Kimberly Zisk, «Weapons, Culture, and Self-Interest : Soviet Defense Managers in the New Russia»

Imagine for a moment that the world as you know it has been turned suddenly upside down, like a game
board being upended. One day the rules you had been playing by all your life were crystal clear, and you
knew exactly who was on your team. The next day the rules were anybody's guess, the players changed by
the minute, and you began to suspect that some of your long-time team members were cheating you. What
would you do?
This was the situation Soviet defense enterprise managers faced during the transition to the new Russia. In
Soviet times, these managers lived comfortable lives inside a closed network where everybody knew
everybody else. To move up in the world, they pleased their patrons at the top, who took care of them in
return. Managers were likewise expected to take care of the employees they supervised. Everyone's basic
needs were met through a system of mutual help that prevented anyone from having to make many
independent decisions. Then suddenly the framework crumbled. People stopped sheltering those who had
been their responsibility, and resources dried up. A persistent rumor began to circulate that a more exciting
game was now afoot, but the rules were complicated and alien, and information was scarce. Some old
friends became untrustworthy. Meanwhile, those lower down in the network continued to cry out for help,
constantly reminding managers of their traditional obligations.