CULTURE AS A FACTOR AFFECTING GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE EFFICIENCY IN THE PROCUREMENT SYSTEM IN RUSSIA: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS

The impact of cultural drives upon expenditures efficiency in the contractual system of the Russian Federation is analyzed. Different methods applied in social sciences to factor in the role of informal institutions in economic development are shown. Cultural drivers, identified in international empirical studies, are highlighted that can influence economic performance. An algorithm to assess impact of informal institutions upon expenditures efficiency in public procurement is described. Correlation analysis of institutional environment and relative budget savings in the contractual system of the Russian Federation in 2011-2019 is performed. The assumptions on systemic influence of ethnic heterogeneity, religious compositions, the scale of corruption and electoral management culture upon efficient spending of public financial resources in public procurement at different levels through the government contractual system in Russia are verified by means of regression analysis. The trends are reviewed for three periods: the operation of. 94-FZ Federal Law "On procurement." as well as the stages of modernization of the Russian contractual system under. 44-FZ Federal Law. Conclusions are made regarding the efficiency of regulations related to transition of procurement in the electronic form in terms of decreasing a negative impact of cultural factors upon procurement efficiency, and the importance of clarifying the concept of "public procurement efficiency" by the regulator.