Russian Business Practice: Issues of Corruption and Trust

This study examines the dynamics and the ratio changes of different types of corruption practices in the relations between business and government in Russia. Corruption is regarded as a major barrier for the international business practice in Russia and the confidence of a foreign investment community in the Russian companies. It is especially relevant in terms of sanctioned Russian economy, its low competitiveness and innovativeness, deteriorating investment climate. Characteristic and peculiarities of a corruption process in Russia have been determined: (a) the high level of corruption in Russia in the system of international coordinates; (b) the crisis of confidence and trust between the Russian civil society and the government as an ideological foundation of corruption; (c) raw vs. innovation type of economics in Russia as an economical foundation and a precondition of corruption; (d) existence of a sustained corruptive relationship between government and business in Russia (in contrast to other countries, where it is revealed less obviously or has a random character of manifestation); (e) dominating significance and a latent character of the internal business corruption as opposed of its external manifestation in Russia; (f) formation of a social request for the effective anti-corruption policy.