| In this study, 27 people from Alaska and the Russian Far East involved in mutual business transactions were interviewed. Thirty-three open-ended interviews of between one and four hours each were conducted between January and August of 1993. The interviews focused on the intercultural communication aspects of the participants' business negotiations.;When it became possible due to changing conditions in the former Soviet Union for Americans and Russians to travel more easily to one another's countries, many Alaskans and people from the Russian Far East eagerly embraced the opportunity to develop business relations. At first, it seemed the caucasian residents of the two regions had much in common, and few difficulties were anticipated. However, some business deals did not work out as anticipated. Some participants felt their partners had cheated them.;While dishonesty may have characterized some business transactions between Alaskans and people from the Russian Far East, cultural misunderstanding seems to be at the bottom of at least some broken partnerships.;Alaskans are individualists, used to taking risks and working within a set of laws governing business contracts. They enter into business to make profit. People from the Russian Far East are more group oriented, conditioned to avoid risks, and base their agreements on bonds of interpersonal loyalty, not easily given. Edward T. and Mildred Hall's model of high and low context cultures seems to have a great deal of explanatory power in this case. Hofstede's dimensions of cultural behavior can also help us understand the differences in these two cultures. In terms of negotiating styles, Alaskans generally see themselves as collaborative. Russian Far Easterners do not see themselves as the "hard negotiators" described by some writers as the Russian style. A danger exists that people involved in business in the two regions will make assumptions suggesting the other group will likely misrepresent or cheat them, even in situations where the parties are well intentioned. Without education to promote understanding, a sense of "discounting" may lead to lost business opportunities in the future. Current Alaskan programs and suggestions for future research are discussed. |
