Why managers fail in Post‐Soviet Russia: causes and lessons

The former Soviet Union is presently going through a period of unprecedented economic and organizational change. In this “wild market”, many Russian organizations are struggling to compete and adapt. During the decade of the 1990s Russian managers have had to develop new skills and business practices to lead their organizations. Many managers have successfully made this transformation but managerial failure is also common place. This article explores the primary causes of why managers fail in this post‐Soviet era based on a survey of 174 Russian managers and offers specific lessons on management development for organizations operating in modern Russia and Eastern Europe.