A hostel is not just a cheap hotel with shared facilities, but a specific business model supporting an emerging new culture in the tourism industry, one which mainly targets the 'creative class' and the members of modern urban subcultures, according to the recent report 'Hostels: A New Culture of Hospitality. St. Petersburg's Experience' by Senior Research Fellow of the HSE's Laboratory of Cultural Economics (St. Petersburg) Irina Borovskaya

A drop in food prices, particularly fruit and vegetable prices, usually observed in summer, and an improved situation in the commodity markets have helped slow down the rate of inflation, according to expert analysis in Comments on State and Business published by the HSE's Centre for Development

The government in Russia has been the main customer for research and development (R&D) since 2009, while the real sector of the economy finances only a third of the total R&D costs of innovation-focused research companies, according to findings from a monitoring of innovation activity carried out by the HSE's ISSEK

Experts from the HSE Center for Business Tendency Studies at the Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge have found that limited demand, high taxes, lack of financial means and a high level of uncertainty in the onward course of economic development all reduce the length of time for which businesspeople can plan, in turn obstructing investment and innovative initiatives

Data from Rosstat and the Federal Customs Service suggest that import substitution – not limited to substituted Ukrainian imports – has played a major role in keeping the Russian economy from recession in the first half of 2014. However, Russia cannot expect to achieve a sustained and dynamic GDP growth without boosting exports, in particular its non-commodity exports, according to expert analysis in Comments on State and Business published by the HSE's Centre for Development

A seasonal revival in consumer demand stimulated an increase inretail trade in Q2 2014. Food retail showed the best results, but intensified moods to save household earnings, a slowdown in income growth, high inflation, and difficulties in obtaining consumer credit might soon change the situation, according to experts from the Centre for Business Tendency Studies at the Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge at the Higher School of Economics in their latest monitoring of the retail business climate

Russia's cooperation with China ona natural gas deal over the next few years will marginally improve Russia's economic performance and bring additional revenues, but is unlikely to offset the country’s sluggish economic growth rates, according to the recent issue of New Comments on the State and Business published by the HSE Centre of Development Institute

Public sector employees are better off in the regions with fewer users of public services, substantial federal subsidies, and high unemployment. In such regions, a public sector job can bring in just 20% less pay than a private sector job, according to Anna Sharunina, Junior Research Fellow of the HSE's Centre for Labour Market Studies. Her findings are based on a multi-sectoral analysis of wage differences across different Russian regions

There is a big gap between the intention to start a business and actually doing it. According to Anna Lipatova, Junior Research Fellow of the HSE's International Laboratory for Socio-Cultural Research, less than one third of those who think of becoming entrepreneurs or starting another business bring their ideas to life

Social responsibility amongst business in Russia is gradually transforming from a corporate voluntary decision to standard conduct in the market. Society, state and business associations all expect notable social work from companies. Not taking part in sociallly responsible tasks often affects a company’s reputation, which can result in the loss of influence in the region. And on the contrary, becoming involved in social activities can make companies feel more confident, according to Irina Krasnopolskaya, Research Fellow of Centre for Studies of Civil Society and Non-Profit Sector

Russians are failing to cope with debt; small town economies are lagging behind; the Russian market is not favourable for a defined-contribution pension system, and Russian statistics are unsuitable for analysis – these were the top 15 most interesting papers from the HSE's XV April Conference, according to Opec.ru

Not everyone in Russia is willing to stand up for their labour rights when those rights are violated. In many cases, employees allow their grievances to build up in silence, while company owners feel free to ignore labour legislation. Such situations can lead to spontaneous protests, finds Professor Irina Kozina of the HSE Faculty of Sociology in her study of labour disputes in Russia