Consumption of energy is an objective (independent on cost fluctuations) technical efficiency criterion of any construction or repair work. Highway/road (particularly bituminous pavement) sector is an important construction industry part. Bituminous road pavement construction consists of such components as excavation and preparation of basic materials, manufacture of mixes, ready mix laying/compacting and transportation of all materials. Average energy consumption for every bituminous pavement construction component is assessed. Approach to resource and energy saving presented in the article may be used in construction industry to develop and implement innovative
technical and organizational solutions both of general application and for individual projects.

Marketing models are used for the assessment of such marketing elements as sales volume, market share, market attractiveness, advertizing costs, product pushing and selling, profit, profitableness. Classification of buying process decision taking models is presented. SWOT- and GAPbased models are best for selling assessments. Lately, there is a tendency to transfer from the assessment on the ba-sis of financial indices to that on the basis of those non-financial. From the marketing viewpoint, most important are long-term company activities and consumer drawing
models as well as market attractiveness operative models.

At present, main agency responsible for development of the institution of public-private partnership (PPP) in Russia is National PPP Center, a department of Vnesheconombank (VEB). Subjects of the Federation start forming their regional PPP centers (PPPRC). According to VEB scheme, PPPRC should be a subdivision of regional administration with two organs: the lower (working) one and a supreme one (consisting of higher regional officers and submitting to the head of the region). In order to make PPP management system more efficient, it is suggested that PPPRC working organ be formed as a joint-stock company with certain share of the state or (provisionally) as a public unitary enterprise. Risks specific for Russian regional PPP are discussed.

The actual deficiency of investment into Russian industry innovative development increases its technological drag from industries of countries with developed markets. Although the rate of investment into real sectors of Russian economics mid 2000 was higher compared to the previous period, annual investment amounts were much lower than in 1990. At present, highest investment amounts are directed to industry extractive branches and to the commerce. Amounts invested to various economy branches do not correspond to their contribution to the country’s
Gross Added Product; particularly underinvested are manufacturing industry branches. At present, foreign share in the country economy total investment makes 15–18%. Recently, most interesting for foreigners was investment to machine-building branches with overwhelming part (for example, 90% in 2007–2008) of foreign investment into the machine-building industry being directed to creation of new automobile plants. Today, first place in the list of foreign investors’ preferences in Russia is taken by the machine-tool construction sector.

Any region’s economy comprises production and non-production spheres which are interconnected and equivalent. Key part of any regional production sphere is its production infrastructure whose value is double: it defines the level of regional economic development on one hand, and
interrelation with the whole national economy on the other hand. The greatest and most important regional production infrastructure elements are transportation infrastructure, information/communication infrastructure and communal infrastructure. Analysis and solution of issues related to development of the basic regional production infrastructure elements as suggested in the article will be very useful for modernization of the national economy.

There are the following main operation risks typical for Russian power-selling companies (PSC): imperfection of legal documents related to functioning of such companies; lack of any officially approved calculation method for regulated tariffs of energy to population including uncertainty in the procedure of translating the energy to population at regulated costs; continuously growing debts on the part of energy consumers. Offered in the article is most effective PSC operation risk comparative estimation model. While comparing PSC operation risks typical for the energy provision industry, multiplication coefficients and other industry specific indices are to be used.

The most problematic issue in the theory of reproduction of human capital, author of the article considers the inclusion of human capital in real business turnover. The paper proposes several definitions of copyright «human capital», «intellectual capital», support the right to property of the
laborer to his human capital.

The price performs several economic functions: accounting, stimulation, distribution, demand and offer balancing, serving as production site rational choice criterion, information. Most important pricing principles are: price scientific and purpose-aimed substantiation, single pricing and price control process. Pricing process factors are external, internal, basic (independent on money-market), market-determined and controlling. Different pricing methods and models are to be examined, recommendations on practical application of those chosen are to be written.

After disintegration of the USSR, the euroasian idea known since 1920–1930-th, got transformed on the initiative of N. Nazarbayev, President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, into a constructive geopolitical doctrine that provides for a new mechanism of stepwise political and economical
integration of post-soviet states. Main aims of the euroasian union creation project were to provide for economic gains and safety to every participant thereof as well as to prevent division of the post-soviet space into Orthodox Christian and Islamic states and regions. Practical implementation of the euroasian ideas and respective efforts became Euroasian Economic Association (EvrAsES) formed by Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. By today, the euroasian idea has not yet been realized at full scale; long finishing work is ahead.

Existing methodological approaches to assessment of the innovation potential having been analyzed, a network system innovative potential identification and characterization method is proposed that makes it possible to assess the potential’s qualitative and quantitative components and to determine their consistency with national innovative system formation and development objectives. Four stages are recommended and determined to assess the network economy innovative potential. Main structural elements of the network economy innovative potential are the resource, institutional, infrastructural and resulting factor totalities.

Russian banks must carry out their activities with due account of forthcoming Basel-3 international banking reform and in context with situation formed in the international financial and banking system. Russian banking system internationalization along with the task of perfection of its international activity demands that a complex of effective measures be taken to improve respective state regulatory mechanisms including adjustment of the participation of foreign capitals both in banking system and economy of Russian in conformity with the country’s interests. Financial and investment policies of the state should be oriented towards provision for invulnerability of Russian economy and support of its real sector.

Four main development stages of the approach to informational support of innovative processes in Russian education (early 1980 – mid 1980, mid 1980 – early 1990, early 1990 – end 1990, first decade 2000) and preliminary stage (mid XX century – early 1980) are revealed and comprehensively discussed. Specific sub-space of innovative activities has gradually formed within the whole Russian educational information space. During the nearest decade, education in the country will undergo modernization mainly on the basis of the «Russian Education – 2020»
model in conjunction with development and implementation of education supporting information models within the frames of a goal-oriented distributive information system.

The small innovative business state support in economically developed countries is realized through assistance both to the small business on the whole and to organizations immediately dealing with innovative activities. Technology commercialization process runs also with priority participation of the state. Models used in different countries to stimulate the small entrepreneurship development are discussed along with their merits and drawbacks. It would be most appropriate for Russia to use key elements of the highly effective American system based on activities of innovative entrepreneurship supporting institutions and on a set of distinct legislative documents.

The essence of scientific innovative potential of the national innovative system is discussed. The influence of scientific innovative potential on economic safety is defined and on this basis innovative safety is specified in the economic safety structure. Basic directions of the innovative
safety are characterized, its threats and threshold indicators are defined.

Effective country and enterprise economic management determines survival of dozens thousand Russian enterprises under market economics conditions any time, but management on the basis of marketing elements gains particular importance during crises. Anti-crisis management is a complex preventive management model created and functioning to neutralize or mitigate crisis phenomena. Different anti-crisis management theoretical and practical concepts used in the world are discussed and compared along with the management research approaches. Described in the article is author’s approach to anti-crisis enterprise management based on the need for enterprise to study relations between certain marketing elements and project efficiency indices and to take them into account.

In Russian economics there are purely Russian private corporations as well as mixed state/private owned and transnational corporations. Specific ways of forming corporations in Russia resulted in corporate management models different from those used abroad (exclusive of largest holding
companies with considerable participation of the state). Difference in the corporation forms is determined by relations between owners and top managers. Efficient and sustainable (in the western sense) functioning of Russian corporations may become effective only after long time
provided RF ownership right legislation gets simultaneously improved.

Production of domestic machine-building industry suffers with poor quality, hence it does not stand competition with similar products. Falling-off is characteristic for production of all branches of the industry. The state must create such economic conditions that would stimulate transition of these branches to the innovative development way. One of the main factors that brake innovative development of the Russian economy production sphere under examination is unsatisfactory
motivation and payment of personnel engaged.

Basic regional economic integration directions contributing provision for national safety and national interests of Caspian geopolitical space states are discussed. Optimal ways to create favorable economic development pre-conditions for states of the Caspian region are defined. The influence of social and political challenges and threats on stability and state of affairs in the Caspian region as well as in the Caucasus, Persian Gulf and Central Asia is analyzed.

Accurate accounting of own expenses on rendering banking services and forming reasonable prices for them make it possible for commercial banks to adequately react to market situation changes. Credit risk minimization comprises: credit rationing (in Russia according to RF Central Bank norms); credit diversification; credit structuring; and forming reserves to cover respective bank risks (also in accordance with RF CB documents). Effective is bank credit hedging (insuring) through credit derivatives. Most advanced at international finance markets are such risk minimization systems as Basel-II and IRBA. Pricing models based on individual assessment of each borrower’s risk class (Risk Based Pricing approach) are widely used.

Lightening analysis of a company consists in studying relations between the company life stages and those of the companie’s product and niche. The lightening analysis is discussed for the company growth stage. One of the main parts of the analysis is diagnosis of the company resulting in
the situation to be attributed to either «at present everything is good» or «at present not everything is good» and «at present everything is bad». Dependinng on the diagnostics, respective measures are to be taken. 22 typical relations between elements of the «enterprise-marrket-product»
complex are brought about along with preliminary diagnostics of the main problems and risks for the enterprise and recommendations. Lightening analysis efficiency is confirmed with a particular company activity example.

Attitude to so-called «collective rights» of ethnic groups as to a basis of ethno-national politics of every progressive state and of the whole global social community has lately become popular. Social and legal aspects of this notion are examined along with «pro» and «contra» its practical
implementation. «Collective rights» notion allows at least five contradicting readings. Arguments for «ethno-group rights» are speculative and easily contested. If spread, «collective rights» of ethnic groups may essentially undermine system integration bases of multiethnic nations. Ethnosocial
problems that do exist in the world may be solved in democratic ways on the basis of already available and broadly accepted human and civil rights concepts and by applying «collective measurement» of individual rights.

Under scientific and technological revolution and globalization, there are several reasons why strategic planning gets more and more important. Simultaneously, grows the importance of such strategic planning components as information and analytical activities, studying of actual situations and issuing specific recommendations on business structures’ market behavior.

Implementation of socially oriented principles and market tools is main direction of Russian housing and communal economy branch reformation aimed at proving the population with decent housing conditions. At present, owners of dwelling facilities are bound to maintain and repair them at their own. If dwellings were privatized in houses that were to be overhauled, respective current and capital repairs work is to be carried out by the state in accordance with norms. Housing and communal economy branch reformation assistance Fund and Program are created in the country, the latter being organized on the co-financing principle (major part of means needed for the repairs is provided by Fund, lesser part – by regional and local governments, some 10% – by the owners). Coordinated activities of governmental, scientific and business organizations as well as dwelling owners are needed for further sustainable development of the branch.

Basic issues of trade and economic cooperation between Russia and countries of the Persian Gulf Arab States Cooperation Council (GCC) are discussed. Despite mutual interest, relations between GCC states and Russia could not have reached sufficiently high level, specifically owing to
the influence of political factors. At the same time, in spite of rather small trade volumes and poor economic relations between Russia and GCC states, their cooperation prospects may be considered as sufficiently optimistic.

Tourist direction is determined as a territory of origin of a tourist product sold or to be sold at Russian market by a tourist enterprise. Difference between the «region» and «tourist direction» notions is shown. Tourist direction classification principles are described. Presented in the article are
main current tourist industry development tendencies particularly important to be taken into account by tourist operators while building season tourist direction packages. Tourist direction competitiveness notion is discussed along with a system of its evaluation on the basis of both the
tourist direction competitiveness index and the index of potential. Factors that influence consumers’ choice of tourist directions are indicated.

Development and implementation of investment projects are usually carried out under conditions of uncertainty determined by several factors. Eleven classification features are given for external risks divided into two groups: those that can be forecasted and those that can not. Investment risks are
classified according to the following main features: situation, scale, time to take decision, admissibility, specific aspects. Author’s risk management system structure is proposed.

Main efficiency and competitiveness assessment criteria applicable to small construction organizations operating under market conditions are minimization of reduced costs and maximal conformity with quality requirements to building and structures under construction. Small enterprise
finance organization principles are as follows: independence, self-financing, responsibility for the company’s financial and economic activity results and control thereof. A method of investment option efficiency assessment with due account of construction project specifics is proposed. It is recommended to develop and use strategic cards to provide for balanced enterprise development.