Entrepreneurial actions are based on certain principles and prevailing decision-making logic. Effectual and causal reasoning are considered to be among the essential tools explaining the entrepreneurial strategy and outcomes. The present research explores the link between the applied effectuation principles, gender of the leader and SMEs financial and innovative functioning.

The policy paper considers prerequisites and factors conditioning the development of entrepreneneurial higher education institutions (universities 3.0) in Belarus. Capitalizing on state-of-the-art academic research and policy initiatives in the field, as well as on the custom-made survey of Belarusian faculty members, the paper analyses the environment for higher education institutions' modernization and provides policy recommendations.

This policy paper deals with the perspectives of the national economy development in 2018-2020. The study emphasizes that fluctuations around equilibrium growth rate is the most likely scenario. The study uses the estimate of 2.5% of equilibrium growth rate for Belarus, which is a compromise among different approaches and methodologies. The scenario of higher growth may become possible due to positive external shocks. However, even in case of permanently strengthening external environment, the growth rate of the national economy is still likely to be unsustainable.

The paper deals with opportunities of circular economy for ensuring green growth. Analysis and comparison of concepts of sustainable development, green and circular economy revealed that despite similarity there is a differences in ways of their implementation. It is shown that the green economy is one of a tool for achieving sustainable development, and the circular economy acts as a practical way of putting it into effect. The concept of circular economy is interlinked with various scientific schools of environmental economic system, each of which can be considered as directions of its development.

Although the government’s plans to raise foreign financing were fulfilled, the results of 2017 were ambiguous in this respect. The private sector and, especially, hi-tech startups generated investors’ profound interest. Investments in the public sector were provided by the state through external borrowing and redistribution of funds raised this way. The public sector thus remains unattractive for investors, but, in fact, it seeks state subsides, rather than investments. In 2017, the government took a number of important steps to improve the regulatory framework for investment and to stimulate business ventures.

Foreign Investment: Startups and Innovations or Loans