Abstract: This article is dedicated to examination of the country of origin of goods or services as an important criterion in consumer choice. The author considers the history of establishment of such vector of research, as well as main conclusions made over the time. The article determines the key directions of research on the topic “an effect of the country of origin”, and the importance of development of this aspect at the present time. Conclusions are made on the attitude of the Russians towards Russia as the country of origin of the goods. The author conducts an online survey, which contained the 14-element scale described in this article. It confirmed the results of the previous research on the “effect of the country of origin”. The author underlines that the Russians are willing to demonstrate patriotism by choosing the goods manufactured domestically in order to support the national producers. However, the consumers are not satisfied with the quality of manufactured products. The higher is the level of difficulty of manufacturing, the more consumers prefer to buy foreign products.

Keywords: service, goods, import substitution, production, patriotism, consumer, country of origin effect, consumption, consumer behavior, image of the country

Abstract: The subject of this research is the blog hosting sites and social networks in the Russian Federation and the United States as the platforms for blogging. The author carefully examines such aspects of the topuc as the peculiarities of application of the various Internet services with social components and other forms of content. Special attention is given to the differences between the blog platforms, social networks, and their use in the indicated countries. The following conclusions were made: part of the bloggers have switched to a new format of social networks, for example Facebook due to the broader audience, simplicity of use, and ample opportunities for popularizing their content; the traditional blogging finds its application in separate fields when its transition to the social network platforms is unreasonable or undesirable for the author, however most of them ended up transitioning over to the social networks. The results of this scientific work can be used for the purpose of forecasting the development of other types of new media in the reviewed countries. The scientific novelty consists in the synthesis of information of multiple field-specific research for determination and comparison of the use of social media and blog hosting sites in the Russian Federation and the United States as the platforms for placing the content.

Keywords: USA, Russia, mass communication, mass media, blogosphere, blogging, blog, new media, social media, social networks

Abstract: This article examines the motivations for achieving success among the students of Mongolian University of Science and Technology, located in the city of Darkhan, which are significant in monitoring the development of soft skills competencies of the students and improvement in the quality of education. Primary attention is given to the establishment of dominant motivations and their correlation with the overall value worldview. The author analyzes the existing gender differences among the male and female students, hierarchy of motivations for achieving success in the diverse categories of success, as well as the dominant value orientations for achieving success. The article applies the psychological diagnostics of motivations for achieving success among the university students, which was recently proposed by S. A. Pakulina. It determines the nine key categories of success: material success; success as luck; success as recognition; success as power; success as result; personal success; success as mental state; success as overcoming; success as calling. The survey consists of 36 questions that determine the preferences towards each of the category of success, with participation of 225 students. It is established that important for the great majority of students of the School of Technology is the inner personal success: success as a result of personal activity, personal success, success as a mental state, success as overcoming of obstacles, and success as calling. Realization of personal potential and serving the supreme goal also considered important by the respondents. The least attractive motive for successful activity for the majority of student is the external success: control and influence other people, make decisions for them. The acquired results can be used in development and implementation of the modern educational curricula and practice in terms of creation of the effective environments for the career and personal activities.

Keywords: student values, global challenges, the psychology of success, ethics, the internal success,, motivations for success, Modern education, social optimism, locus control, adaptation to change

Abstract: This article provides characteristic to the modern information society in the context of Manuel Castells’ network society, examines the popular mass media and their influence, describe the youth environment, gives definition to the concepts of “teenagers” and “youth”, does a review of the European Sociological Research JIM-Studie (Jugend, Information, (Multi-) Media), as well as conducts a comparative analysis of the Russian and European studies throughout the period of 2016-2017. The author describes the major means of influence of mass media upon the behavior of teenagers and youth, and demonstrates correlation between the social proof theory and the impact of mass media. The problem of youth infantilization in Russia and Western countries is reviewed. In the course of this research, author uses a descriptive method and cross-cultural analysis of the empirical data of studies carried out in Russia and Germany. The article reflects the main information preferences of the modern youth in the Internet, considers the primary mass communication tools that are popular among youth in Russia and Germany. The author underlines the key problems associated with the influence of mass media and mass communication tools, and demonstrates the similarities in online behavior of the young people in Russia and Germany.

Keywords: cross-cultural analysis, influence of media, adolescents, youth, popular media, mass communication, mass media, information society, socialization, infantilization

Abstract: The subject of this research is the concept of Chinese sociologist Chen Guangjin (陈光金), which has won recognition due to examination of the social structure and social mobility in the modern Chinese society. Chen Guangjin explores the establishment of classes within the modern social structure of China, movement of the classes and social groups; gives attention to the transformation of social mobility concepts depending on the macrosocial changes in the history of PRC. As a result of the analysis of the pervious and current state of Chinese society, Chen Guangjin comes to a conclusion that the social-class structure of the modern Chinese society has already been formed by 2001, and since then includes ten classes. Studying the consistency of social mobility of the ORC citizens, Chen Guangjin argues that the key role is played by three factors: type of activity (profession), economic and social policy of the state, and change in the living standard over the last five years. For the highest and higher middle classes the important factor is the inheritance of the family cultural capital. The main contribution made by Chen Guangjin into the study of stratification and mobility lies in the conclusion that since the beginning of reform policy (1978), the possibility of diversification and personal life path alongside the chances for raising their sociological rank have grown for each citizen of the People’s Republic of China. In modern China, the criteria for assessment of the social rank of any individual have become more multifaceted. Chen Guangjin give special attention to the growth of social prestige of such social groups as the artists, film directors, TV hosts, writers, IT specialists, and even bloggers.

Keywords: social mobility, professional groups, classes, stratification, social structure, transformation of Chinese society, modern Chinese society, social mobility channels, social construction, Chen Guangjin