The article is devoted to the peculiarities of cooperation between Russian and Chinese oil and gas companies under sanctions. It is noted that Russia’s ongoing turn to the East increases its dependence on China. The dynamics and structure of trade turnover of the analyzed countries are provided as confirmation. It is shown that the main areas of cooperation between Russian and Chinese oil and gas companies are export, projects for field development, and production of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The article looks into the largest investment projects of Chinese companies in the oil and gas sector of Russia. At the same time, the problems and prospects for oil and gas cooperation between Russian and Chinese companies under sanctions are identified.

At the moment, the global civilization witnesses a shift in technological priorities. The main trend of which is a move away from the mechanical-instrumental aspect of social development to digital technological development, which has an impact on the entire technological structure and brings about fundamentally new organizational forms of production and commercial structures. This situation is also typical for the modern transportation market, which manifests in the emergence of new business models developed by transport companies, raising efficiency in transport services and altering the cost structure of transport services. The article looks into the features of applying digital solutions in the transportation of goods using the case of COSCO Group. The author concludes that digital systems are currently especially relevant for the development of port infrastructure, as well as for monitoring marine container transportation, reducing the possibility of downtime, optimizing marine transportation routes, enabling firms to demonstrate better performance through the use of digital solutions.

Investment market is a set of economic relations between the provider and the recipient of investment services. In modern realities, investments play an important role for both small and large investors. Market participants invest money to generate income or preserve capital. This article examines the impact of economic crises on the investment attractiveness of various financial markets: diamonds, venture capital, gold, real estate, and securities. The objective of the article is to look into possible reasons for changes in the value of assets depending on the stage of the economic cycle. The main conclusion that can be drawn is that amid maximum uncertainty, investors opt for more stable and safer assets. Therefore, the value of these assets surges during periods of crisis and then gradually slides or remains flat. Moreover, it should be noted that each of the financial markets has its own unique features. Portfolio diversification allows investors to preserve and slightly increase financial capital regardless of the volatility typical of all the financial markets.

Divorce brings changes to the parties’ time use and economic conditions. In recent years, the divorce rates of urban and rural areas in China have continued to rise and caused many people to worry about the social stability and the welfare of women after divorce. This paper focuses on how divorce affects women’s labor supply and wage income. Using data from the China Household Finance Survey 2013-2019, we find that divorce generally promotes the probability of women participating in market labor. This is also consistent with our understanding that divorce will cause most women’s family income to decline significantly, thus they become more likely to participate in market labor to maintain their economic well-being. Our paper implies that women’s economic welfare may not deteriorate at all after divorce, and thus their will about marriage should be protected by relevant law. 

The objective of this research paper is to assess the proactive decision-making of Generation Z in Kazakhstan. A quantitative approach was used for data collection and analysis. Respondents were invited to participate in the survey on a voluntary basis. They were asked to indicate their level of agreement with a list of 19 statements, using a 6-point Likert-type scale. A total of 380 valid questionnaires were returned back. The results suggest that young people are low on taking initiative and not strong in systematic identification of alternatives, but are much better at systematic identification of objectives, using a decision radar, and striving for improvement. The implications of these findings are discussed in the paper.

At present, China and Russia are increasing co-operation in various areas, including agriculture. There is a great demand for alfalfa in China. However, due to natural-geographical (limited area for cultivation) and socio-political conditions, China cannot achieve self-sufficiency. Currently, the Chinese alfalfa import market is dominated by the USA and Spain, while Russian alfalfa is just beginning to appear on the market. This article introduces the prospects for Russian alfalfa exports to China and offers some recommendations for Russian companies. China and Russia have strategic opportunities for comprehensive co-operation and have great potential for cooperation in agriculture. There is a high demand for high quality alfalfa in China. However, due to natural geographical and socio-political conditions, China has limited area for alfalfa cultivation and poor soil conditions. Local alfalfa production also lacks advantages in terms of quality and price. Currently, the Chinese alfalfa import market is dominated by the United States and Spain, while Russia is just beginning to supply alfalfa to the Chinese market. This article analyses the demand for alfalfa in China, its production characteristics, import methods and the reasons for the absolute dominance of alfalfa from the USA in the Chinese market. The article also presents the prospects of Russian alfalfa exports to China and offers some recommendations for Russian companies to improve quality, reduce transportation costs, create a brand name, establish an effective industry association for quality after-sales service and access to market information.

In the interview with Dmitry Ozman, President of Forbes Club and Development Director of Forbes Russia, the importance of PR and media in business is discussed, emphasising their key role in a company’s success. It is argued that quality PR is a basic component of any business, as it forms the face and character of the company, which becomes especially important in a highly competitive environment. As technology and new media formats are actively evolving, companies are forced to adapt and utilise modern tools such as social media and artificial intelligence to remain relevant and visible to their audience. An important part of a successful media product is the characteristics of the target audience and their needs. The process of creating compelling content involves preliminary market research as well as interaction with peers and experts. Examples of successful projects illustrate how innovative formats and joint work with market players help to create in-demand products and effective business communities. In addition, the interviews emphasise the importance of early professional experience for young people and the importance of the first step in career choices.