Ivan Savin

Stimulation of innovative activities as a way to optimize the industrial structure of Russian foreign trade

Titel: Stimulation of innovative activities as a way to optimize the industrial structure of Russian foreign trade

Abstract: In my thesis project is planned to suggest new methods of forecasting comparative advantages and to estimate factors stimulating innovative performance of companies. This work is expected to contribute in revealing mechanisms developing comparative advantages of Russian economy and diversifying its foreign trade. Starting with an analysis of main principles, assumptions and conclusions of the comparative advantages theory I suggest a new mechanism of forecasting comparative advantages and test this method on an example of East European countries. Further, based on the theory of Directed Technological Change I construct a theoretical framework explaining why innovations can be considered as the main instrument of economic growth and also as the most efficient instrument of regulating country’s industrial structure. Based on the theoretical assumptions with regard to innovative clusters and international experience in estimating effectiveness of different stimulation measures I form an empirical model of instruments stimulating innovations and optimize its structure using heuristic optimization methods. This model is based on regional panel data of Russia (Rosstat) and accounts for unobserved heterogeneity of regions and potential endogeneity of regressors.