The New Russian Business Leaders by Manfred F. R. Kets De Vries

In order to work effectively with Russian organizations, it is essential for potential Western partners and shareholders to fully understand their leadership style, organizational practices and business expectations. Based on extensive interviews with the pioneers of Russian business and the authors' own experiences, this perceptive new book attempts to decipher the enigma of Russia's new generation of business leaders. The authors present in this book, now available in paperback, six in-depth case studies focusing on companies of vastly differing sizes, ranging from a newly-privatized operation, and the creation and organization of an oligarch's empire, to several entrepreneurial start-ups in different service industries. The case studies document the changes and developments that have occurred in Russia since the privatization era of the 1990s, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the emerging business leadership orientations. Grounded in Russian culture and history, the book takes a balanced view of the rapid development and transformation of the country's business leadership over the past ten years. The authors also offer perceptive conclusions and practical advice that will not only contribute to the success of Western businesses operating in Russia and other former communist countries in Eastern Europe but also help business people in Eastern Europe create high performance organizations.