Работа в американской фирме

Инвестиции США в российскую экономику пока составляют менее 4 млрд. долл. и сосредоточены не в ключевых секторах эко номики (см. "America Top Foreign Investor", «Кока-Кола довольна Россией»). Американские компании, как крупные, так и средние и мелкие, пытаются наилучшим образом приспособиться к меня ющимся условиям, стремясь соединить в России так называемый human factor, т.е. «работу с людьми», и американскую высокую тех нологию и деловитость. Они делают ставку на интеллектуальный и сырьевой потенциал РФ, а также сравнительную дешевизну ра бочей силы в нашей стране плюс особенности российского наци онального характера.

Вот, например, что советует своим соотечественникам US Embassy Commercial Department.

Tips on Doing Business in Russia, or How They See Us^[17]

Doing business in Russia is not for the timid. It is not for the shy, or the unadventurous. It is not for easily frustrated. Doing business in Russia today is for that quintessentially American type — the pioneer. People who succeed in Russia are daring, creative, innovative, persistent, patient, and flexible. Some people succeed in a big way; others fail in a big way; many more just keep plugging along. Moscow veterans have offered these general words of advice for newcomers:

• Everything here can be difficult, or at least different. Russia has been cut off from the West for most of its history. Russia has little experience with capitalism or democracy. Half the year the place is freezing and dark all the time anyway.

• Russia is not like America. You can't make it like America, nomatter how much you scream and shout. Don't waste your energy.

• Russia can be dangerous — to your health, your purse, even your life — but it isn't nearly as dangerous as media keeps telling us. The dangers we worry about — the crime and the airplanes — are not nearly as dangerous. But if you start a business: take some time to research your deal. Do a five page outline of what you are planning to do. Who is the buyer? Who is the seller? What are the costs? Russians expect their American partner to have carefully looked through a detailed proposal. Russian business dealings are not casual and quick. Your Russian partner will want to see something of your proposal before he moves forward with you. So have something ready.

• Find some contacts on the ground. But you must do all that homework, or you will develop a reputation in Russia for amateurism, and information about reputation is one type of information that flows very quickly through out Russia.

• Use your contacts on the ground to make the first approaches to one or two carefully selected Russian firms. What you are aiming for here is to establish a relationship. Americans think in terms of deals and the bottom line: we tend to be short-term thinkers, Russians focus on relationships. So with a Russian, your first contact (and later contacts) should be with the intent to develop a long-term relationship. "To our future economic cooperation" is the phrase you will hear (and should use) often. You can allude to specifics, but only in the context of a wider business and personal relationship. Russians feel uncomfortable with specifics, outside of a business, personal, and philosophical context. Russians sometimes violate contracts, but they rarely betray a trust. Russians place far more faith in the warm hug and handshake, and the sixth vodka toast exchanged late at night, than they do in a signed sheet of paper.

(Courtesy of US Embassy)

В американских фирмах внешне царит атмосфера деловитости, организованности и демократизмма: к примеру, все предпочитают называть друг друга не Mr. Smith, a John или Лена, независимо от возраста или положения.

Однако за улыбками и вежливостью скрывается крайний праг матизм и индивидуализм, а также скупость и расчетливость, часто вызывающие неприятие у русского человека.

В целом работа в американской фирме подчиняется почти тем же закономерностям, что и в компании других стран Запада. О том, как вести себя и главное, как себя обезопасить от произвола работодателей см. «Мир перевода-1».

Дата добавления: 2015-08-21