Andrey E Shastitko

The role of Marx’s “Capital” studies in the formation of Russian economists (The roundtable discussion at Lomonosov Moscow State University)

The roundtable took place on May 18, 2018 within the International forum MARX—XXI in commemoration of Karl Marx 200thxa0birth anniversary. The event gathered leading Russian economists representing Lomonosov Moscow State University, Higher School of Economics, Financial University, Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. The participants of the roundtable assessed the role of Karl Marx’s heritage studies in the intellectual development of contemporary Russian economists, shared their personal experience in Karl Marx’s “Capital” studies during the special seminar at the economic faculty of Moscow State University, determined the most challenging problems of today, which were raised by Marx, and presented their recommendations on Karl Marx’s works studies in Russian universities.

Institutions and production material-intensity: A new look at the old problem

The article proposes an approach to investigation of opportunities, conditions and restrictions of changes in production resource intensity as a correlate of institutional changes in the industry linked with technological innovations. Analysis of the large-diameter pipes industry demonstrates tight institutional restrictions (comparing with technological ones) during the transition to a less resource-intensive production with lower material reliability factor. In addition, the question of the possibility of implementing institutional changes supporting the introduction of technological innovations in the industry, due to the interest groups’ costs and benefits analysis, is being explored.

Incentives for process innovations under discrete structural alternatives of competition policy

This study analyses the incentives for process innovations under different conditions determined by the competition policy for intellectual property rights (IPR) and particular features of markets and technologies. Competition policy is defined by the presence or absence of compulsory licensing, markets are characterized by technological leadership or technological competition. The results of modelling show that the uncertainty engendered by technological competition may lower the intensity of innovative activities, if there are no mechanisms of coordination between participants. Voluntary licensing generally improves social welfare but does not guarantee an increase in innovative efforts. Compulsory licensing can impede innovations due to the opportunistic behaviour of market participants but certain measures of state policy can prevent this negative effect.

Effects of Hostility Tradition in Antitrust: Leniency Programs and Cooperation Agreements

The article focuses on the effects that type I errors can have on the incentives of firms to compete, collude or engage in efficiency promoting socially beneficial cooperation. Our results confirm that in the presence of type I errors the introduction of a leniency program can have ambiguous effects, including the destruction and prevention of welfare enhancing horizontal cooperation agreements. The obtained results help understand the negative impact the hostility tradition resulting in type I enforcement errors can have on social welfare when applied to the regulation of horizontal agreements.