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109
Cross Cultural Observations
In The Business Environment
General: This document identifies some of the cross-cultural dif-
ferences that occur when' Russian employees work in Western compa-
nies. There is no “right and wrong” on the list. The list merely points
out how the expectations of Western managers may differ from typical
Russian behaviour. It must be also stressed that not all Western manag-
ers are this way and not all Russian employees are this way. We must
always attempt to avoid stereotype thinking.
Russian-American Business Behaviours
Western Expectations Russian Expectations
Personal Behaviour
Informality, immediate use of
first names
Formality
Friendliness, frequent smiling,
openness
Smiling not an automatic inter-
personal response
Initiating hand-shaking Hand-shaking often initiated by
higher status person
Consistent eye contact Direct eye contact may be disre-
spectful
Smoking often not acceptable in
the work place
Smoking acceptable in the work
place
Importance of personal hygiene –
Work Place Values
Conflict avoidance Hierarchical relationship in
business and management
Equality of men and woman in
work place
Women often are not offered or
may be reluctant to take leader-
ship positions
Openness to frequent change /
flexibility
Time is viewed more flexibly
110
Promptness, meeting deadlines –
Competitiveness on all levels Non-competitive approach to
work
Ambition is a positive value Ambition is not such a positive
value
Practicality, efficiency: use of
pert charts, timeliness, mile-
stones, etc.
–
Productivity –
Personal accountability,
responsibility
Tendency to minimize personal
responsibility because of poten-
tial consequences
Willingness to take risks Minimal personal risk-taking
Creativity and taking personal
initiative are encouraged
Creativity and personal initia-
tive usually not encouraged
High value place on order and
systems
Considerable experience with
disorder
Leadership Style
Team building, engaging workers
in decision-making and encourag-
ing their in-put
Expectation of authoritarian
leadership style
High value to peer / horizontal
relationships
Top-down management
Setting long term goals, short-
term objectives and strategies
(often collectively)
–
Work a top priority (comes before
personal and family responsibili-
ties)
Importance of taking opportuni-
ties for family care or shopping
as the need arises
Supervision Issues
Definition of performance
standarts
–
Personal accountability Collective accountability
Cross Cultural Observations Promptness, meeting deadlines –
In The Business Environment Competitiveness on all levels Non-competitive approach to
General: This document identifies some of the cross-cultural dif- work
ferences that occur when' Russian employees work in Western compa- Ambition is a positive value Ambition is not such a positive
nies. There is no “right and wrong” on the list. The list merely points value
out how the expectations of Western managers may differ from typical Practicality, efficiency: use of
Russian behaviour. It must be also stressed that not all Western manag- pert charts, timeliness, mile- –
ers are this way and not all Russian employees are this way. We must stones, etc.
always attempt to avoid stereotype thinking.
Productivity –
Personal accountability, Tendency to minimize personal
Russian-American Business Behaviours
responsibility responsibility because of poten-
tial consequences
Western Expectations Russian Expectations
Willingness to take risks Minimal personal risk-taking
Personal Behaviour
Creativity and taking personal Creativity and personal initia-
Informality, immediate use of Formality initiative are encouraged tive usually not encouraged
first names
High value place on order and Considerable experience with
Friendliness, frequent smiling, Smiling not an automatic inter- systems disorder
openness personal response
Leadership Style
Initiating hand-shaking Hand-shaking often initiated by
higher status person Team building, engaging workers Expectation of authoritarian
in decision-making and encourag- leadership style
Consistent eye contact Direct eye contact may be disre- ing their in-put
spectful
High value to peer / horizontal Top-down management
Smoking often not acceptable in Smoking acceptable in the work relationships
the work place place
Setting long term goals, short-
Importance of personal hygiene – term objectives and strategies –
Work Place Values (often collectively)
Conflict avoidance Hierarchical relationship in Work a top priority (comes before Importance of taking opportuni-
business and management personal and family responsibili- ties for family care or shopping
Equality of men and woman in Women often are not offered or ties) as the need arises
work place may be reluctant to take leader- Supervision Issues
ship positions Definition of performance
Openness to frequent change / Time is viewed more flexibly –
standarts
flexibility Personal accountability Collective accountability
109 110
