PIP: Initiatives in the USSR, characterized by General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev as "glasnost" (openness) and "perestroika" (restructuring), come after almost a decade of change in the People's Republic of China, yet the Soviet experiment, which emphasizes market activities, is hardly a monolithic effort. In 1982, the 286 million Soviet citizens who live on 2 continents will be affected by "perestroika" in markedly different ways. The complex demographics of the USSR will figure significantly in determining those unequal effects. It is likely, if Gorbachev's campaign continues as intended, that patient exporters who explore the new Soviet arena to test their marketing skills will experience success. In fact, the USSR has been conducting business with the US for years. To date, nearly a dozen corporations have signed joint ventures with the Soviet Union, and at least 50 more have expressed an interest. Those companies with long-standing Soviet relationships are most interested; they are familiar with the bureaucratic obstacles and have a network of Soviet contacts. Gorbachev has made it clear that the Soviet economy needs basic foreign technology to move into the 21st century on an equal footing with other industrialized nations. Along with attracting foreign capital, the USSR must get its domestic house in order. The growth in the gross national product, which hovered at an annual 2.5% in the early 1980s, must double, according to the Twelfth Five Year Plan (1986-90). The 1988 population of 286 million has relatively few men, particularly in older age groups, and a growing ethnic mix. Of late, planners have made a concerted effort to narrow the gap among ethnic groups by expanding maternity benefits and health care. The most immediate consequences of the changing ethnic structure emerge in the labor force. Entry-level workers are scarce in European Russia, where about 60% of all Soviet industrial activity takes place and will become more scarce in coming years. Gorbachev has tried to cut the consumption of alcohol, for in the past decade the Soviets devoted almost as many rubles to drink as to food. Alcohol abuse caused life expectancy to drop from 65 to 62 years for Soviet men and from 74 to 73 years for Soviet women between 1970-79. Some of the reasons for an unprecedented rise in infant mortality include influenza epidemics, poor prenatal care, a large number of abortions per woman, a decline in breastfeeding, and a delay in seeking medical attention for infants. Soviet workers have saved billions of rubles over many years simply because there is little available to buy.