Institutions and Economic Development: Role of Bureaucracy and Experiments as Methods for Analysis and Evaluation of Reforms (project 2011-2013)

1) Regional Governance in Russia

The first project examines promotion patterns among regional bureaucrats in Russia. One main line of research examines whether regional bureaucrats, including governors and vice governors are promoted based on meritocratic or cronyistic principles. Others lines of research examine the impact of governor turnover on foreign direct investments, public spending, and firm behavior. A key source of data for this project is a data-base included detailed biographic and occupational data on all governors in Russia from 1991 to the present and all vice-governors from 2000 to the present.

2) Experimental Studies of the Police

A second project examines relations between citizens and the police in Russia. Key to this effort is a series of lab experiments involving Moscow police officers who play a corruption game that forces tradeoffs between group solidarity and individual benefit.  Another important element of this project is a November 2011 survey of 1600 residents of Moscow that seeks to identify the conditions under citizens will trust in and cooperate with the police.   

3) Legality and Economic Behavior

A third project explores the influence of legality and violence on economic behavior.   This effort includes a survey of 1000 firms in 15 regions in Russia that probes how firms choose between formal and informal means for resolving disputes.  Another project uses data on crimes against entrepreneurs across regions to explore how political and economic factors shape relations between business and the police.

4) Violent pressure on business in Russia

Project «Violent Pressure on Business in Russia» is dedicated to the problem of property rights protection, evaluation of law enforcement performance and question of violence reduction. We trace the evolution of predatory practices of different state agencies and business protection strategies in the past 25 years. Analyzing various economic, social and political processes we are trying to find the causes of violent pressure on business and identify possible ways to improve the situation.
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