In the history of Russian economic ideas, a peculiar mix of anthropocentrism and holism provided fertile breeding ground for patterns of thought that were in potential conflict with the market. These patterns, did not render the emergence of capitalism in Russia impossible. But they entailed a deep intellectual division between adherents and opponents of Russia’s capitalist transformation that made Russia’s social evolution unstable and vulnerable to external shocks. This study offers an ideational explanation of Russia’s relative failure to establish a functioning market economy and thus sets up a new and original perspective for discussion. In post-Soviet Russia, a clash between imported foreground ideas and deep domestic background ideas has led to an ideational division among the elite of the country. Within economic science, this led to the emergence of two thought collectives, (in the sense of Ludvik Fleck), with entirely different understandings of social reality. This ideational division translated into incoherent policy measures, the emergence of institutional hybrids and thus, all in all, into institutional instability. Empirically, the book is based on a systematic, qualitative analysis of the writings of Soviet/Russian economists between 1987 and 2012. This groundbreaking book makes an important contribution to Central Eastern and Eastern European area studies and to the current debate on ideas and institutions in the social sciences.

This book explores contemporary metaphors of leadership from a biblical or church historical perspective. It seeks to understand the cultural, social, and organizational metaphors from the Bible and the implications for contemporary organizations. Addressing issues such as communication, mentorship, administration, motivation, change management, education, and coaching, the authors explore concepts related to both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. This book will be a valuable addition to the leadership literature in showing how biblical leadership principles can be used in contemporary organizations.

This is a seminal book for anyone who wants to understand, shape or study the communication surrounding sustainability in their interactions with colleagues, employees, supply chain partners and external stakeholders. It develops essential insights on the basis of an extensive review of relevant theories and research drawn from multiple disciplines. Interview data gathered from organization members who are currently communicating about sustainability in their cities, universities, nongovernmental organizations, small businesses and large for-profit organizations provide valuable insights from a practitioner’s perspective. The interviewees represent organizations such as the Portland Trailblazers, Tyson Foods, the City and County of Denver and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Theory, research and interview comments combine in a reader-friendly way to provide practical insights and stimulate future research.

The proceedings of the "Economics and Business Competitiveness International Conference" (EBCICON) provides a selection of papers, either research results or literature reviews, on business transformation in the digital era. Nine major subject areas, comprising accounting and governance, customer relations, entrepreneurship, environmental issues, finance and investment, human capital, industrial revolution 4.0, international issues, and operations and supply chain management are presented in the proceedings. These papers will provide new insights into the knowledge and practice of business and economics in the digital era. Therefore, parties involved in business and economics such as academics, practitioners, business leaders, and others will be interested in the contents of the proceedings.

This book fundamentally challenges the way in which PhDs are currently pursued. It applies lean methodologies – which have been embraced by start-ups – to the doctoral research process. It explains how to apply techniques such as the minimal viable product (MVP) approach, rapid prototyping and pivoting to each stage, from choosing a topic to seeking feedback, in order to save time, make the process more efficient and demonstrate impact. Chapters are enriched with insights from PhD researchers, practical guidance on going lean and a wealth of empirical data which supports this new approach to postgraduate research. This inspiring text is a must-read for prospective and current PhD students who wish to accelerate their careers in academia and beyond.

This practical guide for students, researchers and practitioners offers real world guidance for data-driven decision making and innovation.