Seminar paper from the year 2009 in the subject Business economics - Miscellaneous, grade: 1,7, Furtwangen University; Villingen-Schwenningen, language: English, abstract: With this paper I want to provide an understanding of the cultural differences of Germans and Russians in terms of doing business together. Germany is the most important foreign trade partner for Russia and the business relation is forecasted to remain attractive for both parties. (www.auswertiges-amt.de) If managers from different cultures do business together, it is very important to be aware of the cultural differences when conducting business abroad to understand the business partners better. Culture is “something (...) that shapes behavior, or ... structures one’s perception of the world.” (Nancy J. Adler, International Dimensions of Organizational Behaviour, p.54; 2008) There are many aspects to look at, if you compare the German and the Russian culture. I used the cultural dimensions developed by Geert Hofstede and chose three dimensions, which I think are most relevant in this context, to point out cultural differences between Germans and Russians. This paper will first look at the differences in power distance of both countries. Then it goes on with the effects of the different scores in masculinity. The third dimension covered in this paper is uncertainty avoidance. It is to mention that Hofstede has not published any large-scale empirical studies for Russia, but he provided estimates.

In 1945, when the Red Army marched in, eastern Germany was not "occupied" but "liberated." This, until the recent collapse of the Soviet Bloc, is what passed for history in the German Democratic Republic. Now, making use of newly opened archives in Russia and Germany, Norman Naimark reveals what happened during the Soviet occupation of eastern Germany from 1945 through 1949. His book offers a comprehensive look at Soviet policies in the occupied zone and their practical consequences for Germans and Russians alike--and, ultimately, for postwar Europe. In rich and lucid detail, Naimark captures the mood and the daily reality of the occupation, the chaos and contradictions of a period marked by rape and repression, the plundering of factories, the exploitation of German science, and the rise of the East German police state. Never have these practices and their place in the overall Soviet strategy, particularly the political development of the zone, received such thorough treatment. Here we have our first clear view of how the Russians regarded the postwar settlement and the German question, how they made policy on issues from reparations to technology transfer to the acquisition of uranium, how they justified their goals, how they met them or failed, and how they changed eastern Germany in the process. The Russians in Germany also takes us deep into the politics of culture as Naimark explores the ways in which Soviet officers used film, theater, and education to foster the Bolshevization of the zone. Unique in its broad, comparative approach to the Soviet military government in Germany, this book fills in a missing--and ultimately fascinating--chapter in the history of modern Europe.

This book contributes to the debate about a new German power in Europe with an analysis of Germany’s role in European Russia policy. It provides an up-to-date account of Germany’s “Ostpolitik” and how Germany has influenced EU-Russia relations since the Eastern enlargement in 2004 - partly along, partly against the interests and preferences of new member states. The volume combines a rich empirical analysis of Russia policy with a theory-based perspective on Germany’s power and influence in the EU. The findings demonstrate that despite Germany’s central role, exercising power within the EU is dependent on legitimacy and acceptance by other member states.

Inhaltsangabe:Abstract: Germany is Russia s biggest trade partner. According to Russian official statistics, Russia imported 8.1% from and exported 13.4% to Germany in 2006. For Germany, Russia ranks eighth in overall trade volume, with exports about 23 Billion Euro and imports about 30 Billion Euro. Due to high prices for oil and gas, which amount for roughly 60% of Russian exports, the statistics indicates a negative trade balance for Germany since 2003. Germany is Russia s oldest trade partner, as well. No other West-European country has the same history of cultural, social and economical exchange with Russia as Germany does. The very term `German ́ in Russian language was century long the word for all `foreigners ́. Having left behind a century of forced antagonism, both countries are nowadays converging steadily. Today, the Russo-German trade relationships become more and more important for both countries. This paper focuses on the strategies German companies pursue on the Russian market. The fundamental question is empirical in nature: What have German companies done in Russia? . The ultimate aim, however, is to gain empirical evidence for theoretical reasoning: What should German companies do in Russia? . The paper consists of three parts. The first part gives a brief overview over Russo-German trade relations and Direct Foreign Investment. The Second part describes the legal, social and cultural environment in Russia and how German companies cope with it. The third part focuses on their strategy in response to their aims and to the environment. Inhaltsverzeichnis:Table of Contents: List of Tables7 Executive Summary8 1.INTRODUCTION8 2.METHODOLOGY9 3.TRADE RELATIONS AND INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT11 3.1BILATERAL TRADE VOLUME11 3.2GERMAN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN RUSSIA13 3.3BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT16 4.LEGAL FRAMEWORK FOR INVESTMENT INTO RUSSIA17 4.1LEGAL FORMS OF INVESTMENT17 4.1.1THE REPRESENTATIVE OFFICE17 4.1.2THE BRANCH OFFICE19 4.1.3CORPORATE ENTERPRISES23 4.1.3.1The Limited Liability Company (OOO)26 4.1.3.2The Closed Joint Stock Company (SAO)27 4.1.3.3The Open Joint Stock Company (OAO)28 4.1.4OTHER FORMS OF COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY28 4.1.4.1Joint Partnership29 4.1.4.2Limited Partnership29 4.1.4.3Additional Liability Companies30 4.1.4.4The Production Cooperative30 4.2TAXATION31 5.SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT FOR MARKET ENTRY33 5.1HUMAN RESOURCES33 5.1.1Educational System33 5.1.2Labor Market35 5.1.2.1Current situation in [...]

Author Dr. Lev Lester conducted negotiations with Russian, American and German companies for more than 25 years, first from the Russian side, and then from the American and German sides. He is not only an expert who has achieved outstanding results in the United States and Germany, but also a researcher, who became a Doctor of Economics in Russia. In this book, he tells how to conduct business negotiations in modern Russia, describing the important features of the Russian and American styles of negotiation. The book contains a large number of case studies from the author's business practices and is designed for a wide range of readers interested in Russia or doing business with the Russians.

The relationship between Germany and Russia is Europe's most important link with the largest country on the continent. This book analyses how successive German governments from 1991 to 2014 have misread Russian intentions, until Angela Merkel sharply recalibrated German and EU policy towards Moscow.