No 7-8 (2024)

The article attempts to look at the ontology of economic science from the standpoint of the dual nature of the human personality, which combines two principles – individualism and collectivism. The purpose of this study is to identify the true nature of man, who is not a one-dimensional individualist, but also has features of collectivism, i.e. the desire and ability to live in society. The author puts forward and seeks to prove the following hypothesis: individualism and collectivism are simultaneously inherent in the human personality and inevitably manifest themselves in its vital interests, including economic ones. The research methodology, based on taking into account the objective and subjective factors of economic life, allows us to identify the genesis of public interests as a continuation of the collectivist principle in man himself, as well as to characterize and typologize public goods in their combination with private goods. Based on the analysis, the one-sidedness of methodological individualism is shown, which takes into account only the egoistic nature of man and not his collectivist principle. The overwhelming majority of society, with the help of the state, forces the disobedient minority to obey the rules of community life, without which social life is impossible. As a result of the study, the main conclusion is made about the need to replace methodological individualism with the principle of methodological dualism, postulating a dialectical combination of individualistic and collectivist inclinations of people.

Within the theoretical framework of social and individual needs satisfied in the sphere of education, the paper traces the main stages of educational reforms in the post-Soviet Russia, analyzes the consequences of the reforms for social development and for the labor market. It is shown that during the period of socio-economic transformations and adaptation to market realities, underestimation of specific features of educational process undermined its key functions and led to the formation of degradation mechanisms. The underlying factors exacerbating professional-educational mismatch and weakening mechanisms of social equalization are revealed. Taking into account the specifics of the sphere of education, alternative approaches to its financing are discussed.

In the article the author analyzes the current state of digital competencies of the population of the Pskov Oblast based on the results of interviews on the following topics: information security, digital skills, trust and fears on the Internet, educational opportunities and professional development. It is revealed that with a high self-assessment of digital skills respondents possess only basic digital competencies, most interviewees lack knowledge about information security, many do not follow copyright laws. To solve the problems, the article offers recommendations on the format of digital competence development courses that meet the principles of social innovation.

One of the tools for the stable functioning of organizations is to increase the efficiency of the use of fixed capital. The main directions of development of the fishery complex are determined by the corresponding state program approved by the resolution of the Primorsky Territory Administration. One of the tasks is technical re-equipment, stimulating the renewal and modernization of fixed production assets, which should lead to an increase in the output of fish products. In accordance with the program, positive changes are already taking place in the industry. However, there are still unresolved problems regarding the efficiency of the use of fixed capital and its improvement in the future. In the article, the factors that determine the prospects for increasing the efficiency of the use of fixed capital of fishery organizations are analyzed using quantitative assessments.

The article substantiates that the appearance of digital technologies has made portfolio investments the main tool for increasing the national wealth of the world’s leading economies. The authors pay special attention to the place and role of Russia in modern global investment processes.

The article examines the transport development of the intracontinental spaces of Eurasia and their interrelations with the Belt and Road initiative and the activities of the EAEU in infrastructure construction.

The emergence of the Initiative is due to several large-scale global economic processes, such as the shift of the center of world production to Asia, China’s leading role in the global economy, its desire to form a different, more equitable model of world economic relations, the growth of geopolitical, transport and economic dynamics of intra-continental events. The central element of the Initiative is China’s willingness to finance local infrastructure projects in which there is a common interest.

The integration project is focused on the state sovereignty of the participating countries, the transformation of the EAEU into a dynamically developing region of Eurasia, and the economic attraction for third countries. The EAEU sees the creation of a modern communications infrastructure (the Eurasian transport framework) as the main prerequisite for achieving these objectives. One of the important results of the conjugation of the mega-project and the activities of the EAEU has been a multiple increase in trade and transport communications between China and the EAEU countries. The implemented, ongoing and recommended projects of international transport corridors ensure the permissive effect of intra-continentality and a wider use of the advantages of the Central Eurasia position for the development of the countries of Central Asia, Western China and the Siberian regions of Russia.

The article examines the development of the Mongolian vector of foreign economic policy, the strategy of Russia’s turn to the East, within which it seeks global multipolarity and a reduction in opportunities for U.S. domination. In Russia’s confrontation with the United States and its allies after the reunification of Crimea in 2014 and especially after the start of the Russian Special military operation in February 2022 of particular importance is the development of Russian-Mongolian economic and political cooperation in the Russia-Mongolia-China triangle and in regional associations (EAEU, SCO, ASEAN, etc.).

The article shows that Mongolia, which sticks to political neutrality, is actively developing economic ties with both neighboring countries – Russia and China – and (within the framework of the “third neighbor” concept) with the United States, the EU, Japan, South Korea and other developed countries, in competition with which Russia now has to renew the economic partnership with Mongolia once lost after the collapse of the USSR. The result of the study is the conclusion that currently Russia’s foreign economic interests in Mongolia are mainly built on the economic and infrastructure projects of the Chinese Initiative “One Belt, One Road”, thereby strengthening the Chinese factor in the bilateral Russian-Mongolian economic partnership, which in the future may lead to new risks to national economic security.