Vol. 23 No. 1 (2021)

The pandemic has become the reason for structural reforms as well as for discussing many issues by the expert community. In this regard, the Gaidar Forum - 2021 became the very platform where experts in various fields of knowledge could meet. Specialists discussed such issues as sustainable development problems, the innovative focus of development, the introduction of IT technologies, restructuring of national economies, new business models, etc. Most of the questions, one way or another, concern the problem of the evolution of the living environment. These are the questions that were presented by the experts of the “Building together” discussion platform. Analyzing the results of the construction complex, which ensures the implementation of the national project “Housing and the Urban Environment”, made it possible to identify the nature of further measures taken by the Government of the Russian Federation in order to create a competitive living environment. Experts systematized the prospects for business models of investment and construction activities involved in the development of territories, identified new tools for enhancing investment activity, and focused the attention of the authorities on information and communication technologies used in modeling the living environment.

The paper examines the events of the Gaidar Forum - 2021 dedicated to the features of digital transformation. By analyzing the speakers’ presentations, the author notes the need to minimize the negative consequences of the coronavirus pandemic for the world economy, to unleash the creative potential and sustainable development of countries. At the same time, the question of creating an image of the future, a semantic paradigm, a strategy for the development of an integral system remains relevant. This requires strengthening business partnerships, well-coordinated interaction of government agencies (departmental and interdepartmental), and improvement of the digital economy during its transformation. The digitalization of economy enhances economic growth, creates opportunities for structural transformations, and necessary conditions for the “post-covid” development of the healthcare system. Digitalization should bring about a proactive, standardized online public service delivery. Digital transformation brings many significant structural changes affecting many areas of our lives. Since digitalization is a long-term and complicated process, particular attention should be paid to maintaining the stability of the labor market, the efficiency of the education system, and the security of big data. Digital transformation should improve the quality of public services, the overall number of digital service users, and the growth of citizens’ well-being.

The article presents a comparative analysis of governance quality in Russia and other countries in the top ten leaders in terms of GDP level (based on purchasing power parity). Based on the synthesis of international approaches, the author suggests three critical dimensions to measuring governance quality: justified and impartial state interference, effectiveness, and efficiency. The analysis is based on the data of international organizations. The article suggests that, among other countries, Russia is not leading in any of governance quality indicators. Noteworthy, while Russia's positions are comparable with those of other large countries in human development index, adjusted net savings, and the ease of doing business, the country is lagging behind most of the top ten world economies both in terms of citizen satisfaction with education and primary health services and in terms of the level of citizen protection from government-controlled risks. In the area of corruption, the gap is even more significant. Overall, the results of the comparative analysis suggest the need to undertake a system of measures aiming at improving justice, effectiveness, and efficiency of public administration in Russia based on developing and implementing a comprehensive governance quality enhancement strategy. This would allow transforming public administration into a factor supporting rather than constraining social and economic development and improving quality of life in Russia.

The article describes the features of digital transformation for public administration and civil service. Public administration should become the basis of changed public relations; ensure the solution of the most significant issues affecting citizens through the use of data in a single information (digital) space. Coordinated work and ensuring horizontal and vertical cooperation between public authorities and local self-governments are an integral part of this process. Digital transformation is understood as the process of creating a single national digital space. The provision of public services and the execution of powers take place through the interaction of digital twins of government bodies and government civil servants. At the same time, other business entities, non-profit organizations, residents of the country, and their associations will be able to connect to this information space. The implementation of this concept will contribute to improving the efficiency and quality of public administration.

Digital transformation of society and Russian economy has become a significant task for governing authorities and dictates the need for further changes at the level of the final consumer of these transformations - a person included in the system of network relationships, where family is the primary unit. Although family personifies traditional parental relations, it has its own dynamic processes taking place within it; they are associated with age, gender, status, and other differences that are intensified during the digitalization of society. Using the example of a model family, with its traditions and values, consisting of retirees (grandparents), parents (adults), and children from pre-school age to adolescents starting an independent life, the author proposes to consider changes that the state policy in the field of digital economy and digital society will bring in the life of such model unit of society. The modern family is an interested and active subject of the digital space. Taking into account the above, the authors are sure that it is necessary to conduct more active state policy in this direction. The lack of research on this topic also emphasizes the relevance of this article.

The article provides and analyzes the theoretical foundations and practices of digitalization of integration associations on the example of the European Union and the Eurasian Economic Union. Studying the program documents on digitalization (digital agendas), the authors identified the features and risks of the digital transformation of various integration associations. The article describes the digitalization of integration associations as a concept and logic of interaction between citizens, business entities, industry structures, government bodies of countries participating in an integration association in a common information space. These ideas are expressed in the form of explicit algorithms, specifications, and standards unified for each participating country and implemented in the form of integrated information systems of B2B, B2G, G2G formats with a single coordination and monitoring center.

The idea of protecting the European essence from collapse due to modern challenges (migration, terrorism, tensions between the EU and Asia, threats from the Middle East, discord in relations with Russia) is not new and has been discussed many times by many researchers. The author offers his solution for these and many other challenges. His vision of united Europe is offered in the preamble to the Constitution of a new confederation of European nations. This text is not an official position for political action or propaganda. This message is necessary to broaden the horizons for those Europeans who are accustomed to living for the sake of modern realities, without looking back at the great past of Europe. The author sees the solution to the impending challenges of our time in the history of European states, their economic and social development. The author proposes to Europe - if it wants to survive in the 21st century as a civilization, it needs to return to historical values and traditions that shaped it since the Middle Ages, and moreover, sharply reduce Brussels’ tendency towards centralism. Wherein a close partnership should be maintained between European countries in key policy areas. The proposed preamble appears to be a unifying political program that can act as gathering point for politicians and citizens with different views.

The article describes the perspectives for using mediation to resolve corporate disputes complicated by a foreign element, when it is necessary to resolve possible conflicts by reaching consensus between the parties. When using conciliation procedures, one should consider different states of the relevant national legislation and regional international agreements, and also take into account not only the interests and interpretation of the problem situation from the position of the participant - the party to the dispute, but also the legislative regulation based on the current legal framework. One problematic issue in this area is the existence of several legal approaches. Cooperation is often complicated by the likelihood of a negative outcome. Conflicts of interest can lead to unwanted consequences. One of the most effective ways for settling conflicts is the use of conciliation procedures: negotiations, mediation, mediation and judicial conciliation, as well as other procedures that do not contradict the current legislation. In general, mediation is seen as a flexible process that supports the autonomy of the parties, legal and non-legal approaches to problem solving and creative individual solutions. In addition, the issue of choosing conciliation procedure for resolving a dispute can be resolved by participants in corporate relations even before the conflict arises by fixing a mediation clause in the local documents of the organization.

Developing the talents of the organization’s employees is becoming an increasingly important component for the formation of the organization’s competitive advantages since it is aimed at attracting and retaining high-quality specialists. The concept of talent can be described as a multifaceted phenomenon, including person’s abilities acquired from birth, skills obtained throughout life, and involvement in a favorite type of occupation. The article describes the main ways to identify employees’ talents, such as: “Tricky questions”, “Matrix for determining talent”, and analysis of employee’s personal life. The author recommends paying special attention to the context and examples of difficult situations from the employee’s work activities, the made-up decisions in these conditions, as well as to analyze the most successfully mastered areas. The author also identifies key positions regarding the motivation of talent development and emphasizes that the main driving force in creative activity is not monetary remuneration or evaluation of human efforts but opportunities for employees to show an aptitude to research, learn and develop. As a result of analyzing the experience of talent management in the public service of the city of Singapore, the article highlights such methods of working with talented employees as allocating working time for training, staff rotation, participation in interstructural project teams, and mentoring. Also, the author considers the trend of introduction and use of artificial intelligence in the organization’s activities and its impact on the work of talented employees. It allows automating routine work and creating conditions for shifting the focus of employees to work creatively.

The article was prepared based on the materials of the meetings of the Sretensky club. The author uses the spheral approach as a theoretical and methodological basis for the article. The author offers his views on the prospects for human development, the evolution of the economy, and social relations. It is noted that at present, in the digital era, the development of society represents the transition of humanity to a qualitatively new formation, which, in turn, requires an active transformation of the goal-setting, taking into account the majority of opinions. The possibilities of digitalization confront humanity with a moral choice: the emergence of a “digital concentration camp” or digital social justice and the harmonious development of social relations when the idea of a fair society in its many forms will become decisive. The author believes that the goals for the development of all humanity should be of higher priority to any regional, state, group, or personal ambitions. It is required to ensure the social well-being and prosperity of all people, regardless of their race, nationality, confession, gender, age, and social status; also, the formation of a planetary civilization should take place when everyone is valuable and in demand for the creation of a long and happy life in harmony with nature and the universe. According to the author, a major anthropological transition should cause cardinal changes in all spheres of life, and the measure of these changes will be a person and his wellness. The economy should become “smart”, and the necessary governance will emerge over time; health care will be able to guarantee people decent health protection and strengthening of immunity; humanitarian and moral education will serve to foster dedication and responsibility, and science will become a powerful way of creative self-expression; the cultural preferences of people will also change. The author notes the special place for Russian people in the formation of a new stage for all humanity: the wisdom of Russian people historically and genetically embodies individual passionarity and patriotism not contradicting with the all-human principle.

The article examines the views of Count B.Ch. Minich on the nature and mechanism of state government. The article examines the thoughts of this statesman about the goals and nature of governance, correlates his theoretical views with management practice, analyzes proposals to change the system of public administration and civil service. The author uses historical and textual analysis (semantic, terminological, and discursive) in combination with the method of historical and situational analysis. Particular attention is paid to the concept of “emptiness” in public administration, which is fundamental for the theoretical studies of Count Minich. As a result of the analysis, it is concluded that “emptiness” means the absence of a system for making government decisions and their implementation. According to Minich, the main consequence of this problem was the strengthening of the influence of the Empress's favorites, and as for the country, there was nothing good in this at all. To remedy the situation, Minich suggested implementing “rational bureaucracy”, which was expressed in his proposals to institutionalize the governance system, introduce stable procedures, rely on laws, and not use personal relationships to conduct the country's affairs. Minich adhered to functional, rational, and bureaucratic (procedural) principles of governing. He believed that the imperfection of the monarchical way of government (“emptiness” in governance) could be corrected through the above-mentioned transformations and relying on those persons who have such qualities as honesty, diligence, etc.

The article examines and analyzes the process of the formation and development of the public administration system in the Republic of Kazakhstan. Attention is paid to the period after Kazakhstan declared its independence and the Republic’s secession from the USSR in 1991. The article provides a detailed analysis of the three stages of administrative reform aimed at the formation of a modern system of public administration in Kazakhstan; the work also contains a detailed description of the regulatory documents adopted at each stage. The system of training and education of civil servants in the Republic of Kazakhstan is described in detail; the main element is universities, which are the foundation in the system of training civil servants. The system of civil service and civil service personnel training is shown in the context of the socio-economic and political transformations of the Republic, its fundamental legislative acts and regulations, decisions of the country’s authorities, strategies, and state programs. The authors emphasize the close interconnection between the civil service and civil service personnel training system with the state policy of the Republic of Kazakhstan as an integral and most important part of the state. At the beginning of the article, there is a comparative analysis of the socio-economic development of Kazakhstan, based on information from the official international indices of economic and social development.