Business Ethics in Russia: Natasha's Choice

Natasha should accept the offer of the "charity men" to sell the house to recover the money. After all, the only risk their business will be exposed to is her values and a strong desire to build her mother a house. Deciding otherwise will make her lose the protection from the "charity organization"; however, the case is potentially disastrous to her positive reputation, which has aided their business growth. It is appropriate to recognize that Russian and American cultures, economics, and business trends are very different, making for an intriguing contrast between the values of the two factions. This has led to a strong feeling of love-hate towards Americans by Russians, which will likely occur in this situation.

When Natasha and her partner reject the "charity organization" offer, their delicate trust will escalate because of cultural differences. Therefore, their business relations will deteriorate, which can lead to legal actions when the "charity men" expose them for audit and other political interferences in the business operations. But Natasha, an American, is responsible for demonstrating strong business ethics and respecting Russian values. She should demonstrate the highest ethical standards. Considering the mistrust between the two cultures, Natasha and Americans practicing in Russia should be role models of responsible business in a free market. Business ethics does not allow employees to steal from their bosses and reporting the lost money as "bad debt" will show that it condones unethical behaviors in the business. Also, she will risk losing a lot of money from Russian customers who would think she is weak, as well as the money from the woman, which the "charity men" may take anyway. Furthermore, Russian values are patriarchal, and the business environment will shift once they break the deal with the "charity organization."

This case points to a cultural misunderstanding that originates from national cultural differences. It demonstrates that national ethics sometimes conflict with business ethics, and corporate leaders are forced to make decisions that determine the company's future. However, in this case, the decision is primarily influenced by Russian culture and its business and social environment. Russia's managers have a reputation for being more authoritarian than their American counterparts. Those under them are expected to obediently adhere to policies and protocols, which means that the "charity men" will be annoyed if Natasha rejects the offer to sell the house.

Russians may be molded by ingrained cultural standards, rigid institutions, and other historical artifacts. Although some Russians' actions in the past led to autocracy, future Russians may choose policies that foster democracy. Russia's political elite and social movements made decisions that propelled the country toward democracy and despotism. Human beings have value, and the repercussions of their actions and decisions, however unintentional, are never ignored. Yet, these actors did not make decisions in a vacuum; somewhat, they were influenced and restrained by underlying structural factors and more recent decisions, particularly those about institutional design, which set the bounds of what was conceivable for later decisions. These historical decisions and values seem ingrained in the "charity men," and disobedience will be more harmful than good for Natasha's business prowess. As long as she wants to operate in Russia, it is wise to give them the green light, recover her money, and protect the business.

Based in this case what are 3 cons and 3 pros and why?