Networks in the Russian Market Economy

Cover......Page 1
Contents......Page 6
List of Figures and Tables......Page 8
Note on Transliteration......Page 9
Preface......Page 10
The software industry as an exemplary case of the functioning of the Russian market economy......Page 14
The role of social networks in the Soviet and Russian economy and society......Page 16
Incorporating cultural and moral aspects into studies of networks in the Russian economy......Page 18
Structure of the book......Page 20
The significance of personal networks in studies of the Russian economy......Page 22
The qualitative approach in social network analysis......Page 24
Network data and how to get them......Page 26
Limitations of the study......Page 30
Problems of generalization......Page 31
Arcadia: The birth of a St. Petersburg software company......Page 34
Computing in the Soviet Union......Page 44
Information technology and the collapse of the Soviet Union......Page 49
The ICT sector in the Post-Soviet Russian economy......Page 51
Constraining and enabling aspects of the Soviet legacy......Page 61
Soviet organizations as platforms for the emerging economy......Page 63
Entrepreneurship and Soviet legacy......Page 66
Blat: Transformation of the Soviet-era networking practice......Page 69
Blat in post-Soviet Russia......Page 72
Barter: A transitory phenomenon of exchange......Page 76
Otkat: The role of 'kickbacks' in the Russian economy......Page 79
Other informal practices in the post-Soviet Russian economy......Page 84
Prevalence of criminal practices in the Russian economy......Page 86
Schools and universities......Page 90
Internet milieus......Page 96
The Russian Software Developers Association (RUSSOFT)......Page 99
Birthdays as foci of interaction......Page 101
6 The Types of Economic Resources Transmitted through the Networks of St. Petersburg IT Professionals......Page 105
Business ideas and partners......Page 106
Clients......Page 108
Starting capital......Page 109
Office space......Page 112
Jobs......Page 113
Advice and information......Page 114
Services......Page 116
Reciprocal expectations in Russian managers' transactions......Page 119
Brokerage......Page 132
The mixing of personal and professional spheres of life......Page 140
The connexionist spirit of Western capitalism......Page 147
The domestic spirit of Russian IT capitalism......Page 150
9 Conclusions......Page 154
Appendix: List of Respondents......Page 159
Notes......Page 161
References......Page 179
Index......Page 193