Russian manufacturing revisited : Industrial enterprises at the start of the 2008 financial crisis

Abstract

This paper is based on a major study by the HSE s Institute for Industrial and Market Studies (IIMS) on competitiveness of Russian manufacturing enterprises. The study seeks to identify the drivers and dynamics of business competitiveness, focusing particularly on behavior adjustments of firms in the period 2005-2008 and the lead-up to the global financial crisis. Using the study findings, we attempt to ascertain which firms succeeded (and the extent to which they succeeded) in capitalizing on the strong economic growth before the 2008 global financial crisis. We then ask if these firms managed to catch up with their competitors and secure sustainable competitive positions in the market, as well as identify the bases for output increases and enhanced production efficiency.