The human side of managing organizations at a time of change: the russian perspective

Theories concerning social developments are considered to be only partially universal. To a degree, they are culture-specific. Nevertheless, experience and theoretical knowledge gained from exploring social phenomena in one society can provide valuable insights for the analysis of a different formation. This paper outlines the major changes that make up the present-day Russian reality, and discusses the resulting situation in the area of the management of Russian public organizations. Certain possible strategies of revising the old practices are formulated in the light of existing American theories of management and administration. The paper analyzes two alternative policies for improving the performance of Russian public organizations through restructuring the general mode of organizing and through enhanced supervisor-employee relations.