In this article we are investigating Finland’s approach to participation in military-political alliances with its neighboring countries in the Baltic Sea region. The most active attempts to establish a regional system of collective security had been undertaken in 1920s - 1930s and were suspended shortly after the end of the Second World War. During the Cold War embeddedness of Finland into the «Nordic balance» system guaranteed strategic stability of the country in the system of complex military security relations between the Warsaw pact countries and the NATO. Furthermore being a neutral country, Finland was able to play a role of a helpful mediator between the USSR and the West. However the end of the Cold War triggered the return of Helsinki to the pursuit of an enhanced military-political integration with the European countries and the USA. Following this path for almost 25 years, Finland has abandoned its neutral status and reached the maximum possible level of integration with NATO. However, we claim that in the foreseeable future all discussions between Finnish experts and politicians about the necessity to join the NATO will not be implemented in practice for several reasons. Firstly, if Finland becomes a member of NATO, it will inevitable trigger a symmetrical military-political response from Russia and will create unnecessary difficulties in bilateral relations. Secondly, Finland has elaborated sucha sophisticated mechanism of military coordination with NATO countries, that the formal accession to the Alliance could be considered as just an excessive formality.

The article deals with the experience of the communications work in the North Caucasus region in different periods of Russian history. Special attention is paid to the problems of propaganda effect on the locals. This research reveals the issues of information and training work and its necessity for the military officers and officers from security and law enforcement agencies in the context of realization of the state policy to ensure public safety and order in the region in the late XX - early XXI centuries.

In the article questions of international legal judgment of mercenarism, measures of fight against this crime, implementation of norms of the international criminal law in the criminal legislation are considered.

This article deals with analysis of South-South cooperation in a view of its intensification in recent times. The author focuses on the processes of interregional cooperation between the two emerging regions, Latin America and Asia Pacific region, as well as on causes and goals of such cooperation. It helps to define the main purposes of strengthening of South-South cooperation in contemporary world.

The effective youth policy in the country is a priority direction of any state. The article is devoted to problems of youth policy in the Russian Federation at the present stage. The special attention is given studying of a role of Russian Orthodox Church in work on young generation. The question of understanding of “freedom” among youth is mentioned. In the article have been studied the activity of Russian Orthodox Church on the basic directions of youth policy (army, law enforcement bodies, etc.).

Interacting with foreign diaspora is a relatively new element of Russian foreign policy. Improving the legal framework and development tools in the field of interaction of the executive authority of Russian Federation with compatriots abroad has allowed the Russian regions including St. Petersburg to connect to this work, supporting the interest of compatriots to their historic homeland through the study of the Russian language, Russian culture, traditions, preservation of cultural heritage of the Russian diaspora. The theoretical basis has allowed to develop a methodological basis of the study, including the chronological method, the network method to determine the Russian world as a single transnational essence, and forecasting method. Proposals to improve the organization of St. Petersburg executive authorities, including - a recommendation to return the practice of a unified system of interested agencies in the form of programs of St. Petersburg Government “Compatriots”. Implementation of the proposals may help the efficiency of St. Petersburg executive authority with compatriots abroad, expand the foreign economic relations, actively forming a positive image of St. Petersburg and Russia in the countries of the diaspora.

The article is devoted sports eco-tourism in the Russian, which includes the active forms of rec-reation and sports trips including pedestrian , water , skiing. Trere are unique natural features for the development of eco-tourism sports in Russia. The initial task of the sports ecological tourism, is that it should be organized. It is not economically profitable to engage in sports eco-tourism for big business, so small business should organize this process. However, there are serious problems in its organization that small businesses do not manage them selves. At the same time, the development of eco-tourism sports is necessary for states of the Russian Federation. Therefore it is necessary to unite small business with states of the Russian Federation in the form of the cluster of sports federations of ecological tourism

In the article the state of the market of high technologies in the world is considered. The role of some states in the in the current conditions is analysed, especially of the European Union, USA, Israel, China. On the basis of the detailed statistical data the modern dynamics & the perspectives of the markets of some countries are discovered.

In article is considered of recreational potential of territory as element of potential of a sustainable development of the region. The concept of recreational potential and two approaches to definition of category of recreational resources is given. Formulate types and options of stability of eco-nomic systems and also mathematical models of three options of stability. Besedes in article is given of author’s assessment of size natural capital of the Russian Federation. Conditions of ensuring normal stability of economic system are formulated.

Distinctive features of subnational territories of different countries groups in the foreign economic relations are enlightened in the article. Global factors such as internationalization and markets liberalization affect everywhere. It is established that the economic crisis acts as the incentive for the external relations development in developing country because at that moment foreign trade substitutes losses in domestic market. At the periods of stable economical development there are the border territories who feel a need for external relations. Other homogeneous communities of the developing state have no certain criterion at the contractor’s choice, they follow the general political policy of the country, but the existence of just a political motivation leads to the unreasonable growth of declarative formal agreements. The slowing down process of developing countries subnational units inclusion in foreign economic relations can be explained by the insufficient enterprise activity as a main reason. Initiative like this can be generated by the regional authority if it has an attraction point in the outside world thanks to the expressed cultural and political identity. Communications of the region with special identity, even when they arise in developing country, have content and involve notable economic benefits. As far as regions usually act in the spheres of foreign investments attraction and export of small and mediumsized enterprises support, it doesn’t creates conflict with the international obligations of the nation in the peaceful world situation. This analysis is presented in comparison with a situation in the developed countries.

Results of researches of the authors from a position of an assessment of informational content of domestic and foreign techniques of the factorial analysis of an indicator «net profit» for justification of dividend policy of joint-stock company are presented in the article. «Narrow» places of the studied techniques owing to which inevitably there are distortions of results of the analysis of key indicators of financial statements of the organization in the conditions of inflationary processes are designated. The authors’ modified technique of the factorial analysis of an indicator the «net profit» providing minimization of possible distortions of results of the analysis and higher informa-tional content of professional judgments for justification of dividend policy of joint-stock company is offered.

The article substantiates the need for a strategic approach to the management of the development of tourism and recreation on federal regional levels. The authors examine methodological issues of development of the regional development strategy of tourism and recreational sector, its role and importance in achieving sustainable development of the regional economic system. The authors emphasize the need to use the principles of indicative planning, which allows to link the list of planned quantified indicators with the necessary resources and responsible executives, as well as the time frame to achieve them, leaving thus from declarative and lengthy formulation of priorities, allowing to report on their face but not real achievement, at the same time using the real financial, material and time resources. The article also focused on a number of fundamentally important groups of problems which hinder the development of recreation and tourism, the solution of which requires the use of possibilities and mechanisms of the strategic approach in the management of regional development, studied characteristics and specific features of tourist and recreational zone, conclusion about the need for a strategic approach to planning the development of tourism and recreation that could directly or indirectly have a significant positive impact on the economy of the region, to promote sustainability and innovative nature of its economic development.

In the context of E-Government and cognitive society development the necessity of managerial staff with new professional competencies preparation within innovative educational programs is actualized.

An abundance of social forecasts poses as urgent the problem of their assessment as to plausibility and reliability, not waiting for the test of time. Such an assessment is composed not only of an expert judgement based upon the resources and facilities of the corresponding specialized science, but as well as of a well-grounded verdict of a metatheory of a specific branch of scientific knowledge. This metatheory includes world-outlook principles applied, methodological premises, the validity of general scientific methods used as well as logical conformity of the chosen procedures and scientific methodology of cognition. It is possible to make sufficiently reliable estimations of many social forecasts plausibility only on the basis of a metatheory alone.

Modern methodological support of the strategic management of the company offers a wide range of methods to identify possible areas of development of the organization. There are two approaches: marketing for the development of the product, and management, which is based on the improvement of management, decision-making, the development of technology. The starting point for the change strategy of the organization can be regarded as the choice of strategic alternatives of development of the company. A large number of approaches to identify strategic alternatives, creates certain difficulties for their use by researchers. The paper proposes to group the known techniques in three blocks. To simple (1 unit) methods includes such techniques as: identification of strategic alternatives directly by the owners, identification by leadership, quality the conviction of an owner, imposed by choice, by identifying the corporate culture. Easy methods to identify strategic alternatives also include known methods of decision making: brainstorming, scenario development, modeling and other approaches based on expert judgement. To matrix methods (unit 2) include the BCG matrix, the GE/McKinsey&Co, SWOT analysis with 4 active fields, SNW-analysis, STEP (PEST)-analysis, Model ADL - LC, model Fahey and Narayan, the model of stakeholder analysis, the model of M. Porter’s five forces, strategic group maps, model I. Ansoff. Matrix methods do not directly allow to identify strategic alternatives, but represent a simplification of the problem, the disintegration of her to simple situations, allowing you to make informed decisions on the development of a company or a product. Right to identify strategic options to allow graphical and analytical methods, which include the model of M. Porter’s generic strategies, SWOT-analysis 9 active fields, resource model R. Grant and SPACE-analysis. In the context of a specific organization it is necessary to use a combination of the known methods of identification of strategic alternatives, assess options, to negotiate a final choice with owners of the company.

The paper discusses the causes of the acute crisis situation in the tourist industry. Named the main reasons of its occurrence. The main directions of overcoming the crisis, at both the macro and micro levels. The focus is on forming the innovative business models of enter-prises of the tourism industry.

In the article questions of evolution and applicability of multimodal transportations in international trade are investigated. The author writes about planning and design of multimodal transportations and about a role of the operator of such transportation in this planning. In the work problems of efficiency of multimodal transport system and modernization of its three basic elements, such as commercial practice, administrative requirements and transport infra-structure are considered. Based on the made research the author has come to conclusions about ways of improvement and development of multimodal transportation of goods.

The aim of the article is to study the modern experience of the organization of work with citizen appeals in the government bodies and its results to develop proposals for improving the work. In accordance with the above purpose designated the following tasks: studying modern regulatory framework for the work with citizen appeals in the Russian Federation, the identification of the main directions of improving the work with citizen appeals in government bodies, to review and analyze the current state of the work with citizens appeals in the Archive Committee of St. Petersburg in terms of information technologies. The research results have the practical importance in the preparation of departmental instructions on office work, guidelines and manuals on the organization of work with citizen appeals, the development of administrative regulations for the provision of public services «Organization of reception of citizens, the timely and full consideration of their appeals filed orally or in writing, acceptance decisions on them and sending replies to the legally established deadline».

This article scrutinizes possible consequences of lifting of economic sanctions against Iran for relationships between Middle East countries and United States.

The estimation of the development of the main trends of the global timber marketisgiven,there are characterized relative labor productivity indices in the forestry sector of the world economy in various regions of the world over 20 year. There is carried an analysis of the key implications of the spread of the modern model of consumption in the Asia-Pacific region for the wood and furniture industry.

The article considers an important aspect of the economic history of pre-Petrine Russia. The author analyzes government policies which aim to restrict economic activity of foreign merchants in the domestic Russian market. The main attention is focused on the clarifying the causes, the results and the peculiarities of trade protectionism policy pursued in the interests of the Treasury and the upper Russian merchants.

Today there is a set of the points of view on destiny of working class. One still consider working class as «the history engine», «the leader of progress» and isolated facts of a working protest treat as manifestation of a powerful role of working class. Others note transformation of workers from a class in the professional group, which is poorly defending the not class, but professional interests. The third urge to return back, to dictatorship of the proletariat. Where there is a working class today?

In this article the author reviews the course of political events of the World War II and first peaceful years. These events led to major confrontation of the two systems, and this confrontation has defined the majority of the history of the XX century, and in many respects, the present political environment of the world, as well as the Russia’s situation on the international stage. After the Second World War, the Soviet Union has become a truly great power, possessing not only a powerful army went through violent battles and a potent industry. What is very important, the USSR had a high moral authority in the international community and among the population of different countries. The Soviet Union was a state that liberated the Europe and world from the «brown plague» of fascism. Along with the USA and UK, the USSR was a creator of a new world in its own right. However for the Western states, especially the USA, the USSR was a more of a dangerous rival in a race for world domination. Even before the complete defeat of the Axis powers, the UK and US defined diminishing of the Soviet Union’s influence as one of their goals. This led to growing tensions. The Soviet administration’s attempts to defuse these tensions were unsuccessful, and some of them have even had deleterious influence to the development of political situation. It is very important to consider personal factor while reviewing the events in the relations of the USSR and the Western allies. For sure, it is more likely that there was not any friendship among the members of the Big Three - Stalin, Roosevelt and Churchill. But there was mutual respect and - especially from Roosevelt’s side towards Stalin - favorable attitude. As is well-known, there was no Big Three on the Potsdam Conference: F. D. Roosevelt has passed away, and Churchill had to give his place to the new Prime Minister during the conference. New American and British administrations’ approach aimed at isolating USSR and reduction of its influence has mostly determined the confrontation that has emerged. For sure, it would be incorrect to state that the Cold War was a pure Western child, and that the Soviet Union had only peace-loving intentions. But it would also be incorrect to give reverse state-ment. The Cold War was a result of two sides’ actions. The outcome of these action is the world mostly divided. This division still can be felt in politics and other life domains of the world community.

In the article, views of the Russian philosophers on progress are considered. It is noted that a basic point of reflections of a number of domestic thinkers on the matter is the criticism of the «eudemonistic» approach consisting in understanding of progress as increases of happiness of the person and improvement of conditions of his life. They treat this approach as a projection of a way of thinking peculiar to political economy according to which driving motive of economic development is increase of requirements. Neither the political economy nor other concrete sciences cannot define in their opinion criteria of satisfaction of requirements. The Russian philosophers also criticize the concept of progress, which gained distribution in Marxism as increases of opportunities for development of the personality. In their opinion, its insolvency is in understanding of the personality not based on deep metaphysics, as in the German classical philosophy, in particular in Hegel’s philosophy, but reduced to its understanding as an epiphenomenon of the public relations. Addressing to idea of progress, the science inevitably mixes historical progress and progress of a civilization that conducts to loss of a moral perspective of historical progress and, as result, to peculiar «progress religion». For the Russian philosophy progress is, first, a moral task. The metaphysics of progress in the Russian philosophy is based on distinction of two types of thinking: chiliastic - connected with belief in a thousand-year kingdom with triumph of goodness (an example of such thinking is social-ism), and eschatological taking out the history purpose out of its limits. In the deepest meaning progress is the eschatological idea assuming statement of history in the face of transcendence. However, it does not mean that it indicates the need of «desecration of real life», as, however, and acceptance of unjustified optimism. The history for the Russian thinkers is an accruing contradiction between the good and evil. For this reason for the Russian thinkers, tragic vision of history is peculiar. Progress of a civilization is possible in history, but an internal result of history is tragedy. In the article is noted that the Russian thinkers revealed deep metaphysics content of the idea of progress, having separated approach of positive science from philosophical sense of this problem. Having concentrated the attention on a human aspect of progress, they brought a moral perspective of idea of progress to the forefront. The Russian philosophers showed that the image of the purpose of history has deep metaphysical sense and cannot be expressed in the terms defining life of the person in the terrestrial world.

The article is devoted to the genesis of culture of an East Slavic community up to origin of the cities and the state in Ancient Russia. Reconstruction of a social and economic, political system of the ancient village and religious and moral image of the first peasants in the territory of future Old Russian state is presented.

In the article the main problems of development of public administration in modern Russia are designated. The purposes and priorities of the state management in the conditions of carrying out administrative reform are designated. The main priorities and prospects of development of public administration in new conditions of the present are staticized. Effective mechanisms of training for public service are revealed. The system of preparation of administrative shots has to be complex, perspective and practice-focused. The authors reasoned optimum measures of professional development of the public and municipal servants on an educational platform of a RANEPA.

This study focused on the performance management in the civil service. One of the top priorities of the state policy is to increase the performance of the civil servants. The purpose of the study - based on empirical data to measure of the civil servants performance of the Sverdlovsk region and to develop practical recommendations for improving it. During the study, the authors have obtained the following results: • Developed a diagnostic technique that allowed to measure the civil servants performance and to identify ways to improve it; • Conducted a questionnaire survey of civil servants of the Sverdlovsk region. 368 people were interviewed; • Obtained by measurement of the performance civil servants of the Sverdlovsk Region; • Practical recommendations to improve the civil servants performance of the Sverdlovsk region. The novelty of the results. Based on studies performed by the authors: • Developed a new conceptual model for performance measurement in the civil service; • A system of criteria and indicators for the diagnosis and performance measurement in the civil service; • Introduced a modified interpretation of the concept of «civil servants performance». • The conditions and factors of increase of civil servants performance in the Sverdlovsk Region. The results can be used in the development of state programs of human resource management in public authorities of subjects of the Sverdlovsk Region to improve the system of incentives of civil servants, as well as to monitor the the civil servants performance.

Sports communications hold a firm place in system of the modern international relations. Many states consider sport, sporting achievements and sports contacts as the effective tool of soft force. Cooperation in sport is among priorities of foreign cultural policy of the Russian Federation and is considered by the government of our country as one of ways of formation of positive foreign policy image. In the article sports communications on space of the Commonwealth of Independent States as one of integration bases are analyzed. Work of the International Fund of humanitarian cooperation is especially noted, his contribution to strengthening of sports communications in the former Soviet Union is defined. The detailed review of the sporting events prepared with the assistance of Fund is presented in article. Many programs of regional cooperation of Russia and the CIS countries in the field of physical culture and sport have found reflection in work. Authors place particular emphasis on the actions which were taking place within Year of sport and a healthy lifestyle in the CIS (2012). The concept of Year of sport and a healthy lifestyle reflects humanitarian nature of this large-scale and multi-purpose action in which all states of the CIS have taken part. In the article also other forms of cooperation are considered: the international forums, conferences and symposiums devoted to a sports perspective. Sports cooperation is considered as a basis for development of dialogue in political and economic spheres. Authors draw a conclusion that cooperation of Russia with the CIS countries in sport promotes the solution of many social, humanitarian problems, popularizes a healthy lifestyle, influences formation of ecological thinking, makes a contribution to education of children, youths, youth, intensify cross-cultural dialogue in the former Soviet Union.