Institutional forms - organisational
forms :
The reform of the energy sector in countries in transition
The diversity of institutional
and organisational structures in market economies, their development,
and the experience of “countries in transition” over the past
ten years have raised some questions on the issue of institutional change
and the relation between institutional and organisational forms. Analysing
the Russian experience leads to the conclusion that the definition of
private ownership rights (an essential institution within a market economy)
has not allowed the creation of private capitalist-type enterprise. The
institutions of a market economy are therefore the subject of specialised
forms of acquisition, which depend on the “informal institutions”
of the planned economy.
Conversely, a study of the
Russian energy sector leads to the conclusion that the forms of organisation
that have emerged are those best adapted to the distinctive features of
the institutional structure of Russia and particularly to the non-monetary
environment in which they have developed. In consequence, hypotheses on
co-development and co-determination between institutional and organisational
forms may be postulated. A given institutional field will therefore have
a corresponding specific organisational form.
Fields of study: reforms in
the Russian energy sector
Catherine Locatelli's field
of investigation is the Russian energy sector and the reforms introduced
in that sector.
- On one hand, there is a need
to deepen the research regarding the models of organisation which have
emerged in the Russian energy sector. For example, the energy holding
companies are incorporated in specific industrial and financial groups.
We are currently seeing forms of “re-acquisition” of the organisational
and institutional models developed in the market economies. From this
point of view, the industrial and financial groups in the energy sector
are a major organisational innovation that goes beyond the simple issue
of modification of ownership rights. They are the types of organisation
that allow proper management of the non-monetary relations (barter, non-payment
etc.) particular to the post-Communist transformation. However, some fundamental
questions remain on the way in which these organisational models are likely
to develop , and on the issues of their stability and reproduction. The
major stake may be the definition of a stylised model, an “ideal
type” of post-Communist organisation that allows the essential economic
relations and structures emerging from the transformation of the planned
economies to be identified and specified. The requirement for the system
to be solvent would also dictate a specific type of industrial structure,
Bank-Industry-Energy, as energy is the “minimum requirement to survive”
in an environment in which barter predominates. One can by way of example
mention a number of questions regarding the energy sector. Are there (or
are there not) in the economic system any “priority logics”
that would structure economic relations in lieu of a monetary contract?
More specifically, are there ways of making deliveries of energy a matter
of priority, especially in industrial processes? (The example of the Russian
gas company is worthy of particular examination). More generally, questions
must be asked on the possibility of industries being deregulated in an
environment dominated by the phenomenon of barter.
- There is also a need to keep
this research into post-Communist organisational models concentrated on
the problems and questions that have arisen in relation to energy saving.
As Russia is one of the most important suppliers to international energy
markets, any internal development in its industries will have significant
consequences on the balance of these energy markets, and must therefore
be covered by a specific study.
The theoretical approach:
the comparative institutional analysis
This step would be part of
the institutionalist stream and of the neo-institutionalist current (along
the lines of D. North), as there is a need to address both the institutions
and organisations and their development in the light of exogenous changes
(changes in regulations etc) or endogenous changes (such as technological
innovations). In particular, an analysis of institutional changes cannot
be designed apart from a theory of the nature of relations between formal
and informal constraints (regulations). With regard to the “countries
in transition”, for example, the question is : are the informal institutions
working against or in harmony with the formal institutions? This could,
as in the Russian case, be a justification for some specifi behaviours,
for example regarding the search for profitability.
A deeper institutional analysis
must also be written in the context of the “comparative institutional
analysis”, such as developed by Mr Aoki. The aim of this approach
is to define the interdependence that exists between the institutional
structures through the concepts of “institutional complementarity”
and “institutional coherence”. This aspect plays a key role
in the economic transformation of planned systems.
Main publications :
Finon D., Locatelli C. (2002).-
La libéralisation du marché gazier européen et ses
conséquences pour la Russie.- Grenoble : IEPE, juillet 2002, 18 p.
PDF
Locatelli C. (2002).- "
Les contraintes de la politique d'exportation gazière de la Russie
".- Revue de l'Energie, (535), p. 141-152.
LOCATELLI Catherine.- "
Modèle d'organisation et transition économique: le cas de
l'industrie pétrolière russe ".- Revue d'Economie Industrielle,
(96), 3e trim. 2001
LOCATELLI Catherine.- Russie-Caspienne
: les enjeux de l'approvisionnement en hydrocarbures de l'Europe.- Paris
: ministère des Affaires étrangères, DG, Coopération
internationale et Développement, avril 2000, 103.
LOCATELLI Catherine.- "
Les enjeux Caspienne-Russie dans l'approvisionnement gazier asiatique
".- Revue de l'Energie, (501), nov. 1998, p.568-578. Egalement paru
sous le titre " Du gaz pour l'Asie : les enjeux de la concurrence
entre la Caspienne et la Russie " dans Problèmes Economiques,
(2.603), 10 fév. 1999, p. 11-17.
LOCATELLI Catherine.- Energie
et transition en Russie : les nouveaux acteurs industriels.- Paris : l'Harmattan,
1998, 279 p. (Collection Pays del'Est).
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