The problem of engineering creativity in Russia: a critical review

The problem of technological creativity in Russia is briefly discussed. Special attention is paid to the development of indigenous engineering corpus in unfavourable conditions and some reasons for engineers’ low creativity are revealed. The Soviet system of engineering higher education (HE) is criticised as not focused on fostering creative engineers and the existing HE system as a degraded relic of the Soviet one. Continuous education and training in advanced corporations engaged in innovations seems better suited for preparing engineers.     

Output reversibility in linear discrete-time dynamical systems

Output reversibility involves dynamical systems where for every initial condition and the corresponding output there exists another initial condition such that the output generated by this initial condition is a time-reversed image of the original output with the time running forward. Through a series of necessary and sufficient conditions, we characterize output reversibility in linear discrete-time dynamical systems in terms of the geometric symmetry of its eigenvalue set with respect to the unit circle in the complex plane. Furthermore, we establish that output reversibility of a linear continuous-time system implies output reversibility of its discretization. In addition, we present a control framework that allows to alter the system dynamics in such a way that a discrete-time system, otherwise not output reversible, can be made output reversible. Finally, we present numerical examples involving a discretization of a Hamiltonian system that exhibits output reversibility and an example of a controlled system that is rendered output reversible.     

Subjective evaluations of intelligence and academic self-concept predict academic achievement: Evidence from a selective student population

The study examined the relationship between implicit theories, goal orientations, subjective and test estimates of intelligence, academic self-concept, and achievement in a selective student population (N = 300). There was no direct impact of implicit theories of intelligence and goal orientations on achievement. However, subjective evaluations of intelligence and academic self-concept had incremental predictive value over conventional intelligence when predicting achievement accounting for more than 50% of its variance. The obtained pattern of results is presented via structural equation models and interpreted within a dynamic regulative systems framework suggesting the importance of further studying complex sets of achievement predictors that include ability, personality and mediating constructs.     

Continuing vocational training in the space industry: a Siberian case study

The development of a continuing vocational training programme at the Information Satellite Systems Joint-Stock Company (ISS JSC) during the transition from the planned Soviet economy to what is now called the Russian market economy is briefly outlined. How the collapse of a planned economy led to the degradation of engineering higher education (HE) is shown. The present system of engineering HE is criticized as a degraded relic of the Soviet one and an argument is made in favour of continuing vocational training in businesses like the ISS JSC, where the engineers are engaged in innovative activities. The schematic programme of training, retraining and improving the professional skills of the company’s personnel is presented. Some work assignments of the centre for personnel management at the ISS JSC are examined, in particular the preparation of target students along the ‘school–HE–industry’ chain.     

Information support of the performance quality of an enterprise

The evaluation of the quality of the performance of an enterprise, which includes management quality, is analyzed based on its state parameters: effectiveness, efficiency, and sustained success. Efficiency is evaluated based on outputs. Effectiveness and sustained success are evaluated based on outcomes. Outputs are represented in vector form, outcomes are represented by a complex indicator, and sustained success is represented as a forecast by estimating a series of complex indicators. Performance quality may be characterized by combined Effectiveness and Efficiency (E&E) estimates, and management quality is an E&E estimate in the long term.     

The new sporting Cold War: implications of the Russian doping allegations for international relations and sport

Abstract

This article examines current state of the new sporting cold war in the world of sports. It provides an examination of the 2014–2018 Russian doping scandal. Political and ideological prerequisites that triggered this scandal are considered, and based on obtained observations, an analysis of possible scenarios in the development of events is made as are recommendations for future progress in ending this unnecessary neo-cold war.     

Patterns of student employment in Russia†

This paper analyses the factors of combining study and work and the factors explaining intensity of work during study in Russia, based on cross-sectional survey data. The issue of how Russian students combine work and study is analysed through the set of financial, academic, social and demographic predictors, quality of university and quality of students. These factors may have an effect on student employment and student labour supply, and help shed light on what motivates students to enter the labour market. We discovered that 64.7% of Russian students combined study and work and most of them begin working during their third year of study. Our results indicate that factors associated with the quality of students, such as studying in a top university and participating in research activities, positively affect the probability of student employment, but negatively affect the intensity of employment. Financial motivations for student employment are also significant. We found that students receiving financial support from their families are less likely to be employed during their study and work less hours. However, we found no evidence that combining study and work affects students’ academic achievements.     

Building resilient schools in Russia: effective policy strategies*

The article uses the framework of resiliency to examine the strategies of principals in schools working under challenging socio-economic conditions that show higher-than-expected educational results. We collected a unique set of data within the Russian ‘National monitoring of education markets and organisations’ programme. This work continues the study, begun in 2014, of the peculiarities of the functioning conditions, management and educational strategies of different groups of schools (urban, rural, implementing higher-level programmes, private, etc.), where authors supplement the economic indicators of school performance with socio-economic contextual factors. A contextualisation model was applied to distinguish the resilient schools studied and the socio-economic characteristics for each school. The typical strategies of principals of resilient schools are as follows: recruiting more successful students from other schools, the branding of the school, creating a culture of high expectations for staff and students, and a less bureaucratic management style.     

Finite-time stabilization of nonlinear dynamical systems via control vector Lyapunov functions

Finite-time stability involves dynamical systems whose trajectories converge to an equilibrium state in finite time. Since finite-time convergence implies nonuniqueness of system solutions in reverse time, such systems possess non-Lipschitzian dynamics. Sufficient conditions for finite-time stability have been developed in the literature using Hölder continuous Lyapunov functions. In this paper, we develop a general framework for finite-time stability analysis based on vector Lyapunov functions. Specifically, we construct a vector comparison system whose solution is finite-time stable and relate this finite-time stability property to the stability properties of a nonlinear dynamical system using a vector comparison principle. Furthermore, we design a universal decentralized finite-time stabilizer for large-scale dynamical systems that is robust against full modeling uncertainty. Finally, we present two numerical examples for finite-time stabilization involving a large-scale dynamical system and a combustion control system.