The article discusses the basic concepts of modern security theory: “danger”, “threat”, “challenge”, “risk” and “interest”. Based on the analysis of the content and correlation of these terms, the essence, nature and causes of threats to the national security of the Russian Federation are consider. The authors propose a revised definition of “threat to national security” as “a potential problem situation, which, without timely detection and resolution may lead to violation of stable operation or the destruction of the state”. Analysis of modern scientific literature on national security issues has shown that the term “call”, used in the meaning of “signal messages”, does not coincide with the original meaning of the term, understood as “challenge” — a problem C Based on this, the concepts of “threat” and “challenge” (understood as a problem situation) are synonymous. As a result, the authors concluded that there are two different conceptual approaches to security. Eurasian, which is characterize by the “threat — danger — damage” model, and Anglo-Saxon, which considers the mechanism of threat development through the “interest — control — lack of control — challenge — risk” model. In this case, interest and control are consider in relation to resources, territories, technologies, challenge as a problem situation that needs to be solved and risk as a possibility of lost profits. 

The article is devoted to the problem of ensuring the competitiveness of enterprises of the manufacturing industry in the Republic of Belarus, which is one of the most important tasks of economic policy, which largely determines its national security. The article discusses three main approaches that provide the most comprehensive analysis of competitiveness.

The aim of the study is to reveal the essence of the main categories: competitiveness management, the subject of competitiveness management, the goals of competitiveness management, the form of technologization of competitiveness management, methods for implementing competitiveness management functions; existing approaches to the organization of management of the competitiveness of manufacturing enterprises of the Republic of Belarus.

A content analysis of the works of domestic and foreign scientists devoted to the issue of competitiveness, the Law of the Republic of Belarus on Counteracting Monopolistic Activities and the Development of Competition, the statistical collection “Regions of the Republic of Belarus. Socio-economic indicators” of the National Statistical Committee of the Republic of Belarus.

Methods of comparative, logical and economic-statistical analysis were used. The paper analyzes the existing approaches to the technology of enterprise competitiveness management.

It is concluded that the dependence of the value of the enterprise’s competitive advantages on the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the aggregate of production resources requires the inclusion of the stage of assessing production resources in the competitiveness management algorithm. 

Based on interdisciplinary research the paper proves that behavioural economics provides a significant contribution to the entrepreneurship theory and can increase the effect of policies focused on entrepreneurship motivation. The paper demonstrates that entrepreneurship is a phenomenon, which contradicts a number of neoclassical assumptions, while behavioural economics provides explanations of these deviations and embeds entrepreneurship into modified models. These new models take into account behavioural aspects of entrepreneur’s decision. The paper determines three main reasons of restrained effect of entrepreneurship policies, which are limited knowledge about existing entrepreneurship policies, underestimation of entrepreneurial sphere opportunities and importance of non-pecuniary factors in entrepreneurial decision, which are not taken into account in existing entrepreneurship determinants, used by policy makers. The paper suggests that behavioural economics approaches should be used in entrepreneurship policies as they help to deal with similar issues in other spheres. 

Rural-urban social inequality in Russia is evident. Russian public opinion proposes to reduce the rural-urban income gap, both within the framework of the self-regulating market paradigm, reflected in public programmes, and within the planned command economy framework. In the same ways it proposes to achieve an inter-regional socio-economic balance.

The People’s Republic of China (PRC) also faces the problem of reducing rural-urban social inequality. It looks as if it is trying to solve the problem by applying direct measures that can even reverse the processes of urbanization.

This article proposes to analyze and adopt the most effective ways of reducing rural-urban inequality, as practiced in China. It is also possible to incorporate in the Chinese state’s management of social processes the methods of reduction of inequality between rural and urban populations, created by the dirigiste trends of Russian public thought, since the socio-economic system of the PRC readily assimilates elements of the planned economy. 

The paper discusses the possibilities of using mixed methods research in the management of a modern university. The goal of the study is to substantiate the heuristic potential of mixed methods research to identify effective approaches to managing the faculty in modern conditions.

The study describes iterative data analysis within the framework of a mixed strategy:1) standard quantitative analysis; 2) quantitative triangulation, including the use of several methods, such as the Importance Performance Analysis (IPA); 3) standard qualitative analysis; 4) mixed triangulation, which ultimately led to a synergistic effect.

The research results lie in different ways, including methodological and content related. The methodological results include the identification of the special heuristic potential of mixed methods during exploratory research; in the substantive part, a situation of social maladjustment of faculty was diagnosed in the context of developing “academic capitalism”, when the academic community, taking into account both economic and increasing social deprivation, is demotivated for effective labor activity. 

The autonomy of the Aland Islands within Finland implies a system of self-government in a certain area within the borders of a sovereign state. The Aland Islands have an ethnic and cultural identity and receive powers for internal administration as part of the state. The autonomy of the Islands gives them the ability to solve internal problems, while the state remains responsible for foreign policy, security, etc. All this is made possible by the Aland autonomy Act, which came into force in 1993 and was confirmed by the Finnish Constitution. The act regulates almost all issues of self-government of the Islands. At the same time, the Aland Islands can be classified as a federacy, which indicates a special Federal relationship within a unitary state. Domestic cooperation between the Finnish government and the Aland Islands is based on a formal bilateral non-hierarchical partnership. 

Goals and objectives. The article analyzes the resources of support for families with disabled children living in the Leningrad region. There is substantial state support for this category of families, developing the potential of non-state support resources. The results of the government’s efforts to support families with children with disabilities, as well as the tasks set to be solved in the near and long term, are considered.

Methods. The study used a set of general scientific methods, such as analysis, synthesis, generalization, comparison, system-functional and integrated approach. Within the framework of the stated theme, theoretical provisions and modern approaches have been organized by studying the works of various authors, regulatory documents and official statistics.

The theoretical and practical significance of the study is that it can be the basis for further study of social resources and life strategies of families with children with disabilities, their transformation. The analysis provides an opportunity to identify the problems of families with children with disabilities in Leningrad, actualizes the importance of state policy regarding these categories of families, both in the process of formation and in its implementation. The materials provide us with positive results achieved by the authorities of the Leningrad region and identify ways to further develop both state and non-state social support for families with children with disabilities in the region.

Results and conclusions. The article presents the results of the research of the resources of state and non-state social support for families with children with disabilities in The Leningrad region. Conclusions have been drawn on the need to unite the efforts of state and non-state resources in this direction.

Aim of the article. Identification of objective patterns and trends that directly or indirectly influenced the development of the Russian meat industry in accordance with the methodology of the General theory of strategizing by Vladimir Kvint.

Materials and Methods. The research is based on the materials of scientific papers relevant to the topic of the article, as well as on statistical information from official and open sources. Systematization of information is carried out by applying the General theory of strategizing, economic and statistical analysis, comparative analysis, generalization and interpretation of the results obtained.

Results. The presented materials are used to analyze the current state of the industry and the formation of strategic trends.

Conclusions. Based on the analysis, conclusions are drawn about a number of strategic trends that determine the further development of the meat industry in Russia. 

The purpose of the presented study should be considered the identification of promising areas and the organizational and economic mechanism for the potential participation of non-profit organizations in the implementation of projects and programs of corporate social responsibility based on the use of public-private partnership opportunities in solving systemic problems of regional development, primarily in such urgent areas of social development as social sphere and reduction of differentiation between population groups. The article presents methodological approaches that reflect the topical issues of determining the place and role of NGOs in the Russian economy. In modern conditions, non-profit organizations should become an important participant in the comprehensive implementation of corporate social responsibility programs for various business entities within the same territory and region, which will increase the effectiveness of financial investments of all market participants, including the state through the use of the mechanism of public-private partnership, and to create a transparent system of accounting and control of the results of this activity in relation to the obtained socio-economic effects. 

The article reveals the reaction of the regional press, and in particular, on the Mordovian regional Committee of the CPSU(b) of the newspaper “Red Mordovia” in the political trials of 1937 in Moscow, and the establishment of Soviet society a climate of suspicion, “hostile environment”, the search for “enemies of the people”, “wreckers”, “spies”, “Trotskyites”, spies of Western and Japanese intelligence agencies.

The article examines the experience of the Baltic States in reforming local self-government, the main  problems typical for particular level of governing. The article substantiates the usefulness and applicability of the experience of the Baltic States in reforming the Russian system of local government, and suggests ways to solve the main problem — the discrepancy between the authorities of local self-government bodies and their financial capabilities.

Development of digital technologies creates opportunities for the implementation of new forms and innovative methods into the state management system. For a long time, public administration specialists have discussed vividly the idea of an electronic state (e-government), as well as have de bated the advantages and disadvantages of specific digital technologies. Recently, urban communication platforms have become very popular, which indicates that the involvement of citizens into the public administration processes. In recent years, there has been a transition from a model of simple informing and providing public services with digital format to a model of active involvement of citizens through the so-called state platforms. The idea of “the state as a platform” involves the creation of digital platforms to attract business and civil society to receive services, organize discussions and votes on various issues, as well as exchange goods created by both state and non-state producers. The article provides an overview and analysis of existing urban communication platforms in Russia and abroad. To this end, the article used the method of comparative analysis of urban communication platforms based on the criterion of functional features. It was found that today in Russia there are four types of urban communication platforms, which differ in their goals and functionality. The article substantiates the following typology: (1) platforms (sections of sites, pages) of citizens’ appeals; (2) portals of urban (regional) problems; (3) portals for evaluating initiatives; (4) public participation portals / platforms. Communication platforms have been created in all constituent entities of the Russian Federation, but the level of citizen participation in their activities varies greatly. The article analyzes the obstacles to the development of urban communication platforms.