Melissa Campbell Raquel Austin Tiana Mutter- Veitch Monique
Wiggers Russian Business Practices and Sixth Sense
Slide 2
Russian Culture Extremely rich, diverse culture consisting of
160 ethnic groups speaking over 100 languages Largest country in
the world which gives way to intense variation amongst geography as
well as people History filled with political obstacles, bloody
wars, and a rocky economy
Slide 3
Russian Culture Contd Culture preserved through literature,
art, architecture, and cuisine Experiencing wave of new culture
from the west as they move farther from Soviet times Theatre is
considered very important, multiple venues in each city Majority
Christian, although not altogether a religious nation Highly
educated, most individuals know a little bit about everything
Slide 4
Russian Values Proud, tough nation who are not afraid to tell
it like it is Collectivist state with a large emphasis on family as
well as friends No such term as Private Property Used to situations
where everything is unpredictable and unstable
Slide 5
Russia vs. the West Going to extremes vs. Everything in
moderation Open-heartedness vs. Privacy Generosity vs. Practicality
Critical towards ones country vs. Patriotism Being vs. Acting
Leisure vs. Work Complaining about problems vs. Being OK
Slide 6
Things To Avoid When doing business in Russia: Dont be offended
if your Russian counterpart is very late (this can often be a
tactic to test how serious you are about dealing with them). Dont
try to impress by using flashy presentations, get to the point and
show your knowledge and professionalism.
Slide 7
Things To Avoid Cont Dont cave in too early during a
negotiation. Russians believe concessions are a sign of weakness
Dont refuse an offer to go out for dinner as business decisions are
increasingly being discussed during meals Dont refuse alcohol
unless you have a legitimate excuse such as health or religion
Slide 8
Things To Avoid Cont Dont miss out on smaller or one-on-one
meetings. Russians often make key decisions with those they have
built a personal relationship with and only use formal meetings to
ratify decisions that have been made elsewhere Dont use humour in a
formal meeting as they are seen to be quite serious Dont be
impatient during a meeting. Russians tend to think and wait before
responding verbally or visually.
Slide 9
Things To Avoid Cont Don't waste time dealing with middle
managers for decisions. Most Russian companies are managed by one
central character, so you should go straight to the top if
possible. Dont only put out information in writing as Russians will
often believe what they hear over what they read. This also makes
face to face conversations very important.
Slide 10
In Russia, remember to... Make appointments far in advance Be
punctual to meetings but be prepared to wait for host Punctuality
shows respect and interest. Being late is considered a test of
patience and interest Shake hands firmly and make direct eye
contact When shaking hands with women, shake less firmly
Slide 11
In Russia, remember to.. Take a personal approach Personal
contact such as an embrace Engage in small talk about persons
family Show emotion Take a small gift Print materials in English
and Russian Bring business cards Sign a contract to finalize the
deal
Slide 12
In Russia, remember to... Show respect for seniority Pay
attention to titles and credentials Be flexible and democratic in
work ethic Be patient in doing business negotiations, it can move
slow Dress in a formal and conservative manner Highly polished
shoes Men wear business suits Women wear business suits in subtle
colors with knee length skirts
Slide 13
Sixth Sense Object of the Game: Create powerful non-verbal
communication Create teamwork among employees Seeks to instil
player compatibility Overall goal is to guess the number of chips
that your partner is going to throw and match them
Slide 14
How to play 2 players sit across from each other Decide upon
using odd or even numbers Start by giving 6 tokens to each player
Once the game begins no verbal or non verbal communication will be
allowed Each player guesses what the other player will throw and
matches that After two rounds, two more tokens are given
Slide 15
Scoring If players match the number of tokens thrown then add
to two numbers together i.e. 2+2=4 If players do not match the
number of tokens thrown then add the two numbers together and
subtract double the highest number i.e. 4+6=10-(6*2)12= -2
Slide 16
Sixth Sense and Management Skills Dominant players or
leadership skills expressed How to read players (co-workers) Which
tactics prove successful? Which tactics proved unsuccessful?
Develop strategies to determine what number of tokens should be
thrown when
Slide 17
References Ardichvili, A, et al. Organizational Culture and
Socio-cultural Values: Perceptions of Managers and Employees in
Five Economies in Transition. Performance Improvement Quarterly.
Hoboken: 2004. Vol. 17, Is. 2; pg. 5, 23 pgsPerformance Improvement
Quarterly2004 Bat Batjargal. The Difference Between Chinese and
Russian Entrepreneurs. Harvard Business Review. Boston: Oct 2008.
Vol. 86, Is. 10; pg. 32Harvard Business ReviewOct 2008 Gorrill, J.
R. (2007). Doing Business in Russia. Retrieved May 27, 2010, from
Communicaid:
http://www.communicaid.com/cross-cultural-training/culture-for-
business-and-management/doing-business-in/Russian-business-and-social-culture.php
Kwintessential. (n.d.). Kwintessential. Retrieved May 25, 2010,
from Doing Business in Russia:
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/etiquette/doing-business-russia.html
Students, U. o. (2007). Russia. Retrieved May 25, 2010, from
Russian Business Etiquette:
http://www.cyborlink.com/besite/russia.htm World Business Culture.
(n.d.). World Business Culture. Retrieved May 25, 2010, from Doing
Business in Russia:
http://www.worldbusinessculture.com/Business-in- Russia.html