RUSSIANS PERCEIVING INNOVATIONS AND INNOVATION CLIMATE

Abstract

This paper is an analytical review of the results of the Russian national survey performed by the Public Opinion Foundation and commissioned by the Development Foundation for the Scientific Center for Development and Commercialization of New Technologies “SKOLKOVO” (research was conducted in 476 settlements in 70 subjects of the Russian Federation in 2011; total of respondents was 7 500 persons). The goal of the nationwide survey was to identify the attitudes of Russians towards innovations and innovative climate. The purpose of the analytical article is to rethink the sociological information from the psychological and socio-cultural points of view. According to the nationwide survey, Russians ambiguously perceive innovations. On the one hand, this is explained by cultural differences: Russians are moderate collectivists; they tend to work in hierarchical command structure with a strong subordination and avoid risks or uncertainty. On the other hand, this is due to the lack of awareness about innovations and perception of innovations as finance or capital.