The goal of the present paper is to establish stages of evolution of approaches towards the understanding of nature of the economic entity. Importance of this analysis is based on the fact that both the understanding of this entity and terminology used to describe it has many contradictions. I propose and demonstrate the hypothesis that this evolution includes three stages (the first of them includes a separate substage). It is demonstrated that the economic entity represents now a more large notion than the firm, being rather an operator of non-market commercial transactions. The term «metafirm» is proposed to describe this operator. An example of metafirm is given, differences between the metafirm and the firm and the hybrid are described.

The article analyzes the essence of globalization and modern trends of its development. Considers the main contradictions associated with the concept of «globalization» and touches on questions about the nature of this phenomenon and the current vector of its development. Proposed author’s vision of the nature of globalization, its prerequisites and content of this concept. Also during the research it was established that the current condition of globalization is characterized by the level of internationalization of reproduction process in the world economy. The analysis is based on the results of basic research in the field of international production. The conclusions drawn by results of this research about essence and nature of globalization can be used further at more detailed studying of a subject of global changes of the world economy. The findings of this study about essence and nature of globalization can be used further for a more detailed studying of a theme of global changes of the world economy.

The article treats long-term impact of monetary policy nominal anchor choice (inflation targeting, exchange rate targeting, money supply targeting) on inflation level in developed and emerging countries. The research was built on panel data for 188 countries, which includes period after the global financial crisis. The results show, that inflation or exchange rate targeting allows to reduce inflation rate in emerging countries, while in developed countries the use of monetary policy nominal anchor does not give additional benefits in inflation control. This difference can be explained by the fact, that nominal anchor implementation in emerging countries enhances public confidence in monetary authority actions to control inflation. Higher confidence decreases inflation expectations and hence inflation. In contrast, central banks of developed countries can stabilize price level without use of nominal anchor due to good reputation.

The paper deals with the history of economic development of the film industry in the United States during the First World War. The beginning of XX century seems to be a very special stage of cinema development, in particular from the point of the history of national economy, since exactly at this time took place a formation of the world film market, and cinema for the first time was used not only as a commodity but also as an instrument of mass propaganda. The purpose of article is to trace the development of the American film business and its key aspects in the early XX century and during the war, based on the analysis of the relevant literature. Film industry is considered as a system of production, distribution and exhibition of audiovisual products. This article contains the conclusions concerning the global expansion of the US film industry in a specified period. Also substantiated the fact that the middle 1900s became an extremely important period in the development of the American film industry, during which the basics of the classical Hollywood business model were established.

The paper investigates the mid-term results of the tariff regulation influence on the amount of capital expenditures in Russian electricity distribution sector. We estimate panel data with the dynamic investment model using system GMM method. We showed that horizon of tariff regulation period is statistically significant and transition from the short-term regulation to the long-term tariff system had positive effect on the amount of regulated companies’ investments. At the same time we found that the design of long-term regulation applied in Russia in 2009-2013 (type of RAB-regulation and long-term indexation) was not statistically significant to the amount of investments. All over all, the amount of investments in electricity distribution networks has similar to European peers explanatory factors. The obtained results are important to the further improvement of regulation in power energy and can be applied in district heating as well.

The paper analyses the ways how long-term tariff regulation impacts on investment decision in district heating in Russia. Concessions in district heating gave us good chance to analyze impact of tariff regulation on the potential concessionaire decision who is choosing between agreements. The empirical analysis shows that potential concessionaire makes such decisions taking into account specific tariff parameters. The probability of attracting potential investor increases because of indicated volume of rate of return or including energy efficiency indicators; the ratio of operating expenses has negative effect on the probability. The growth rates of total revenue indicated for all years of the planned agreement has no effect on the probability. Potential concessionaire prefers to choose agreements, where the volume of investment commitments is lower, because he is not ready to assume ambitious commitments in the district heating in the current system of regulation.

The aim of this paper is to identify the role of the loyalty programs in the Russian market. The methodology of the study based on the analysis of relevant publications and qualitative research using semi-structured interviews with experts in customer relationship and loyalty programs which were fulfilled in 2014-2015 in Russia and Austria. The article offers the definition of customer loyalty programs as relationship marketing tool, and contains the differentiation criteria from the frequency and reward schemes, also the role of customer loyalty programs for retail chains are investigated. The systematization of the reward types that are widely use in loyalty programs are provided. The paper contributes to the development of relationship marketing theory and customer loyalty programs issue.

The objective of the article is the systematic description of emergence and development at economic faculty of MSU G. H. Popov’s Scientific School of Management. The subject of the article is the dynamics of development of this Scientific School. The methodological basis of the research are author’s personal observations as a participant of the proses of creation of scientific school and analysis of scientific and teaching materials published in 60^th-70^th of previous century. In the article is show that Scientific School of management of social production was established at economic faculty of Moscow State University in the 70-th of the previous century. During 20 years Scientific School was headed by its founder G. H. Popov. The theoretical statements presented by him in his book «Problems of theory of management» played the role of methodological basis of Popov’s Scientific School. The organizational form of Scientific School there was a Center for the problems of management at Economic faculty of MSU.