Unit 16

1. What kind of education offers the best route to top management positions in Russia?

The peculiarity of Russia lies in the fact that it`s not always the person who received a good education in economics could find a good job (even people from best universities such as Moscow State University, REU, High School of Economy it.d). If a person wants to succeed and take the position of top manager, he should reflect on his career quite early.

Therefore, it is important not just to get a Certificate of Education, but systematically engaged in their own self-development.

2. What kind of problems could you imagine in a joint venture between British and French companies, especially if one of them is from the private sector and another from the public or state sector.

In my opinion the main problem in any merger of national companies is the difference of cultures and temperaments workers. Different approaches to solving problems. For example British people insist on going straight to the point, whereas Frenchman like to have a systematic agenda.

To avoid such problems both sides should understand that there are all have its virtues as well and their strengths and try to unite them.

3. What business is Alsthom in?

Alstom is the giant power and railway equipment company formed out of the joint venture between Britain's General Electric Company (GEC) and France's Alcatel-Alsthom, which became a separately quoted company in 1998.

4. What is Pierre Bilger's position in the company?

On graduating, Bilger, joined the Finance Ministry. In 1982 lie switched from government to industry, joining CGE. As soon as the joint venture. GEC-Alsthom, was formed, Bilger was given the task of manage it.

5. Who owned Alcatel-Alsthom in the 1980s?

In 1982 Alcatel- Alsthom was owned by the French state. And in 1988 was created a joint venture with Britain's General Electric Company (GEC-Alsthom) headed by Pierre Bilger, which became a separately quoted company only in 1998.

6. Is Alsthom still a French-British company?

Yes, It is.

7. The heads of many government ministries in France and the chief executives of many large state companies such as Renault and TotalFinaElf are nearly always graduates from ENA. They form a small technocratic elite who all know each other well. What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of this? Is the situation similar in Russia?

The disadvantage is that it makes you incapable of talking to people who aren’t like you. Elite schools pride themselves on their diversity, but that diversity is almost entirely a matter of ethnicity and race. With respect to class, these schools are largely—indeed increasingly—homogeneous. At the same time, because these schools tend to cultivate liberal attitudes, they leave their students in the paradoxical position of wanting to advocate on behalf of the working class while being unable to hold a simple conversation with anyone in it. Witness the last two Democratic presidential nominees, Al Gore and John Kerry: one each from Harvard and Yale, both earnest, decent, intelligent men, both utterly incapable of communicating with the larger electorate.

The second disadvantage, implicit in what I’ve been saying, is that an elite education inculcates a false sense of self-worth. There is nothing wrong with taking pride in one’s intellect or knowledge.

I agree that there are flaws, particularly the apparent assumption that education defines a person's character. After all, if someone is raised or otherwise able to relate to other people, those who don't share his or her social class or education, then it isn't clear that an elite education should render that ability null. I take a more charitable reading to be that an elite education has the tendency to reinforce social stratification and thus leaves many students who have undergone it (whatever "it" is understood as) disadvantaged or incapable of relating to these others, unless their extra-curricula development has otherwise prepared them.

8. Bilger gives one example of differences in business culture between Britain and France: the French desire for a rational and logical approach to decision-making compared with the British preference for going straight to the point. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach?

A multitude of rational/logical decision models are available. All are based on a process of gathering and analyzing information. The information is then used to inform a step-by-step sequence of choosing alternatives to arrive at a decision. Intuitive decision making is understood to involve the recognition of cues in a particular situation that allow an individual to recognize patterns learned from experience. Pattern recognition enables a person to choose a workable alternative even without logically working his way to a decision.

9. Which approach is more similar to your business culture? Think of some examples.

Autocracy and centralised decision-making are synonymous with the Soviet system in many people's eyes and this approach can certainly be seen to be manifested within large Russian business organisations. Russian companies tend to be driven by one strong central figure who will make strategic decisions with little or no consultation with anyone other than a handful of close trusted advisors. (Indeed this centralised decision-making process can be most clearly seen in the approach of recent Russian presidents.