ON THE ROLE AND FUTURE OF OUTSOURCING IN THE RUSSIAN ECONOMY

Abstract

The author defines outsourcing not only as a business-tool, but also as one of the most important indicators of the health of the national economy and its competitiveness. Methodology to define the volume of outsourcing in the economy proposed by the author is new to the Russian economic science. By using a range of econometrics of personal design - namely methods of «statistics», «industries» and «outsourcing» (explained hereinafter) the author defines the share of outsourcing as 19% of GDP. At the same time, the author proves that the current volume of outsourcing is insufficient to secure stable growth of the economy. Industrial behemoths and state owned companies - so called national champions - are weakening, not strengthening the competitiveness of the Russian economy with their size. Because of the very overconcentration in the Russian economy, the share of small and medium enterprises is too small. The number of workers hired by SMEs is also less than in other comparable economies. The insufficient share of outsourcing also to the lack of innovations, because innovation breeds not inside large state owned corporations but amongst entrepreneurs. In the end of the article summarizes factors that will contribute or otherwise hamper the development of outsourcing in the Russian economy, influencing its competitiveness worldwide.