Belarus’ external debt in the context of the pandemic and ways to resolve it

The changes in the amount of the external debt of Belarus depending on various factors are analyzed. The study found that the consequences of the epidemic COVID-19 had a significant impact on the increase in the amount of external debt. In addition, political protests against the government have a special weight in the reasons for the growth of Belarus external debt, since their consequences significantly reduced the level of confidence on the part of foreign investors, which led to a fall in the ruble. The role of foreign countries as the main creditors in the external debt of Belarus, as well as in the economy of Belarus as a whole is examined, and the importance of the Belarusian friendship with Russia is considered. In conclusion, an assessment of the structure of the Belarusian economy and methods of its regulation is carried out, and then possible ways of settling the Belarusian debt are presented.

The Indian Republic in the global energy markets

Energy is an integral part of the economic security of any state, and it is more complex, the lower the degree of provision with its mineral resources and the higher the number of the population living in the country. Being the undisputed world leaders in terms of population (1.4 billion people and 1.3 billion people), China and India are concerned about ensuring the energy security of their national economies. According to the latest forecasts formed by the International Energy Agency, by 2040, these two countries will become world leaders in terms of imports of mineral products (in this case: crude oil and natural gas). China is the world leader in exporting goods; India is implementing an economic and industrial policy to turn the country into a world manufacturing hub. In this regard, providing countries with energy resources is one of the most critical tasks. At the same time, a significant problem is a dependence on regular supplies of raw materials and world prices for energy carriers. Respectively, countries should pursue a policy of diversification of suppliers of mineral products. The subject of this study is the Republic of India and its position in the world energy markets; issues of energy security and energy policy are also highlighted.

Optimization of diversification management production at the enterprises of the defense-industrial complex

The currently used methods of optimizing the management of diversification activities are insufficiently theoretically substantiated. The available tools for this optimization do not allow quantitatively taking into account many factors affecting this process in today's difficult economic conditions, which gives rise to many problems. Among them, an important and still unsolved problem is a scientifically grounded quantitative assessment of risks for the implementation of diversification measures. It is especially relevant now for the enterprises of the military-industrial complex. The authors propose an approach to the study of the theoretical foundations of optimization of production diversification management as a form of systemic transformation of enterprises and a new toolkit for solving the problem under consideration based on the use of the expert assessment method and economic and mathematical modeling of risk analysis of diversification measures. Significance of the research is determined by the need to optimize the management of production diversification at the enterprises of the military-industrial complex.

From the crisis-generating nature of global development to the transformation of the world financial and economic architecture

The modern dynamics of the global processes unfolding in the financial and economic sphere is currently experiencing a wide range of crises of different profiles (which forms the crisis-generating nature of global development), requiring the development of new approaches to overcome them. This determines the relevance of the description of a crisis dynamic, specific examples of its evolution and growth. The purpose of the study is to identify the main contours of the transformation of the world financial and economic architecture (WFEA) in such conditions. For this, the methodology of systems analysis, the dialectical method of scientific knowledge, methods of historical, logical and comparative analysis were used. As a result, it was concluded that the monetary methods used only make it possible to stop the spread of the crisis, but do not remove its root causes, since the crisis dynamics has a steady growing nature, which occurs with a parallel increase in emission volumes. The comparison of two world economic structures of the established imperial and new integral ones is carried out. The issue of the process of gradual renewal of the entire world system, WFEA, its reboot with elements of transformation, but in the general outlines of evolution, is considered. The revolutionary nature of development will be associated only with technological leaps, including due to the manifestation of the sixth wave of technological development, which will also adjust the transformation of the entire WFEA to itself.

Development of project management practice in hotels of Kazakhstan

Project management is not only a tool for achieving business goals, but also a mechanism for strategic development of the company. This is due to the fact, that the achievement of strategic goals in any area is directly related to the effective implementation of individual projects. In the framework of the study, the development of project management practices in the hotel business is evaluated using the project management maturity model. It is revealed that the use of project management practices in Kazakhstan hotels lags behind hotels of international chains.

Reducing the cost of electricity transmission services of industrial enterprises connected to the electric networks of electric power producers

Reducing the cost of electricity consumption by industrial enterprises is the most important area of increasing the operational efficiency of their activities. The article is devoted to the issue of reducing the cost of paying for the service component of the transport component of purchased electrical energy from industrial enterprises that have technological connection to the electrical networks of electricity producers. The article makes an empirical study of the features of the pricing of payment for the services of the transport component of purchased electrical energy for industrial enterprises connected to the electric grids of electricity producers with the identification of factors influencing the overestimation of the cost of paid electricity, and calculating such overestimations using the example of a typical schedule of electricity consumption of a machinebuilding enterprise for various regions Russia. On the basis of the developed author's indicators (tariff coefficient for electricity transportation by the level of GNP, index of tariff coefficient for electricity transportation, weighted average price for electricity transportation, index of weighted average price for electricity transportation, integral index of efficiency of GNP tariffs) study of the effectiveness of the application of tariffs for the transport of electricity for industrial enterprises connected to the electric networks of electricity producers. Based on the calculated indicators, the article groups the regions into three main groups, with the development of recommendations for managing the cost of purchasing electricity by the component of the cost of the transport component of purchased electricity in each group. As the most optimal option for reducing the cost of electricity transportation, the author proposes the introduction of demand management for electricity consumption, which will reduce the costs of industrial enterprises that pay for the transport component of purchased electricity at unfavorable tariff configurations.

Features of the American foreign direct investment: the role of the American holdings

Article is dedicated to the determination of key features of the United States participation in the international capital movement on the example of FDI outflows and inflows, and confirmation of its heterogeneous nature. Tax reform that has been implemented in the end of 2017 led to the result when USA was deleted of the list of TOP-20 world investors of 2018 (by UNCTAD). The scientific opinion and fears were connected with the forecasts that the tax reform could change the movement of FDI flows back to the USA from foreign countries, especially, and the countries with the low taxes and the most favorable investment regimes. At the same time, it needs to underline that the analysis of U.S. FDI inflows and outflows showed that the negative indicator of U.S. FDI outflow (export) in 2018-2019 was connected with the repatriation of U.S. holding companies profits, that were doing business in countries with the most favorable tax and investment regimes. The authors tried to investigate the nature of the American holdings role and the integration of U.S. in to the global system of FDI and capital movement.

Impact of changes in economic pressures on the activities of foreign oil and gas companies in Venezuela

The article discusses several new laws in the oil and gas sector of Venezuela, which appeared at the beginning of the 21st century. It also presents the tax regimes in this area of the country and the types of tax and economic burdens that apply to these regimes; highlights the main problematic aspects of changes in tax legislation and the consequences on the activities of foreign companies and the development of the oil and gas sector of the country as a result of such changes. It is concluded that the increase in state revenues not solve the problem of attracting investments in the oil and gas sector of the country, and only scare off a large company in the future (Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips have left the Venezuelan market), resulting in a fall in production at the country, its government revenues, and then slowing down economic growth in the country. As an alternative approach to improving state regulation and the conduct of the oil business in the country, the options for improving this situation are presented: to increase the share of foreign companies in strategic partnerships; review the tax system for oil companies; allow some programs to be implemented directly by foreign companies; and propose new distribution and profitability schemes that will adapt to the current international hydrocarbon market.

Global trends and growth dynamics in media industry

The article reviews the trends in the media industry landscape formation based on content as a source of economic processes taking place in the industry. A wide range of expert opinions, reflecting the current changes was collected and analyzed. The life cycle of content is examined and the key trends in its production, packaging, distribution and consumption are highlighted. The attention is focused on the economic and technological factors that determine each of the trends, for instance, a change in the model of media consumption, the development and distribution of OTT platforms as a new way of delivering content, as well as a rapid transition to a new technological level. The latest statistical data from Russian and foreign sources support the reviewed trends. There is a separate description of the coronavirus pandemic impact consequences on the global media and the Russian industry in particular, and the key aspects of the development of the industry are identified in the current period on its basis.

Economic relations between China and Venezuela: modern characteristics and prospects

Venezuela suffers currently from a deep economic and political crisis. China, being significant partner for Venezuela, has recently increased its presence on the Venezuelan market. The study reveals the distinguishing features of modern Chinese-Venezuelan economic relations. It analyzes China's foreign economic strategy in Latin America and identifies the trends in trade, investment and finance relations between China and Venezuela. The conclusion is made that the Chinese strategy in Venezuela is not based on the concept of South - South cooperation, but it more relates to the North - South approach. At the same time, the political factor plays an increasingly significant role in the development of relationship between states from a perspective of escalation of the confrontation between the United States and China. The possible scenarios and consequences of the Venezuelan political crisis for China are identified and certain comparisons with Russia are presented.