The document discusses several cultural dimensions in Russia: - Russia falls in the middle between hierarchical and egalitarian societies, with status and authority important but also valuing collective good. - Russia also falls in the middle between group-focused and individual-focused cultures. - Relationships are important in Russia, from the Soviet "blat" network to maintaining personal relationships, though business relationships can be more transactional. - Communication style balances both direct and indirect approaches depending on relationships and context. - Russia prefers short-term planning over long-term due to a feeling of uncertainty, and values present and past time orientations over the future. - Russia has a middle ground approach to change tolerance.

2. Hierarchy/Egalitarianism

3. 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.

4. Group Focus

5. Group Focus
 According to the book, Russia falls in the middle between group
and individual focus.

6. Relationships

7. 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

8. Communication Style

9. 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!

10. Time Orientation

11. 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

12. Change Tolerance

13. Change Tolerance
 According to the book: middle left towards change
adverse

14. Motivation/Work-Life
Balance

15. 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.

16. 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