russia 1
DESCRIPTION
7 keys of a global mindsetTRANSCRIPT
Hierarchy/Egalitarianism
Hierarchy/Egalitarianism
Towards Hierarchy:
According to the book, Russia falls in the middle between the two
In business culture, status is related to one’s age and position
Authority positions are common with “high status” individuals, and they render the appropriate respect.
Meetings are usually devised to be between individuals with equal statuses.
Towards Egalitarianism:
Nature of collective good often encourages a flexible and democratic work ethos
As a result, Russia falls in the middle between a hierarchical and egalitarian society.
Group Focus
Group Focus
According to the book, Russia falls in the middle between group and individual focus.
Relationships
Relationships In Soviet Russia, the “blat”, an extensive relationship network
that allowed one to exchange resources, was necessary to survival
In present day Russia, Russians are slightly more relationship-based in their personal lives
They have longer lasting relationships than Americans Yet Russian relationships are complex in that they maintain a
strong sense of self-other overlap but with a lack of information divulgence
Business relationships are slightly more transactional
Russians show a preference for professional, managerial, and negotiation skills over relationships
However, Russians are not completely transactional, as they still maintain small business networks in which everyone is not permitted to infiltrate
Communication Style
Communication Style Russians maintain both a strong, high context direct and indirect
communication preference.
Words may be lost in translation, leading communication to be confusing
Relationships and group size determine how direct Russians are
In negotiations, they are very quick to disagree and draw out the discussion
Indirect communication reflects character
Direct eye contact is considered a sign of respect
Constant smiling is seen as disingenuous and foolish
A handshake is the preferred greeting. No gloves though!
Time Orientation
Time Orientation Feeling of uncertainty and of lack of control
Thus, Russians prefer short-term planning to long-term planning, which is only seen as a formality
In addition, Russians generally see it as impossible to set deadlines
Soviet time orientation was based on the Future and the Past, while Traditional Russian time orientation is based on the Present and the Past.
Juxtaposition in what Russians want in regards to time orientation to what they get in regards to time orientation
94 % of Russians indicated that they would prefer flexible working schedules, yet only 17 % of Russian companies permit them
Change Tolerance
Change Tolerance
According to the book: middle left towards change adverse
Motivation/Work-Life Balance
Motivation/Work-Life Balance
High levels of work-related stress
Traditionally see works as a means to an end rather than an end itself
Russians work shorter days
Only 0.2% of employees work very long hours whereas the average employee in the OECD works 9%
Russians work more hours though
Russians work 1,976 hours, and the average OECD employee works 1,749 hours.
Yet, the average amount of hours Russians spend on leisure and personal care a day is 14.76 hours.
References
Radaev, V. (2003, July). How trust is established in economic relationships. Presentation delivered at Cepr/wdi annual international conference on transition economies, Budapest, Hungary. Retrieved from http://www.cepr.org.uk/meets/wkcn/7/756/papers/radaev.pdf