Russia
“Russia is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma”
Sir Winston Churchill
CULTURE QUIZ - (click for answers)
1.Russian communication style tends to be:
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Quiet, to the point, practical
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Emotional, full of heated debate, loud
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Hard selling, smooth talking, direct
2.In Russia, there is a strong emphasis on:
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Personal relationship and trust
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Getting down to business immediately
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Getting results as quickly as possible
3.Russians in the workplace tend to be:
4.Russians tend to be:
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Group-oriented
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Individualistic
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Both
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It depends on their age
5.When meeting people for the first time Russians:
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Do not value personal privacy and tend to speak about very personal issues, data and feelings
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Are very shy and do not open easily to new people
10 tips for working effectively with Russians
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DO pay attention to the identity of the person you are meeting with. Is he/she a new-style entrepreneur or an old-school Soviet bureaucrat?
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DON’T get down to business immediately – make an attempt to develop personal relationships, which is often more important than rules and laws, which are constantly broken
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DO approach the highest authority when you need information. This can save a lot of time and will earn you respect. It is often one strong, central person who will make decisions
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DO take name-dropping and claims of influence by your Russian colleagues seriously, even if they are not
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DO be tough and unwavering without giving something up too quickly – negotiate hard
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DO get personal – establishing a personal relationship between negotiating teams can work wonders in cases of apparent official deadlock
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DO dress smartly and try to look important - if you are not perceived as a decision-maker, your counterparts will lose interest
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DO communicate clearly, firmly and with authority- avoid trying to coax, or make subtle suggestions
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Formal meetings are often held to ratify decisions which have been made elsewhere and to give clear instruction on key tasks to be performed.
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DO get an insider - when appropriate, recruit a local with connections to help you build your credibility by introducing you to key people
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DID YOU KNOW?
- Cara&Co, a boutique in Moscow was voted one of the 10 best boutiques in the world in 2008.
- If you need to give a business gift, items that appeal to the intellect or aesthetics are particularly prized, such as recordings, art prints and books.
- Invitations to dachas (summer houses) or banyas (bath houses) normally happen at an advanced stage of a business relationship and are a sign of trust and good friendship.
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Quiz answers:
1.b
2.a
3.b
4.d
5.b