Эксперт

Сергей

Задать вопрос

Мы готовы помочь Вам.

Performed Chadaeva Tamara
NEW FEATURES
GONE ARE THE TIMES WHEN YOU COULD BE
SCREWED UP AT ANY CORNER, NOWADAYS
BUSINESSES STRIVE FOR LONG-TERM REPUTATION
AND LOYAL CUSTOMERS.
NOT TO BE MISTAKEN — TO BE ATTENTIVE IN ANY
COUNTRY

RUSSIAN BUSINESS CULTURE – INFLUENCED BY
DIVERSIFIED CULTURE AND THE DESIRE TO STUDY
RUSSIAN CULTURE — KEY
CONCEPTS AND VALUES
• COLLECTIVISM

• EGALITARIANISM

• DUSHA (SOUL)
WORKING IN RUSSIA

WORKING PRACTICES IN RUSSIA — STEREOTYPE
• THE RUSSIANS ATTITUDE TO TIME MEANS THAT A FEW
MINUTES DELAY ON THEIR PART IS OF LITTLE IMPORTANCE.
HOWEVER, THEY WILL EXPECT YOU TO BE PUNCTUAL.
• FAXES AND EMAILS ARE THE BEST WAY TO
COMMUNICATE IN RUSSIA, AS THE POST CAN OFTEN BE
UNRELIABLE. IT IS CUSTOMARY BEFORE MAKING A TRIP TO
RUSSIA TO INFORM THE PROSPECTIVE COMPANY OF
YOUR INTENDED BUSINESS PROPOSALS AND OBJECTIVES.
• PAPERWORK AND PUTTING PEN TO PAPER IS AN
ESSENTIAL PART OF ALL WORKING PRACTICES IN RUSSIA.
IN GENERAL, THEY HAVE LITTLE FAITH IN UNSIGNED
DOCUMENTS.
MAKING APPOINTMENTS:
• PERSISTENCE AND PATIENCE ARE ESSENTIAL. ONCE YOUR
APPOINTMENT IS SCHEDULED, DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO
AVOID CANCELLATION.
• DON’T SCHEDULE YOUR TRIP TO RUSSIA NEAR THE END OF
JULY OR DURING THE MONTH OF AUGUST- THIS IS THE TIME
OF YEAR MANY PEOPLE TAKE THEIR VACATIONS.
• THE RUSSIAN DAY BEGINS EARLY, BUT IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO
FORESEE WHEN ALL OTHER DAILY ACTIVITIES WILL BEGIN AND
END. SCHEDULES ARE CONSTANTLY SUBJECT TO CHANGE,
OFTEN AT THE LAST MINUTE.
• ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME FOR EACH APPOINTMENT.
• BUSINESS DAY IS USUALLY 9:00 AM TO 6:00 PM MONDAY
THROUGH FRIDAY AND SOME SATURDAY MORNINGS.
BUSINESS DRESS CODE
• OLD RUSSIAN PROVERB—“ONE MEET YOU DEPENDING ON HOW YOU’RE
DRESSED AND SAY GOOD BYE DEPENDING ON HOW WISE YOU SEEM TO BE”
• RUSSIAN BUSINESSPEOPLE PAY A LOT OF ATTENTION TO HOW THEY ARE
DRESSED. RUSSIAN PEOPLE IN GENERAL PROBABLY SPEND MORE MONEY
FROM THEIR FAMILY BUDGET ON CLOTHING THEN ANY OTHER NATION IN THE
WORLD.
CONVERSATION
• VISITORS SHOULD TRY TO SPEAK IN A CALM, MODERATE,
TONE OF VOICE AT ALL TIMES.
• YOUR RUSSIAN COLLEAGUES WILL BE DELIGHTED IF YOU
MAKE THE EFFORT TO SPEAK EVEN A FEW SENTENCES OF
THEIR LANGUAGE.
• RUSSIANS ARE SOMETIMES VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHAT
THEY SAY, SPEAKING METAPHORICALLY, SYMBOLICALLY,
AND PERHAPS EVEN CRYPTICALLY.
• BRINGING UP THE SUBJECT OF RUSSIAN CULTURE AND
HISTORY IS APPRECIATED.
• COMPLIMENTS — WITH CAUTION, THEY MAY CAUSE A
FEELING OF MISPLACED OBLIGATION. (ADMIRING A
DECORATIVE OBJECT, YOUR HOSTS MAY INSIST THAT YOU
TAKE IT).
STRUCTURE AND HIERARCHY IN
RUSSIAN COMPANIES

• THE HIERARCHICAL STRUCTURE IN
RUSSIAN BUSINESS PRACTICES MEANS
THAT THE DECISION MAKERS HIGHER UP
HAVE AUTHORITY OVER THEIR
SUBORDINATES. HOWEVER, THE NATURE
OF THE COLLECTIVE GOOD OFTEN
ENCOURAGES A FLEXIBLE AND
DEMOCRATIC WORK ETHOS.
• SHOWING RESPECT FOR SENIORITY
AND RECOGNIZING THE HIERARCHICAL
STRUCTURE IS VITAL FOR ESTABLISHING
AND MAINTAINING STRONG BUSINESS
RELATIONSHIPS.
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS IN RUSSIA
üPERSONAL AND INFORMAL CONTACT
IS A CENTRAL PART IN DOING BUSINESS
IN RUSSIA.
üPHYSICAL CONTACT DURING BUSINESS
MEETINGS (A SIMPLE HAND ON THE
ARM OR EVEN EMBRACING) IS A
POSITIVE SIGN. THE NOTION OF
SOCIAL SPACE IS CLOSE IN RUSSIA.
üIN SITUATIONS OF CONFLICT — TO
AVOID TAKING AN OFFICIAL STANCE
AND REMEMBER THAT RUSSIANS ARE
‘PEOPLE ORIENTATED’ AND WILL
RESPOND TO A MORE PERSONAL
APPROACH.
FIRST NAME OR TITLE?

• VERY INTIMATE FRIENDS OR RELATIONS — REFER TO ONE ANOTHER BY
THE FIRST NAME.
• ENSURE THAT YOU LEARN THE TITLES OF EVERYONE YOU PLAN TO
ENCOUNTER
• RUSSIANS HAVE THREE NAMES: THE FIRST NAME IS A GIVEN NAME,
THE LAST NAME IS THE FATHER’S FAMILY NAME, THE MIDDLE NAME IS A
VERSION OF THE FATHER’S FIRST NAME.
GIFTS:
• RUSSIANS TAKE PLEASURE IN GIVING AND RECEIVING
GIFTS . RUSSIANS SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON GIFTS .
• GIFTS FOR CHILDREN ARE USUALLY OPENED IN PRIVATE,
GIFTS FOR ADULTS ARE GENERALLY OPENED IN THE
PRESENCE OF OTHERS.
• GIFTS ARE EXPECTED FOR SOCIAL EVENTS, ESPECIALLY
AS “THANK-YOUS”
• BRINGING A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS FOR WOMEN.
BUSINESS PRACTICES IN RUSSIA
• BUSINESS CARDS ARE ESSENTIAL. IF POSSIBLE, ENSURE THAT ONE SIDE IS
PRINTED IN RUSSIAN AND ONE SIDE IN ENGLISH.
• PRESENTATIONS SHOULD BE STRAIGHTFORWARD AND COMPREHENSIBLE.
• ALTHOUGH MANY PRINCIPAL CONCERNS ARE DISCUSSED IN AN
INFORMAL ENVIRONMENT FINAL NEGOTIATIONS WILL BE CONDUCTED IN
THE OFFICE.
• GENERALLY, WHEN BEGINNING A MEETING, THE HEAD OF THE
ORGANIZATION WILL OPEN THE DISCUSSION AND INTRODUCTIONS
SHOULD THEN BE MADE IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE.
GENDER ASPECTS

• WOMEN USUALLY DO NOT HOLD HIGH POSITIONS IN THE RUSSIAN
BUSINESS CULTURE.
• THERE ARE MORE WOMEN IN BUSINESS EDUCATION THEN IN BUSINESS.
• FOREIGN BUSINESSWOMEN SOMETIMES FACE ADVERSITY FROM THE MALE-
DOMINATED RUSSIAN BUSINESS CULTURE.
MEALS AND BUSINESS ETIQUETTE
• THE BUSINESS BREAKFAST IS NOT A PART OF RUSSIAN
BUSINESS CULTURE.
• BUSINESS DINING IS GETTING MORE AND MORE
POPULAR -IS GENERALLY TAKEN AS A TIME FOR
“SEALING” A DEAL.
• THE CENTER SEATS ARE RESERVED FOR THE MOST
SENIOR OFFICIALS.
• BEGIN EATING ONLY AFTER SOMEBODY SAYS A TOAST.
TOASTING IS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF DINING.
• RUSSIANS USE THE CONTINENTAL STYLE OF HOLDING
UTENSILS. IF YOU’RE UNSURE OF WHICH UTENSIL TO
USE, START FROM THE OUTSIDE.
SOME GENERAL FEATURES
• THE HANDSHAKE IS COMMON.
• EYE CONTACT IS VERY IMPORTANT, MUST BE MAINTAINED
AS LONG AS THE INDIVIDUAL IS ADDRESSING YOU.
• SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES IS STILL A COMMON
OCCURRENCE, ALTHOUGH SOME RESTRICTIONS ARE
SLOWLY IMPOSED.
• WEARING YOUR COAT AND/OR WINTER BOOTS IN
THEATRES, OFFICE BUILDINGS, UNIVERSITIES OR SIMILAR
PUBLIC SPACES IS CONSIDERED UNACCEPTABLE.
ATTITUDE TOWARDS FOREIGN
PARTNERS
• THE FIRST MEETING IS USUALLY JUST A FORMALITY-A
TIME TO ASSESS THE CREDIBILITY OF YOU AND YOUR
COMPANY.
• RUSSIANS CAN SOMETIMES PLACE A GREAT DEAL OF
CONFIDENCE IN YOUR PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE
AND EXPERIENCE; VERY HIGH EXPECTATIONS AND
DEMANDS.
• RUSSIAN BUSINESS PEOPLE ARE OPEN-MINDED TO NEW
IDEAS, ESPECIALLY FROM WESTERN BUSINESS CULTURE
• RUSSIAN NEGOTIATORS COULD MAKE MINOR
CONCESSIONS AND ASK FOR MAJOR ONES IN RETURN.
RUSSIAN BUSINESS
ETIQUETTE
(DO’S AND DON’TS)
DO‘S
vDO SHAKE HANDS FIRMLY WHEN GREETING AND LEAVING
YOUR PARTNERS AND MAKE DIRECT EYE CONTACT.
vDO PARTAKE IN SMALL TALK THAT INVOLVES TALK OF FAMILY
AND PERSONAL MATTERS, BEFORE DEALING WITH BUSINESS.
vDO MAKE A GIFT THAT SYMBOLIZES THE STATURE OF YOUR
COMPANY, PREFERABLY AN ITEM CHARACTERISTIC OF YOUR
LOCAL AREA OR ONE THAT DISPLAYS THE COMPANY LOGO.
vKNOCK BEFORE ENTERING AN OFFICE
vCLOSE THE DOOR BEHIND YOU, WHEN LEAVING AN OFFICE
vSUPPLY BEVERAGES AND SNACKS DURING BUSINESS
MEETINGS
vGO OUT AND HAVE A DRINK WITH YOUR COUNTERPARTS, IT
IS A GOOD WAY TO BREAK THE ICE.
vBRING SMALL GIFTS FOR THE CHILDREN OF A HOME YOU
VISIT
DON’TS
vDON’T BE AFRAID TO SHOW SOME EMOTION, THE RUSSIANS WON’T!
vDON’T AS THE RUSSIAN PROVERB STATES ‘HURRY TO REPLY’, BUT ‘HURRY TO
LISTEN’.
vDON’T PRAISE OR REWARD ANYONE IN PUBLIC AS IT MAY BE VIEWED WITH
SUSPICION OR CAUSE ENVY AND JEALOUSY. REMEMBER THE COLLECTIVE
RULES OVER THE INDIVIDUAL.
vWEAR LAVISH CLOTHING OR JEWELRY.
vUSE A RESTAURANT AS A PLACE FOR DOING BUSINESS—IT’S FOR
CELEBRATION
DOING BUSINESS IN RUSSIA? YES,
BUT NEITHER SIMPLE, NOR EASY

ÞFIERCE COMPETITION TO GAIN CONTROL OVER RICH RESOURCES
ÞSELECTION OF THE RUSSIAN PARTNER (ESPECIALLY IN THE REGION)
ÞNORMALLY LONG-TERM PROJECTS WORTHY OF DEVELOPMENT
ÞBUILDING TRUST WITH RUSSIAN STAFF IS CRITICAL
ÞSPECIAL MARKETING STRATEGY
RUSSIAN CULTURE QUIZ — TRUE
OR FALSE
1. IT IS CONSIDERED GOOD LUCK TO SHAKE
HANDS OVER THE THRESHOLD OF THE
DOORSTEP.
2. WHEN TAKING FLOWERS AS A GIFT YOU
MUST ONLY TAKE AN ODD NUMBER.
3. IF YOU LEAVE SOMETHING BEHIND IN RUSSIA IT
MEANS YOU’RE COMING BACK.
4. IN BUSINESS NEGOTIATIONS RUSSIANS VIEW
COMPROMISE AS A SIGN OF WEAKNESS.
5. IN RUSSIA, THE ‘OK’ SYMBOL WITH THE THUMB
AND FOREFINGER TOUCHING IN A CIRCLE
MEANS ‘EVERYTHING IS FINE’.
ANSWERS
• FALSE. IT IS CONSIDERED BAD LUCK TO SHAKE
HANDS OVER A THRESHOLD AND SHOULD BE
DONE EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE.
• TRUE. EVEN NUMBERS OF FLOWERS ARE ONLY
GIVEN AT FUNERALS AND ARE A SIGN OF BAD
LUCK.
• TRUE. A RUSSIAN SUPERSTITION THAT IS STILL
PRESENT TODAY.
• TRUE.
• FALSE. THE WESTERN SIGN FOR ‘OK’ IS
CONSIDERED RUDE IN RUSSIA.