Doing Business in Russia Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Doing Business in Russia - Assignment Example Not since the days of Peter the Great has Russia seen such limitless potential for businesses seeking to gain opportunities; however, this is not to say that entering Russian markets is an easy, or that success is a foregone conclusion. Being able to properly discuss doing business in Russia first requires an understanding of the Russian business environment, which is one that is highly unique given the massive political, social, and economic changes the nation has undergone as a result of the shift away from Communism. Especially in the cities of the nation, there has emerged a significant population of consumers who are eager to experience products from other parts of the world. This is made especially relevant due to the fact that the nation has likewise undergone an economic resurgence and a cultural renaissance. All of these factors have made Russia more attractive to potential investors who appear to be impressed by what is taking place within Russia itself. This is not to say, however, that carte blanche business involvement in Russia is a possibility for every company wishing to do so. Rather, there are important concepts for companies to understand before getting involved in Russia (Bergman, et al, nd).: Collectivism- Dating back to the days when Russian peasants gathered together for the purposes of farming and producing goods together, collectivism still exists in Russia to a large extent, creating a sort of group mindset for consumers, posing a particular challenge for businesses entering the Russian business sector. Egalitarianism- What is meant by egalitarianism in this context is yet another concept dating back to the communist days of Russia, when the removal of inequality was endorsed in favor of an equal distribution of all that society had to offer, which usually leads to traditional Russian business negotiations being considered as a group effort, with all sharing in the benefits of the particular business operations. Dusha- This is a somewhat mysterious force within Russian society, referring to the collective spirit and belief sets of the Russian people. However, for anyone doing business in Russia, a fundamental understanding of this concept is extremely critical. It must also be understood that, as a note of caution, there were previous attempts to open up Russian borders to outside business interests, which was essentially thwarted by the inability of the government under Mikhail Gorbachev to remedy issues of business productivity, product availability, personnel and marketing (Owen, 1995) although admittedly, these problems most likely occurred because this Russian business effort was an internal, homegrown effort which did not make a lot of sense given the inherent lack of business acumen of the level that a recently opened economy like that of Russia would demand. A Rising Opportunity: Russia's Oil Market When thinking of the most readily available and productive oil fields in the world, images of the riches and potential of the Middle East typically come to mind; however, what many fail to realize is the past of Russia's oil industry, as well as its fascinatingly lucrative potential for the future. Following suit of other Russian businesses over the years, the Russian oil industry has risen to impressive heights

The Individual American Experience Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Individual American Experience - Essay Example Ortiz expounds on the influence of language in forming one's identity in an essay called "The Language We Know." In it, he counters the notion that English is only unifying factor in the American Experience. Ortiz was raised in an Acoma-speaking family. The power of these years upon his creative self-concept is clear. Ultimately; he defines "American" as some permutation of pretense and dispossession. He recalls his father's skill as stoneworker with sandstone and mud to build pueblos - the time, persistence, patience, and the belief that the walls might stand forever (188). He believed working with his father influences his writing (189). Both are methods of continuity. Both are ways in which a people may hold near to themselves (187). Although writing is his profession, building is always his trade. McBride challenges common and popular notions of insular identities based on simplified racial categories in his book called The Color of Water: a Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother. He counters the notion that racial difference is the defining factor in the African American experience. His dominant narrative is that of self-discovery through the rediscovery of ancestry. Ultimately; he defines "American" as a combination of eclecticism and hardship. This book is written uniquely. Chapter by chapter, it toggles between his mother's experiences of growing up in America with his own. His mother details the strict rules of Orthodox Judaism and how they affected her (16). Although his mother is white, she lives in a black world and refuses to acknowledge her whiteness (37). James lives in a home of "orchestrated chaos" (66). He sees his house as a combination three-ring circus and zoo. He describes some of his siblings - his sister Helen, the rebel; Rosetta, the resident queen of th e house; his brother Dennis, the civil rights activist and artist with aspirations of becoming a doctor. The whites at his mother Ruth's school hated Jews, and in public, James becomes ashamed of his white mother (98). 1n 1941, Ruth's Bubeh died. Ruth decided to return to New York (155). Her father tried to get her to stay; she refused. He told her that if she married a black man, she could never come home again. In 1992, while standing in front of a synagogue in Suffolk, James acknowledges his own connection to the synagogue and to Judaism (189). Abu-Jaber reveals tensions between American and Jordanian cultures in a work called The Language of Baklava: a Memoir. In it, she counters the notion that one Americanizes in some sterile standardized way. For example, her father learns to hail strangers greeting men and women alike with the same greeting: "Hey, bud!" As such, she I grows up thinking of all Americans as Bud (34). Abu-Jaber tells the story of growing up in upstate New York with periodic transplants to Jordan. Her dominant narrative seems to be stories of being raised by a food-loving Jordanian father and Bedouin tents. She completes her work with recipes illuminating American and Jordanian and painting the complex portrait of her displaced father who cooked as a method of continuing the past with the present. Ultimately; she defines "American" as being like her father's relationship with food. His daughters knowing how to feed themselves and others in ways that help define them as people. Drawing from my own personal