MOSCOW, December 24, 2007 Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents information on what attitude businessmen think the rest of the population has towards them, what forms of business participation in solving social problems are the most important according to businessmen and according to the rest of the population.

On the whole businessmen estimate that the rest of the population think of them as "average, but rather with a minus sign". Average estimations as well as the ones close to that accumulate up to 76% (this includes 23% that mention a small tendency to the negative and 19% to the positive pole). Frankly critical responses as to how the population characterises businessmen are a little bit more numerous than answers like "very well" or similar ones (+9 %,-13 %).

When trying to explain the reasons why part of the population treats business with aversion, businessmen quite frequently touched upon other aspects than the rest of the population did. First of all, they appeared to be noticeably more active in the search of these reasons: the general number of the answers chosen by them was significantly higher than the same parameter among the rest of the country's population (304% and 243%, considering that one could give up to 4 answers to one question). Secondly, businessmen much more often, than other citizens, see the main reason for lack of understanding between business and the population in envy (47%, cf.: 24% among common citizens) and lack of information (28% and 14%). Often "writing off" the fault for the situation onto the citizens, i.e. their thoughtlessness, businessmen, nevertheless, understand the importance of the social factor to a bigger degree, than the rest of the population, i.e. the big gap in the standard of living among the different population groups and layers (64% and 49%). Despite of the above mentioned, Russians often reproach businessmen for absence of responsibility (27%, cf.: 22% among businessmen).

Not only the population itself (72%) adheres to the opinion, that all huge fortunes in our country have been acquired by dishonest means, but also the majority of businessmen do (56%). Only 21% of businessmen and a still smaller share of common citizens (8%) do not agree with the assertion that all large capitals in Russia have "a shady past behind them".

The survey of 1200 Russian businessmen (owners and top-managers of private companies) was carried out in September - October 2007 in 40 constituent entities of the Russian Federation. The selection represents the enterprise community according to branch affiliation (based on three macro branches, i.e. the industry and construction; transport and communication; service and trade) and is proportional to their share in the national economy and the size of the enterprises (according to the number people employed).

The initiative all-Russia opinion poll was conducted by VCIOM in July and November 2007. 1600 respondents were interviewed in 153 population areas of 46 regions of Russia. The statistical error does not exceed 3.4%.

Average score = 3,86