About the Laboratory
The International Laboratory of Intangible-driven Economy traces its origins to a research group that has been working in the field of intellectual capital and empirical finance at the HSE-Perm for the last eight years.
By carrying out comparative empirical research that develops awareness of intellectual resources as key drivers in the new economy, the Laboratory aims to become an international research centre that focuses on the role of intangibles in creating sustainable competitive advantages.
The research team includes both leading scholars and young fellows from the HSE and partner universities in Europe and the United States.
Human capital helps small and medium-sized enterprises increase profitability, but the effect depends on the industry
Researchers from IDLab found out how uncertainty of the industry environment influences the relationship between human capital and return on sales of SMEs. Using data on Russian SMEs for 2013–2023 and hierarchical linear modeling, it was found that human capital is generally positively related to return on sales, however, the effect substantially depends on the industry. The work carried out by Maria Anatolyevna Molodchik and Anastasia Kireecheva within the project “Internationalization of Companies from Developing Countries: The Role of Intellectual Resources in Response to Exogenous Shocks”, has been accepted for publication in the Journal of the New Economic Association.
IDLab Seminar: Purchase Drivers in the Online Resale Market
On September 25, 2026, the International Laboratory of Intangible-driven Economy (IDLab) held the first research seminar of the academic year. Research Fellow Elena Zelenskaya and Research Assistant Olga Okulova presented the findings of their study on which seller signals shape consumer decisions in the online resale market, focusing on the luxury jewelry segment.
Sugar Cravings Prove Stronger Than Health Concerns
Researchers from HSE University–Perm used EEG to study how sugar cravings and interest in healthy eating affect the evaluation of Cola-flavoured beverages. During the tasting, participants assessed the taste of each beverage and named the maximum amount they would be willing to pay for it. The results showed that the more interested a person was in their health, the harder and more cognitively taxing it was for them to decide whether they were willing to pay, and the smaller the amount they were ultimately willing to spend. The study was published in the British Food Journal.
Petr Parshakov Presented a Paper on LLM Behavior at a Bank of Russia Seminar
On June 30, 2026, Petr Parshakov, Head of IDLab, presented at the 18th Economic Research Seminar "Artificial Intelligence and Economics," held at the North-Western Main Branch of the Bank of Russia in Saint Petersburg. The event was co-organized by the Bank of Russia, NES, and HSE University, bringing together experts from leading research centers and the banking sector to discuss the impact of AI on economic growth, the labor market, inflation, and financial stability.