Russian Management Training Programs: do corporate responsibility topics have a place?

• Published in: Management accounting quarterly Vol. 5; no. 4; p. 25
• Main Authors: Harrison, David S, Lewellyn, Patsy G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Montvale Institute of Management Accountants 01.07.2004
• Subjects: Business education; Business ethics; Cities; Collaboration; Corporate responsibility; Economic development; Education; Employee training; Employment; Ethics; Management; Management development; Management training; Marketing; Nuclear weapons; Quality management; Russian culture; Social responsibility; Theory; Vocational guidance; New York; Russia
• ISSN: 1528-5359

Because of fundamental political, social, and market changes in the former Soviet Union, significant changes in education were necessary. Perhaps chief among them was the introduction of an entirely new area: professional business training. Previously, Soviet educational institutions were directed primarily toward scientific and technological disciplines, at which they excelled. Now, while the somewhat stoic institutions of higher education in Russia are reacting to changes largely driven by student expectations and political influences, a variety of independent business training programs have surfaced to meet more immediate economic development needs. Overshadowed by pragmatic business skills, environmental, ethical, and other social topics are largely ignored by these new programs. The key training areas (management, marketing, finance) command center stage, leaving "less critical" needs such as business ethics and social responsibility to some undesignated time in the future. This approach is a travesty. Now is the most opportune time to build ethical commitments into the new economic and business culture. We will look at the cultural receptiveness of Russians to these issues, provide some basics on corporate responsibility and stakeholder theory, and close with recommendations on course curricula, including an outline of possible course topics and readings. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]