examined as an example of such institution. The author analyzes the historical experience and efficiency of the modern programs of cooperation and their integrity. The organizational support of such cooperation, as well as budget and private sponsorship is being demonstrated. The goal of the work consists in formulation of the directions of technical, economic, innovation, and social cooperation between the states, which would encourage the further integration and establishment of the single economic and political space. The author reveals the institutional conditions for the reforms in education system, the concept of which lies in implementation of the three-level model of education, built in compliance with the principle of the intellectual education cluster. The methodology lies in the forecast assessment and formation of the criteria of efficiency of the existing systems regarding the share achievement of the set by the projects results. The result of this work consists in the thesis that the search and creation of the “new markets” for optimization, development, and expansion of entrepreneurship activity or establishment of the new business become the current demands of the modern economy. The scientific novelty lies in determination of the structure of innovation systems of the Union State. The author proposes the development of the state projects based on the indicated directions. The conclusion consists in the analysis of development of the innovation systems within the framework of the transnational union not only for the purposed of creation of the universal socioeconomic and political space, but also determination of the factors of limitation and potential expansion of cooperation within the innovation systems of the Union State.

Abstract: This article analyzes the problems of preparation of the students in “State and Municipal Management” academic discipline. In order to estimate the demand for graduates of this programme and find out what their professional self-fulfillment depends on, the authors have conducted anonymous opinion survey of prestigious economic universities undergraduates (bachelor and master degree course) and graduates specialized in this sphere. The questions were about correspondence of gained academic qualification and actual occupation, the importance of degree certificate, satisfaction with education quality, attitude to different aspects of studying etc. Having organized the data and compared it with previous surveys' results the authors come to conclusion that such interdependent factors as forethought of career choice, students' vision of academic planning, approach to teaching, practice-oriented type of education are essential to professional success and application of knowledge and skills.Informants' answers helped to count out the percentage of graduates whose occupation is connected with public administration, understand the reasons of choosing relevant master course, assess the significance of acquired competence and qualification for job placement at governmental organizations. The main scientific result of the research is working out a system of recommendations aimed at increasing demand for graduates specialized in the sphere of civil service, and, consequently, improving the efficiency of investment in management training. The presented measures can be used for the further modernization of the process of educational planning and taken into notice while developing academic programs.

Abstract: The subject of this research is the private educational facilities. The article shows the aspects of private educational facilities in the conditions of transformation of the education system. It is demonstrated that corruption is caused by decline in the quality of education and emergence of a number of educational facilities which set their main goal to be making profit without mediating social response. Russia’s structure of private education is seen as a branch of the educational market, which recently started to take the vector of institutionalization. The period of establishment of the image component is viewed as an applied aspect. The authors used the following methods: analytical for identification of the structure of place and role of private educational facilities; economic and statistical for the analysis of financial and economic component of the functioning of higher education facilities; as well as structural for determination of corruption in the private education. The scientific novelty of the research lies in determination of the main causes of corruption phenomena in private education, which include the decline in the quality of the research work, lack of opportunities on modernization of technical base and narrow-specialized disciplines in preparation of personnel for the highly competitive labor market with the minimal knowledge necessary for the formation of a competitive specialist.

Abstract: The article considers different aspects of state educational policy regarding managerial degrees in higher education institutions and its influence on the economic development of the country. It is illustrated by the example of the study programme "Public administration". Special attention is paid to such issues as the connection between the rules of admission and an effect they have on a career choice, the students' vision of academic planning, graduates' self-fulfilment in a certain professional field. The author emphasises the problem of the students' unwillingness to return to their regions from the capital as a factor of regional development gap. In order to make his arguments more persuasive, the author not only used theoretical methods of research (analytical, synthetic, comparative, abstract methods), but also conducted an anonymous survey of first-, second- and third-year students specialising in "Public administration". In the survey the students expressed their points of view on a number of aspects of the modern educational system and organisation of study in the University, and also told about their career and academic plans after graduation. The main scientific result of the research is elaboration of a system of measures aimed at improving of the efficiency of managerial training and modernisation of education in Russia in general. The article shows the opportunities of using foreign experience to improve the admission rules, and describes the economic effect of such reforms. The necessity to introduce state education programmes related to job placement based on the place of residence and its importance for the narrowing of regional development gap are also justified by the author.

Abstract: The paper shows the necessity for the securing of the development of the Russian Federation in the context of implementation of the industrial policy of the state. The subject of the research is the industrial policy in all its forms and methods of implementation. The aim of the article is to determine the necessary strategic ways of implementing regional economic policy for the successful implementation of industrial policy for the sustainable functioning of the state territory. The methodological basis of the study involves scientific methods of knowledge - synthesis as a tracing method to identify the cumulative effect of the industrial policy for the development of the region and the country as a whole, as well as analysis as an environmental parameter to identify the boundaries of permissible regulation between municipal, regional and federal authorities, and the extents of their responsibility. The study resulted in the fact that the article deals with the predominant form of implementation of cluster objects. The necessary level of management of development of industrial policy at regional levels of government is being defined. Managerial competences are distinguished between municipal and regional authorities. The results of the study can be applied for the formation of long-term and medium-term regional economic policy. The conclusions of the study demonstarte the prospects of integration of the implemented industrial policy into the regional economic space.