66% of businessmen consider legal action to be the most effective way to protect their rights; 11% prefer turning to criminal structures.
MOSCOW, June 30, 2010. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data of the yearly opinion poll on the legal protection of Russian business. The opinion poll commissioned by the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs was conducted in 2009 among 1200 top managers and owners of private companies operating in industry and construction, transport and communications, service and trade spheres.
Business community regards legal action to be the most effective way to protect its rights (66%). The number of those who consider that bringing the matter to federal, as well as regional or local executive bodies (26 and 32% respectively), to the mass media (29%) or act independently (26%) has substantially decreased. Those who prefer local public business organizations (12%), other entrepreneurs or criminal structures (11% for each group) to handle the matter are in the minority.
Compared with 2008, Russians mark legal action and independent actions as less effective: legal action (from 80 to 66%), independent actions (from 36 to 26%). On the contrary, since 2007 Russians have considered bringing the matter to federal executive bodies (from 18 to 28%) and public business organizations (from 8 to 12%) as more effective ways to protect the rights. Compared with 2008, more Russians prefer turning to the mass media (from 18 to 29%).
Most of business community representatives highly appreciate their chances to uphold their rights in case the opponent is an enterprise (83%). Notably, entrepreneurs` confidence has grown up from 78%, compared with 2008.
The same situation is viewed differently if the opponent is regional or local authorities` representatives: most of respondents believe it is unlikely to win the case (70%). Such a view has been getting more popular over the recent three years (from 59 % in 2007).
The opinion polls were commissioned by the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs in and conducted in August-September 2009. 1200 entrepreneurs (large, middle and small enterprises) representing three 3 economic macro sectors (industry and construction, transport and communications, service and trade) were interviewed in 40 regions of Russia.
How can an enterprise protect its rights? (close-ended question, not more than three answers) | |||
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
Through legal action | 78 | 80 | 66 |
To bring the matter to federal, regional or local authorities | 35 | 32 | 32 |
To bring the matter to the mass media | 21 | 18 | 29 |
To bring the matter to federal executive bodies | 18 | 19 | 28 |
Act independently | 21 | 36 | 26 |
Bring the matter to the local public business organizations | 8 | 9 | 12 |
To turn to other entrepreneurs | 6 | 6 | 11 |
To turn to criminal structures | 2 | 3 | 11 |
Could you assess the chances to win a case if the opponent is...? (close-ended question, one answer per each line) | ||||||
| An entrepreneur (enterprise, organization) | Regional and local authorities | ||||
| 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
High | 29 | 30 | 29 | 6 | 10 | 6 |
Rather high | 53 | 48 | 54 | 25 | 20 | 20 |
Rather low | 11 | 14 | 13 | 45 | 45 | 49 |
No chances | 1 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 16 | 21 |
Hard to tell | 5 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 9 | 4 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or www.wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM, the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!