Fundamental National Strategic Trends in Developing Competitive Industrial Construction

The article reviews the strategic competitiveness demonstrated by the Soviet economy in the field of industrial construction from the perspective of achievements in major industries, i.e., energy, petrochemical production, mechanical engineering, etc., depending on their share in the national gross domestic product. The projects were arranged chronologically and divided into those located on the territory of the Soviet Union and those located abroad. The author focused on such parameters of large-scale construction projects as technology, equipment, design institutes, and labor resources. The qualitative development of the industrial construction in the USSR made it possible to reach technological sovereignty in several industries, despite the poor technology, outdated equipment, and personnel shortage. The large number of foreign projects means that the USSR possessed a fairly high level of competitiveness on the global market, which, in its turn, indicates competitive advantages and a certain strategic approach. However, the Soviet economy developed unevenly, with resources being distributed and redistributed irrationally. The imbalance towards the defense sector and related industries prevented the national economy from using its competitive advantages to the full. The materials and conclusions of this historic review may help strategizing the current Russian economy at different levels.