The dissertation thesis is handling the transformation process of Russian Federation's economy from the beginning of the 90's up to present time. It evaluates selected transformation conditions, transformation process and the implications for today's participation Russia's in international trade. Considered are also specifics given by the historical development. Further the thesis is devoted to lines dominant and potentially important in the foreign trade, considering several territories and possible future development.

The thesis brings complex view on the development and current situation of the tourism between Russian Federation and the Czech Republic after 1993. It proceeds from the analysis of the conditions for development of this industry in each region of both countries and from current position of their tourism. After defining of these countries as the destinations of tourism, the thesis looks into the development and current situation of the mutual tourism between them. It describes the events, which could influence the development during the observed period. Last but not least the thesis brigs questionnaire survey made in the RF and CR in order to find out the opinion of the respondents of observed countries or their previous and alternatively future visits.

Wahlen sind wichtige Bestandteile demokratischer Strukturen und werfen schon im Vorfeld ihrer Durchführung ihre Schatten voraus. Die Russländische Föderation (RF) stellt hierbei keine Ausnahme dar, aber können in ihrem Falle nur selten westeuropäische Maßstäbe angewandt werden. Russischen Uhren ticken anders. Für die RF gelten keine Schablonen, keine allgemein übertragbaren Parameter. Fragen der Sozialisierung, Mentalitätsfragen und Fragen nach der politischen Kultur spielen hierbei in der Realität eine entscheidende Rolle. Es ist wichtig, die Akteure im System selbst zu untersuchen, nicht aber, wie es in der Literatur stattfindet, mit dem Blick auf die Wirkung der Einzelakteure auf das Gesamtsystem, sondern des Gesamtsystems auf einen Einzelakteur. Hierbei analysiert die Arbeit die spezifischen Eigenarten des russländischen politischen Systems, verdeutlicht die Entwicklung des politischen Lebens in der RF, besonders der politischen Vereinigungen und streicht die rechtliche Stellung sowie die politischen Lager heraus. Im vereinigungspolitischen Spektrum der RF haben sich nur wenige Konstanten herauskristallisieren können. Einer dieser Fixpunkte ist in der Kommunistischen Partei der Russländischen Föderation (KPRF) zu sehen. Die Vereinigung hatte es geschafft, wie ein Phönix aus der Asche aufzusteigen. Sich nicht nur über die Zeit des Putsches 1993 zu retten, sondern in der Folgezeit zur einzigen Vereinigung zu erwachsen, der es möglich war, sich gegen die rechtspopulistische Liberal-Demokratische Partei Russlands (LDPR), die Parteien der Macht´, aber auch gegen JABLOKO und die Jelzin-Administration zu behaupten. Keine Vereinigung dieser Zeit schaffte es, so viele Mitglieder und Wähler an sich zu binden, wie es die kommunistische Partei unter G. A. Sjuganow vermochte. Letztendlich ist es der KPRF gelungen, mit G. A. Sjuganow den aussichtsreichsten Gegenkandidaten zu B. N. Jelzin aufzubauen. Die Präsidentschaftswahl von 1996 ist, wie keine nach ihr, denkbar knapp ausgefallen und erst in der Stichwahl entschieden worden. Gleichsam stellt das Jahr 1996 für die Vereinigung eine tief greifende Zäsur dar. Für die Erfolge und Niederlagen der KPRF ist es von Vorteil, die sie beeinflussenden Faktoren in exogene, der Makroebene politische System der RF´ und in endogene, der Mikroebene KPRF´ entstammende Faktoren zu unterteilen. Auf die exogenen Faktoren, wie beispielsweise die exponierte Stellung des Präsidenten, eine fehlende Parteiengesetzgebung, die marginale Stellung der Staatsduma, die Politikverdrossenheit und Sozialisierung der Wahlbevölkerung oder die geografischen Dimensionen der Föderation, konnte die Sjuganow-Vereinigung nur geringfügig Einfluss nehmen. Die endogenen Faktoren, wie das politische Programm, das Statut oder eine fehlende innerparteiliche Homogenität, lagen in den Händen der Vereinigung und konnten von ihr aktiv, aus ihr heraus gestaltet werden. Für den angestrebten Sieg zur Präsidentschaftswahl 1996 oblag es der KPRF, geeignete Strategien zu finden. Als für das Ziel positiv kann der Schwenk von der unversöhnlichen zur konstruktiven Opposition, eine breite Koalitionsbereitschaft, das Nutzen dichter Netzwerke und ein breites Angebot programmatischer Schwerpunkte, gekoppelt an den Passus Partei leninistischen Typs´ gewertet werden. Dass G. A. Sjuganow in der Vereinigung umstritten war, der Vorwurf des fehlenden Charismas im Raum stand und es die Vereinigung nicht vermochte, ausreichend Mobilisierungspotential gegenüber Wählern außerhalb der KPRF-Stammwählerschaft zu erreichen, sind als dem Ziel abträglich zu betrachten. Ferner verfolgte die KPRF einen grauen, klassischen, aber z. T. unprofessionellen Wahlkampf, der der Kremladministration nicht gefährlich werden konnte und dem modernen, stark medialen Wahlkampf B. N. Jelzins nichts entgegenzusetzen hatte. Eine einseitige Ausrichtung auf russisch-nationale Themen kann ebenfalls als strategischer Fehler der KPRF gesehen werden, zeigten doch Umfragen, dass dem Großteil der Wahlbevölkerung mehr an der Verbesserung der sozial-ökonomischen Lage gelegen war, als an nationaler Rhetorik. Eine von exogener Seite geschürte Kommunismusangst und das Fehlen eines positiven Alternativprogramms von endogener Seite runden das Scheitern der KPRF zur Präsidentschaftswahl 1996 ab. Die Arbeit zeigt, dass die exogenen, wie auch endogenen Faktoren sowohl hemmend, als auch fördernd auf die KPRF einwirken konnten. Woran die KPRF beim Erreichen des Wahlsieges von 1996 letztendlich scheiterte, kann aus keiner der beiden Seiten eindeutig abgeleitet werden. Sowohl die endogenen, als auch die exogenen Faktoren leisteten ihren Betrag zum Scheitern der Vereinigung, doch muss festgehalten werden, dass die Einflussnahme der KPRF auf die hemmenden Faktoren im exogenen Bereich hätte stärker ausfallen können. / Elections are important elements of democratic structures and cast a cloud over transforming processes, especially in the Russian Federation. One can rarely apply Western European parameters, as there are no simple patterns fitting the political structures. Questions of socialisation, mentality and questions concerning the political culture play a decisive role in Russian reality. The thesis analyses the specific rules of the Russian political system, shows the development of the political parties and is gives review of the regulatory framework and the political situation in the Russian Federation in the period 1991 - 1996. The main focus of the thesis is on the CPRF and the fast development after 1993, which could be compared to phoenix rising from the ashes. The CPRF matured and became an invariable political part of the Russian Federation. The Communist Party lost the presidential elections in 1996, which was the main chance for the CPRF to come into power. Candidate G. A. Zyganov received 32% of the votes, just 35% short of B. N. Yeltsin. The thesis analyses the mistakes the CPRF made and divides the influences into exogenous parameters (emanate from the macroscopic political system of the Russian Federation´) and endogenous parameters (emanate from the microscopic CPRF´).

This thesis compares franchising regulation in the Russian Federation with that of Canada. In order to be the most profitable, and function in the most efficient way, franchising must be properly regulated. Russia is currently experiencing a stagnation of franchising. This is partly because of the inefficient and outdated nature of the legislation that governs franchise relations in the country. In comparison, franchising business is flourishing in Canada. Canadian franchising legislation, reinforced by Canadian case law, represents a more developed system of regulation. The goal of this study is to reveal the strengths of Canadian franchising regulation as well as the weaknesses of Russian franchising regulation. This thesis also suggests ways to improve Russian franchising law and practice.

This thesis compares franchising regulation in the Russian Federation with that of Canada. In order to be the most profitable, and function in the most efficient way, franchising must be properly regulated. Russia is currently experiencing a stagnation of franchising. This is partly because of the inefficient and outdated nature of the legislation that governs franchise relations in the country. In comparison, franchising business is flourishing in Canada. Canadian franchising legislation, reinforced by Canadian case law, represents a more developed system of regulation. The goal of this study is to reveal the strengths of Canadian franchising regulation as well as the weaknesses of Russian franchising regulation. This thesis also suggests ways to improve Russian franchising law and practice.

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and especially during the last decade, a multitude of changes and reforms affecting the business environment of the Russian Federation were observable. This thesis discusses already existing findings and theories dealing with business-impacting changes in the Russian market and investigates their impact on companies operating in the medical technical sector. Moreover, it is examined to what extent networks serve as a mediator between recent and upcoming business-impacting changes and medical device companies. For this purpose, an explanatory multiple case study is conducted which comprises two cases of medical technical companies as well as two institutions which are very familiar with the Russian market. The empirical analysis is based on a framework which summarizes in literature identified business-impacting changes. These are the membership of the WTO, the increasing overall wealth of the Russian population, different political programs to fight corruption and to decrease the extent of bureaucracy as well as various kinds of health care reforms which are launched to deal with the poor health care outcomes of the Russian Federation. Contrary to findings in literature, it is found that the WTO membership as well as the launch of different political programs has no notable impact on companies operating in the medical technical sector. Different health care reforms and an increasing overall wealth of the Russian population, on the other hand, have positive impacts on the demand for medical device products. Moreover, access to well-established networks in the Russian market is a possibility for medical device producers to evaluate the actual effect of business-impacting changes and to initiate corresponding activities. It was found that a clear distinction between different kinds of networks, such as business and social networks, cannot be clearly made for the case of the Russian market.

This thesis investigates the two major problems of poverty and corruption in post-Soviet Russia, by comparing Boris Yeltsin&rsquo / s and Vladimir Putin&rsquo / s terms of office. In order to do that, political and economic circumstances during these two presidents&rsquo / eras, the reasons of these two problems, and the consequences of certain policies adapted by these two presidents are focused on. The main argument of the thesis is to analyze interactively the certain conditions of poverty and corruption in the Russian Federation under the presidencies of both Yeltsin and Putin.

This thesis seeks to examine the internal and external migration trends in the Russian Federation. The thesis also examines the internal migration trends in the Soviet Union as well as Soviet emigration and migration policies. The thesis focuses mainly on the migration policy of the Russian Federation. The main argument of the thesis is that although ethnic dynamics, armed conflicts and nationalist clashes play important roles in Russia&rsquo / s migration trends, the main force of Russia&rsquo / s internal and external migration trends are economic. The thesis has four main chapters. After the introduction the first chapter examines migration in the Soviet Union. The second chapter explores migration policy of Russia. The third chapter deals with internal migration in the Russian Federation. The last main chapter discusses external migration in the Russian Federation.

This thesis seeks to examine the &lsquo / parties of power&rsquo / in the Russian Federation between 1991 and 2008. The thesis also discusses the political party system and political party development in post-Soviet Russia. The thesis focuses mainly on the United Russia party and compares it with the former &lsquo / parties of power&rsquo / in the Russian Federation. The main argument of the thesis is that as compared to the previous &lsquo / parties of power&rsquo / , which were affiliated mainly with the prime ministers without achieving party consolidation, the United Russia party has been successful in consolidating its party development and achieved a central status in the Russian political system. The thesis has seven chapters. The introductory first chapter is followed by the second chapter that examines &lsquo / parties of power&rsquo / in post-Soviet Russia, along with the political party system and the stages of political party development in the Russian Federation. The third chapter explores Russia&rsquo / s Choice party. The fourth chapter deals with Our Home Is Russia party. The fifth chapter focuses on the United Russia party. The sixth chapter discusses the new role of the United Russia in Russian political system after 2007 State Duma elections. The last chapter is the conclusion of the thesis.

This thesis aims to study the relations between Turkey and Russia in the post-Soviet era by focusing on the nature of economic interdependence between these countries. Focusing on the energy, trade, tourism and investment sectors, the thesis evaluates the interaction between the political and economic factors in the relations between Turkey and the Russian Federation. Contrary to the general view which claims that the historically conflictual relations between these two countries have been replaced by more cooperative economic and political relations, the thesis argues that these relations are characterized by both cooperation and conflict due to the complex nature of their interdependence. In this sense, there is always a potential for tensions in these relations due to the strategic role of economic relations between Turkey and Russia. Following the introduction chapter, the second chapter examines the historical background of Turkish-Russian relations until the end of the Soviet era in 1991. The third and fourth chapters analyze the Yeltsin and Putin periods in Turkish-Russian relations by exploring the limits of economic interdependence in four main sectors of economic transaction / trade, energy, investment and tourism. The last chapter is the conclusion.