Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation

Function and Structure of the Organization

Organizational Culture, Leadership Structure and Change

Ekaterina Nosova
Walden University

Dr. April Adams

MS IDT
Organizations, Innovation, and Change (EDUC 6105)

March 31, 2013

Financial University
1. Function and Structure of the Organization
We have already discussed some significant points concerning organizational structure,
culture and leadership and this assignment contains key aspects about the particular organization
that I chose for my initial analyze. This organization is called Financial University under the
Government of the Russian Federation. Doubtlessly, the function of this organization is obvious
educational.
Financial University is one of the leading Russian universities of higher learning with
more than ninety years history. It is considered among top 5 universities in Russia to Forbes and
RBC and this university is well-known as one of the oldest universities preparing economists,
financiers, bankers and lawyers. During all these ninety years, the University has been
accumulating and passing on to the new generations pedagogical, technical, scientific experience
(Askindarov, 2010). Having preserved successful experience and achievements of the Russian
and Soviet higher school, the staff of the University enriched the educational process by efficient
up-to-date technologies and educational approaches. These methods are providing high quality
research work and professional training.
We are able to observe a rich and long history of the Financial University starting from
the early nineteenths up to the present times. I would like to mention its structure and the
difference between its phases of growing.
1919 The first in Russia educational institution of higher education specialized in finance was
founded Moscow Institute of Finance and Economics. The rector of the Institute was Dmitry
Bogolepov, who graduated from the Moscow State University and was a chairman of the State
Committee on Drugs and Crime. The concept of the Institute was to let students achieve progress
and earn degree in finance for further state work. The Institute continued its work and realization
for 15 years.
1934 The Moscow Institute of Credit and Economics was founded.
1946 The Moscow Institute of Finance and Economics merged with the Moscow Institute of
Credit and Economics and became the Moscow Finance Institute. In 1946 there were four

Financial University
faculties: 1) Finance and Economics, 2) Accounting and Economics, 3) Credit and Economics, 4)
International Economic Relations. At that time the Institute numbered approximately 2000
students. The reason for it was just finished World War II when a great number of men were
killed, disabled or contused. Step-by-step, year-by-year the Institute and the staff aspired to
thrive and prosper increasing the array of faculties, number of students and professors.
1991 The State Finance Academy. The rector of the Academy was Doctor of Science
(Economics), Honored Scholar of the Russian Federation Alla G. Gryaznova and currently, she
is the president of the Financial University. In 1992 Russian President Boris Yeltsin changed its
name to the Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation, giving a
government status to the institute.
1992 The Finance Academy under the Government of the Russian Federation. Year by year the
Academy was developing its academic potential, increasing scientific researchers and
international co-operation with other universities. These years the Academy began prospering
and succeeding in spite of that fact that it was a very difficult period of time for USSR, its split.
Since July 17, 2010 the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation.
The rector of the Financial University is Doctor of Science (Economics), Professor,
Honored Scholar of the Russian Federation Mikhail A. Askindarov. The Financial University
was the first Russian university to set up and register an Endowment fund. Presently, it
accumulates more than 200 million rubles (Askindarov, 2008).
Nowadays, the Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation
consists of 14 faculties (Preparatory Faculty, Finance and Credit, Management and Sociology,
Mathematical Methods in Economics and Risk Analysis, Taxes and Taxation and etc.), 40
departments (Risk Analysis and Economic Security, Foreign Languages, Accounting, Military
Department, State, Municipal and Corporate Governance, Public Service, Public Law
Disciplines, Civil Law and Procedure, Money-Credit Relations and Ban Foreign Languages and
etc.), 3 institutes, 2 high schools, 2 research institutes, 8 centers, 2 training science laboratories, a
network of regional offices. Currently, the university numbers approximately 21000 students and
500 postgraduate students. If we compare these facts with 1985 and 1946 year, we will get such a
diagram:

We observe a great diversity in quantity of students and postgraduate students. There

is a huge leap between 2006 and 2013 because last year there was a new reorganization of
the University and it merged with three different Universities: Moscow State Academy of
Taxes, Moscow State Financial University of the Russian Federation and Moscow Institute
of Finances and Economics. That was the cause of such a sharp leap of quantity of students.
Having analyzed the structure and the function of the Financial University, I can
make up the first conclusion that the impetuous development of the University is visible and
all these challenges that it faced earlier seem to be inevitable for natural growing and
formation. To my mind, such history of the University should be appreciated and learned
deeply.
The next paragraph of my work will be about the organizational culture and
leadership structure concerning particularly the Financial University under the Government
of the Russian Federation. Speaking about the culture and leadership structure I will refer:

firstly, to the interview with the dean of the faculty that is called State
Economical Security;

secondly, to my own experience because, currently, I am studying there and

earning the second higher education (financial);

thirdly, to the official site of the University.

Financial University

2. Organizational Culture and Leadership Structure and Change

The next stage of my work is to analyze and distinguish the culture and leadership
structure. Organizational Culture is a set of strategies, beliefs and targets of the unit
(company/organization) about its future. Organizational Culture is a version of the future of
each well-developed company. Organizational culture consists of symbols, traditions, rituals,
rich history of the organization. Not to be full of theory and enumerations, here is an
example relating to my chosen organization called Financial University under the
Government of the Russian Federation:

it is famous for its heroes (I mean students who were studying there during
the World War II),

fascinating graduate ceremonies,

a great verity of learning opportunities,

hard work of professors (it is obvious because of increasing good rates).

The organizational culture can be presented in the following way:

1. The University has a staff almost 3000 people including an academic staff approximately
970 people and an administrative staff approximately 2100 people.
Another distinguishing feature of the University is the distance learning that gives
opportunities to a great number of students to earn their degree. The Financial University
introduces new educational technologies and is transferring to formation of individual
educational trajectories for students.
2. The Financial University is well-known for its strong alumni network and famous
graduates such as third wealthiest person in Russia Mikhail Prokhorov, Deputy Prime
Minister Alexander Khloponin, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov, Governor of
Krasnoyarsk Region Lev Kuznetsov and some others who take up leading positions in
politics, business and government.

Financial University

3. In 1991 year the symbol of the University was invented by the staff and later it was
confirmed by the Government and in 2010 it was renamed but the idea was the same
(Askindarov, 2010):

4. Moreover, the University possesses the motto that the staff and all the students are
following. The motto is Competence, Responsibility and Prestige.
5. By 2012 the endowment was about $15 million (US).
Paying attention to these above-mentioned peculiarities of its structure we can observe
the competitive character of the University. Moreover, owing to these features and peculiarities
the Financial University is considered to be one of the most powerful, formidable and impressive
universities in Russia and all over the world.
Thinking of the leadership structure and changes of this organization, I decided to
combine them as these parts are dependent on each other. Leaders strive to understand their
organizations basic values and beliefs because they know that values and beliefs shape how the
organizations members interpret events, including the leaders words and actions (Beach, 2006).
Speaking about all the Universitys changes they happened during Askindarovs
authorities. M. A. Askindarov is a very powerful and educated person, Doctor of Science
(Economics) and Honored Scholar of the Russian Federation. He has been governing for more
than 7 years and he is making the University prosper and thrive awarding new possibilities for
the further development. For instance, nowadays an array of scientific researchers is increasing
and this work is playing a key role in accumulating Universitys money for the repaying
Financial University

potential. The faculty that is based on such a progress is State Economical Security. The idea is
that any organization can leave its request to get a transcript about if some external actions are
legal or not. The organization pays for such a transcript and this document has a legal effect.
Therefore, it can be called a key change that helps accumulate own budget of the University and,
certainly, it manifests the strength of the leading structure to organize and provide such a
scientific and business ground.
The University provides an annual advanced training for the academic and administrative
staff. I confidently sure this opportunity is a measure to keep and prove a competitive character
of the University among the others. This change occurs to particular this principal and it
contributes to the further apparent and formidable result. An annual advanced training for the
staff is a link between some obtained knowledge and up-to-date innovations those are necessary
for the present and future.
The last change that I would like to mention in my work has an external nature that
signifies the governmental character. In 2010 the system of Russian education was completely
changed and transformed to two-leveled system of the higher education introducing bachelor and
master degrees. Such a system has been very common abroad for several years but it became a
huge revolution in Russian education. Previously, students had been studying for five or six
years (depending on the specialty and the qualification) before they earned their degree of a
specialist. Currently, it cannot be done and students have to follow a new system of two-leveled
learning. There are a lot of debates about it and the disturbance is very severe. It is still a
controversial issue because they think such a new look at education is a step toward destroying
the educational system.
Generally speaking, the advantage and the strength of the Financial University is the
ability to accept all the external and internal changes and proceed to develop, prosper and grow
up in new, inalienable up-to-date conditions.

Financial University
References

1) Askindarov, M.A. History of the Financial University under the Government of the
Russian Federation, 2008.
2) Askindarov, M.A. Facts and Figures about the Financial University under the
Government of the Russian Federation, 2010.
3) Bolman, L. G. & Deal, T. E. Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and
Leadership (4th ed.), Copyright 2008.
4) Beach L. R. Leadership and the Art of Change, 2006
5) http://en.fa.ru/Pages/home.aspx