‘Studies on Income and Social Inequality Must Include an Analysis of Business Elites’
Dr. Julián Cárdenas, a Researcher at Freie Universität Berlin, has devoted much of his career to studying business networks. A participant on the ‘Business Networks’ panel at the XVII April International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development on April 21, he recently agreed to speak with the HSE news service about his research interests, in particular his focus on elite business networks and how they differ around the world.
— Could you please say a few words about your area of research?
— I am working on people networking, specifically on business elite networks. My emphasis is on why networks of business elites are different around the world and how social impacts affect the way business elites relate to one another.
— Does education play a significant role when it comes to joining the business elite?
— Most business elites – directors of top corporations – attend exclusive private schools and usually complete postgraduate programs at North American universities. Educational institutions are also places for social networking.
— Have you discovered any differences among business elites in different countries or regions?
— Of course. Business elites are not homogeneous around the world, especially in how they organize. Business elites form cohesive networks in some countries – Italy, Spain, France, Germany, and Mexico – and form dispersed or fragmented networks in others – the United Kingdom, the US, Switzerland, Brazil, and Colombia. The institutional frameworks where business elites and large corporations are embedded – business-state relations, the financial system and degree – all influence the configuration of business elite networks.
— What kind of a link have you found between business elites and social inequality? Is this something that can be avoided? Or is it a kind of competition that could be a driving force for economic and social development?
— Surprisingly, I have found that under certain conditions (strong state, economic development), income inequality is lower in economies where business elites are more cohesive.
My main purpose is to draw attention to the fact that studies on income and social inequality must include an analysis of business elites: the way they organize, the links with political elites and so on. The effect of business elite networking on social inequality is not direct, but elites build the institutions that over the long term may have positive or negative effects on social inequality.
— What has brought you to this year’s April Conference at HSE?
After receiving an email alert about the event, I decided that it would be a good opportunity to present my work and discuss it in an international and multidisciplinary environment.
Anna Chernyakhovskaya, specially for HSE News service
See also:
HSE University Announces Call for Proposals to Attend Anniversary Yasin Conference
HSE University invites submissions of proposals with academic reports for participation in the 25th Yasin (April) International Academic Conference (YIAC). The conference programme, centred on five research themes addressing issues of economic and social development, will retain its interdisciplinary focus and welcome participation from leading scientists in Russia and around the globe. The key events of the 25th Yasin Conference will be taking place in Moscow from April 15 to 18, 2025.
25th Yasin (April) International Academic Conference Now Accepting Proposals
Reports on new research results will be presented and discussed as part of the conference’s sections. These reports will be selected based on reviews of proposals. As always, the conference programme features expert discussions of the most pressing economic, social, internal and external issues in the format of roundtables and associated events.
Academic Council: HSE University’s Contribution to Achieving National Goals and Development Priorities to Increase
HSE University’s Development Programme until 2030 will be improved in order to increase the university’s contribution to achieving national goals and implementing the priorities of the country’s scientific and technological development. This decision was made by the university’s Academic Council on April 26. The meeting also addressed the principles for the development of HSE University’s external communications, one of which is the creation of a high-quality information field around the university.
Keeping Up with the Neighbours: Envy as a Driver of Economic Growth
Classical economic theory assumes that economic agents are entirely self-interested and rational in their pursuit of material well-being, and that they are not affected by external factors. As a result, externalities are not considered in any way when constructing economic models. Nevertheless, some sociologists argue for a revision of modern economic theory to incorporate the ethical dimensions of economic agents' behaviour. Kirill Borissov, Professor of the Faculty of Economics at the European University in St Petersburg, spoke at the XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference and shared his observations from creating his own economic model incorporating the factor of envy.
Structural Transformation and Drivers of Sustainable Growth in Russian Economy Discussed at HSE University
The Russian economy has demonstrated high resilience to unprecedented external pressure and has managed to largely adapt to new conditions. As early as this year, it can go from recession to growth. The issue of where to find drivers and resources for this was discussed at a plenary session titled ‘Russian Economy under Sanctions: From Adaptation to Sustainable Growth’ at the XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference held at HSE University as part of the Decade of Science and Technology. Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Maksim Reshetnikov took part in the discussion.
‘People Want to Receive Only Useful Content’
Experts say that interest in news has sharply increased among the Russian audience. At the same time, part of the audience deliberately avoids it. What kind of content is in demand and will people continue to watch TV? These and other issues were discussed at the plenary session ‘ Info-hygiene and Information Elitism: How to Consume Media Properly’ at the XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference.
'The Emerging Trends in Africa Will Shape the World Order, and We Need to Be Prepared for That'
Africa has the potential to become a new economic giant. Today, African countries are interested in comprehensive cooperation and strengthening their positions in the global arena, and they look forward to receiving assistance from Russia and China in developing their technology, economy, and social sphere. Effective engagement with Africa requires training a greater number of professional African studies specialists. The XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference at HSE University featured a plenary session on 'Africa in a Changing World'.
Learning a Foreign Language Can Delay the Onset of Dementia
Dementia, a debilitating form of cognitive impairment, can be preventable. According to Professor Jubin Abutalebi of the University Vita Salute San Raffaele, Italy, and the Arctic University of Tromsoe, Norway, the easiest way to prevent cognitive decline after the age of 60 is to learn and practice foreign languages – the more languages, the better, suggests Professor Abutalebi in his presentation 'Preventing dementia through bilingualism' at the XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference.
‘The BRICS Strategic Partnership Offers the World Creative, Unifying, Forward-Looking Initiatives’
Today, BRICS has become an influential factor in modern international relations and is perceived as one of the pillars of a more just world order. This association is not based on one party’s dominance, but instead, is built on a sound balance of interests. The role of the association was discussed by the participants of the plenary session ‘BRICS Development Strategy: Equal Opportunities in an Unequal World’at the XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference.
Sanctions Create New Opportunities for Russian Companies
Like any crisis, the sanctions of 2022, besides problems, have created new opportunities for Russian companies. This is the conclusion that HSE University’s experts have come to. Their study results are presented in the report ‘Adaptation of Russian Industrial Companies to Sanctions: First Steps and Expectations’, prepared by HSE University for the XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference.