Issue 2008 no1 contents:

Varied management activity requires correct use of legal factor. Legal imperatives are regarded in the article as obligatory regulators and normative guidelines. Unfortunately in theory and in practice law is connected with separate segments of administration. More correct view is that administration legal regulation is a system. Its constituent parts are definition of legal status of administration relations participants including their competence, putting procedures and regulations in practice, legal decision making such as acts, mechanisms of enforcement, legal valuation of administration and monitoring. Flexible use of legal imperatives promotes stability of administration system, flexibility and efficiency of administration.

The existing practice of state planning not only providing a reasonable decision making aimed at the achievement of strategic goals of the country development, but also does not consider any reasonable and scientific procedure of decisions support. Currently, the regulation of the decision making procedure contents is replaced by the formalization of document control planning procedures.
At the moment the necessity of strategic, including medium-term and long-term planning of social and economic development of the country is acutely experienced at all management levels – federal, regional, local. The attempts for implementation of goal-oriented planning and medium-term budget planning are recently made at the federal level, “national projects” are being promoted. Most big cities elaborate strategic development plans. However all these useful measures don’t have any serious theoretical substantiation, generally accepted procedural guidelines and are not coordinated with each other.
It should be noted that it’s been a long time as planning is recognized in the international practice as a complex social process that is way beyond the scope of the economics subject field. The understanding of this fact by society is an independent problem that can be solved by planning experts acting jointly with other experts and civil society representatives. Other vital task, facing experts of this field is mediation in assimilation of planning technique by economists. The problem is that the possibilities of scheduling and network goal-oriented planning techniques have not been assimilated yet. Therefore a priority should be given to planning methodology development, considering influence of all the factors, significant for the life of the country, major active forces and their objectives, using a scenario approach and able to find out the optimal way to achieve the most favorable future.
One of the most elaborated and most popular approaches to the research of complex multilevel systems is an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)1. It is successfully used by dealing with management problems in various fields of human activities, including the field of state planning.
The generation of the state planning scheme begins with the developments of the long-range forecasting technique, whereby should be considered the influence of all key factors on social and economic development of the country, such as economic, political, social, technological, ecological and other factors, revealing not only internal but also external limits. There are not only quantitative figures, but also actors, events, conditions and their risks, policies, strategies and other factors. One of the main advantages of the proposed scheme is the major forces (actors) having influence on these factors and accordingly on the future of the country. Both governmental authorities (federal and regional) and society as a whole, large business, foreign countries, international organizations, other significant participants of economic and political processes can be considered as the actors. The development of the country depends on the objectives and policies within the context of achievement of these actors objectives, which are the basis for the consideration of the country developments scenarios. The actors activity is oriented on the implementation of these scenarios. Combination of the developed scenarios, containing main macrocharacteristics of the development level (e.g. number of population, GDP per capita, actual household disposable income and others), depending on the priority grade of each of them enables to calculate a generalized forecasting scenario, representing an implementation of the contrast scenarios.
Finally, only one of possible scenarios can be implemented and it will be a combination of various actors attempts to form it in such a way that its own interests will be met. Many (often controversial) interests, implemented under this scenario can result in the «weakened version» of what each actor intends to observe as an outcome. This forecasting process is called a direct planning process or exploratory forecast. In consequence of the first forecast iteration consideration one or several actors can start working on changing some of their policies, in order to attempt to carry out a new outcome, which is closer to a desirable outcome (this procedure is called a reversed process or normative forecast). Eventually, particular model and/or scheme changes are usually carried out after forming the first version of the forecasting model (it is clear that the model is also changing then). Such iteration is usually repeated several times. The scheme and model of the reverse process can be updated simultaneously. Iterations of this sort can differ greatly and model updating requires a certain analytical culture.
This approach means that next stage will require forming a specific algorithmic procedure and methods of binding scenario conditions, forecasts, target programs and other elements of social and economic development of Russian economy, based on this procedure. This working stage will require making graph fragments, preparing relevant inquiry forms, canvasing specially selected experts, process and interpreting results.

The State guaranteed health care benefit package has become the main program of health care in Russia since the latest 90-s. Annually it is approved by the Government of the Russian Federation. Nowadays it covers about 85% of general government expenditure on health care. The brief historical report of development of this program in Russia is given in the article.
Since 2001 the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation has been monitoring the information on implementation of the State guaranteed health care benefit package according to statistical departmental form №62. Annual report on the results of its implementation is prepared by the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development of the Russian Federation and submitted to the Government of the Russian Federation.
The State guaranteed health care benefit package includes norms of volumes and financing of health care according to types and conditions of delivering of medical services. The types of health care systems are defined as following: primary, emergency and specialized (including high-tech kinds) health care. Medical services can be delivered in the following conditions: out-patient care (including day care), in-patient care and emergency care.
Planning of the State guaranteed health care benefit package and regional programs should be corresponded to the process of budget planning in the country and territories. It should be based on peculiarities of age and sex structure, morbidity of population as well as regional and climate information. The working out of the scientific-based norms of volumes of different types of health care will promote moving away from the cost-based financing approach in health care to the output-driven budgeting.

India has rather a high level of cultural dynamics and scientific and technical potential. There is the broad layer of highly qualified specialists, and the authorities pay special attention to R&D. The role of a state in the well-known achievements of India in the sphere of information technologies (the country has become the leader of “outsourcing” revolution) was crucial. The forms of promotion are diverse: the establishment of standard regulations and preferential tax treatment, the creation of special economic zones and software technology parks. The state plays a unique role of catalyst in order to tie up state, private, scientific and foreign institutions. The Indian government makes considerable efforts to strengthen the links of Indian business with the world community. The authorities are also pursuing a number of special programs and incentives to facilitate the interaction between the Indian Diaspora abroad and India to promote information technologies.
Russia can learn many lessons from India’s concrete experience. Moreover, the combination of the Russian scientific thought with technological potential of the most advanced Asian countries (like India) can lead to quite a paradoxical situation: the necessary modernization of Russia for stage rapprochement with the North can be carried out on the basis of developing political and economic ties with the South.

Focus of sociology in studies of Russian local self-government is within bounds of different aspects of interpretation of «local self-government» concept. Author deals with the social aspect, when main issue is a subject of local self-government. Relevance of this theme is determined by that the solving of problems of institutionalization of public associations objectively appears as a factor of local self-government institute development. Elaboration of strategies for sustainable development of municipalities, taking into consideration regional particularity and on the basis of implementation of new management technologies, also is needed.

The article focuses on the issues of Russian women’s participation in social and political life of the country, at every level of decision-making. Broad social support of every segment of population: civil solidarity and initiatives of all the citizens, men and women   – is an essential part of democratic development of society in Russia. The comparative analysis of women’s representation in parliaments and governments abroad and in Russia shows that our country greatly lags behind from many world countries. Today Russian and foreign political scientists bring the issues of women’s representation at every official level to the fore, because for a strong government and democratic development of its society it is indispensable to deal with human rights challenges, to serve contradictory interests of diverse social groups and formulate an adequate and sound social policy. The authors give a number of reasons common for the majority of countries, which show that women’s participation at every level of a country’s political life is a rather pressing issue at the moment. According to the authors, the main reasons are as follows: women’s participation in political life is imperative for society’s democratic, humane and stable development, since the equality of sexes shifts state policy priorities to a person, living conditions, healthcare, education, i.e. social spheres aimed at future development. Correcting gender imbalance in government structures will assist women to use human rights system adequately to fight all types of sex discrimination and to develop a system of basic human values in a new historical environment. Also, it will provide a more efficient mechanism of state administration and help to consider diverse social interests. Creativity and ground-breaking abilities of men as well as women are considered to be national intellectual wealth, which is to be adequately used. With equal access of sexes to state administration, the choice of qualified staff extends significantly, a “gender gap” at the decision-making level narrows and public image of a state as a developed democratic society is being promoted. The authors illustrate that the issue of engaging Russian women into state legislative and executive activities has deep historical roots and reflects the system of state administration 227 Abstracts aimed at men, which does not encourage promotion of women. The Soviet era saw such state of affairs, and present-day Russia witnesses the same. Women’s promotion into state administration system at every level will become effective, only if declared a top priority of state policy. Allocation of personnel resources mechanism, which is most likely to ensure equal admission of sexes to government bodies, still raises controversy in Russia and has not been yet adjusted to the present-day environment. In conclusion, the authors introduce a set of state policy measures, applicable for present-day implementation, promoting women’s participation at every level of state administration. For one thing, it comprises a legal and regulatory framework for carrying into life Article 19 of the Constitution of the Russian Federation, and personnel allocation law elaboration and penalties for its violation. For another thing, it implies creation of educational programs, designed for spreading gender knowledge, which will help society to perceive principles of equal rights and join efforts. The time has come for practical steps to be taken on the issue of equality of sexes instead of endlessly debating it, taking into consideration our personal and the world’s experience.

The article thoroughly investigates the polarization processes started in agriculture and rural areas. New market environment increased the division of labour within territories and pushed agriculture to the ample resource south and the suburbs. The Russian agriculture overcomes the crisis in certain areas with more favorable natural environment and districts still having vital demographic statistics and work force. Besides, the article focuses on the ways the government and other bodies may tackle the agricultural challenges in the whole country, within a region, a provincial administrative area, and a rural settlement. Present-day challenges of previously developed areas in the North are deeply rooted into the Soviet extensive development psychology, inability to see the existing natural, social and economical limitations for a long period of time. Non-black soil areas witness a considerable difference between the suburbs and provinces. The Kostroma Region may serve a typical example. As soon as in the late 20th century rural population and commercial farming was preserved in its suburban area only. The 3,4% of the territory in the Kostroma Region concentrates 19% of its population, 16% of cattle and a quarter of gross agricultural output. White straw crops and livestock efficiency index is 2-3 times higher than in the province. The suburb adjoining areas also boost excellent prospects. However, the province witnesses an increase in depopulation and decline in farming industry, and a shift towards forestry or any other industry is not possible due to the lack of work force. Manturovsky District in the Kostroma Region is a non-black soil provincial area. The district still has 9 agro-industrial plants, and only two or three of them have a chance to survive if greatly reduced. Personal subsidiary farms grow away due to ageing of population and youth migration from rural areas. Forest management is the main activity of the district, but its development is limited by forest resources deterioration and low demographic capacity. The fact that the Ugric rural settlement on the shore of the Unzha river is situated at the distance of 35 km from the railway and from Manturovo city determined its mainly agricultural profile in the past. Only 15% of its population remained, if compared to the early 20th century, 1/10 of the field was sowed in 2007 and the remained lands are running wild. With such depopulation troubles, transition from farming to other activities becomes a rather challenging move and is possible only in the heart of the settlement. The opportunities are limited not only by quantity but also by quality of human capital assets, due to a negative social selection of population having taken place for a long time. Besides managing personal subsidiary farms and public sector employment, activity diversification is narrowed to gathering wild plants and fishing. Instead of development, such places experience devolution, also accompanied by social restrictions. With depopulation and economic crisis, globalization intensified devolution of remote places, encouraging the remaining young people to join the world processes and leave their home villages. It made purely economic criteria submerged by a problem of social environment matching the needs of the youth. Such districts may develop only with extra financial and labor inputs. Justly, rare economic growing-points are related to migrants. Turning remote summer villages into the outskirts of magacities is one of the most essential ways of development for such districts. Almost a half of the privately owned plots in the Ugric rural settlement belongs to town dwellers, mainly to Moscow residents. Town dwellers partially save villages or separate houses, but not extensive farming lands and not rural community. However, with some village population going away, life of summer residents may turn rather hard. Incursions of nature to agropogenic and cultural landscapes are inevitable in such areas as Manturovsky District and field abandoning reduces developed lands to pinpoint spots. Efforts made by federal authorities in the context of national projects and programs, aimed at saving farming in such districts, bring about a pinpoint effect, as merely give assistance to separate plants or farms, and “Svoboda”, the Ugric production cooperative farm, did not enjoy governmental attention. The Ugric settlement also did not receive livestock efficiency subsidy from regional government, as the cooperative farm had failed to increase annual milk yield more than 1500 kg per cow. Regional and municipal authorities can not afford to bear all the necessary expenses due to the lack of regional tax basis, and the adoption of Federal Law No. 131 deteriorated the situation greatly. Only towns having beneficial geographic and transport location and suburbs of regional centers remain growing points in remote previously developed areas.

The paper is dedicated to the analysis of the evolution of training, re-training and internship educational programs (later called also as professional education) for civil and municipal servants in Russia. The system of education for students in area of public administration, that concentrated on their preparation for future job in governmental and municipal bodies, which is developed in Russia simultaneously with the educational programs for civil and municipal servants, is out of the scope at this article. Authors extracted three periods in the evolution of professional education for civil and municipal servants in Russia: from year 1991/92 when the first attempts to start the system of education for civil servants was produced by the newly established Government Agency ROSKADRY; from 1995 to 2004 when the system of education for civil and municipal servants was growed on the base of the Federal Law “About the Foundations of the State Service of Russian Federation” (1995), and from 2004 up to the present when new Federal legislation appears, including the Federal Law “On the Civil Service of Russian Federation” (2004), the Federal Law “On the Municipal Service in Russian Federation” (2007), the Presidential Decree “On the System of Professional Re-training, Training and Internships for the Federal Civil Servants of Russian Federation” (2006). Authors mostly are concentrated on the 3rd (contemporary) period in the evolution of professional education for civil and municipal servants. The trends and main features of the content of professional education, types of its duration and kinds of the programs, the distribution of the educational programs among different educational centers and regions of Russia is discussed. The statistical data up to the moment is presented. Also, authors describe the key problems and prospects for future development of education for civil servants in Russia, including establishing of relevant MPA programs. The methodology of research combined from the elements of statistical analysis of collected by the authors data, of the description of already introduced and being in preparation the legislation about civil service of Russian Federation and the evaluation of its implementation, of the content analysis of the educational programs (disciplinary orientations and groups of disciplines, elaborated professional competencies for different categories of civil servants, educational methodic and innovative programs, capacity of educational community, trends etc).