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If Russia has become a market economy, how does it function on a grassroots level? In addition to market mechanisms, what kinds of social and moral principles are at work in the new Russian economy? Is the 'Soviet legacy' still present in post-Soviet business practices? This book searches for answers to these questions, by investigating the networking practices of the Russian software industry. It examines what kinds of resources are transmitted through the personal networks of Russian IT directors and managers, and which mechanisms govern this transmission. The volume opens a rarely available grassroots-level view into the business practices of the new Russian knowledge-based economy. This book is essential reading for all interested in Russian society, culture and economy.

If Russia has become a market economy, how does it function on a grassroots level? In addition to market mechanisms, what kinds of social and moral principles are at work in the new Russian economy? Is the 'Soviet legacy' still present in post-Soviet business practices? This book searches for answers to these questions, by investigating the networking practices of the Russian software industry. It examines what kinds of resources are transmitted through the personal networks of Russian IT directors and managers, and which mechanisms govern this transmission. The volume opens a rarely available grassroots-level view into the business practices of the new Russian knowledge-based economy.

This book is essential reading for all interested in Russian society, culture and economy.

Ausgangspunkt der vorliegenden Studie sind die Ergebnisse zweier empirischer Untersuchungen aus Helsinki und St. Petersburg, denen zufolge durch die Arbeitsbeziehungen vermittelte soziale Netzwerke im Vergleich zu Verwandtschaftsnetzwerken für russische Lehrer eine höhere Bedeutung haben als für finnische. Hierzu legt der Verfasser Ergebnisse aus Fallstudien und qualitativen Interviews vor, die Berufswahl, Berufseinstieg und Berufsverläufe russischer Lehrer sowie Schüler-Lehrer-Beziehungen in Rußland behandeln. Auf dieser Basis wird die vergleichsweise größere Zahl von Kollegen und Schülern in den Netzwerken russischer Lehrer als Indikator für die Schwäche des Lehrerberufs als Profession in Rußland verstanden. Arbeitsbeziehungen sind für russische Lehrer vor allem zur Verankerung in einem sozialen Milieu wichtig, das für soziale Beziehungen, Kinderbetreuung und Zugang zu informellen Ressourcen sorgt. (BIOst-Wpt)

The importance of social networks in the determination of life opportunities is discussed in a case study, drawing on interview & structured diary data from Lida, a middle-aged female teacher from St. Petersburg, Russia. The most important components of Lida's social network are her mother & children, but neither her extended family nor absent husband plays a significant role in her social life. Lida is strongly committed to school, with the vast majority of her social relations occupied by teachers & school-related individuals. This commitment has led to a blurring of the boundaries between her work & family life. Although she is devoted to her work, she feels that teaching was forced on her during her education. Further, she cannot explore other possibilities since her social network is teacher-dominated. It is concluded that the closed nature of her social network & her upbringing in socialist culture have contributed to a general feeling of lack of control over her own life. 3 Figures. T. Sevier

Despite the rapid expansion of cellphone use, academic research has paid little attention to mobile telecommunications in Russia. This article examines the adoption and use of cellphones among young Russian adults through social network data and qualitative interviews conducted in St Petersburg in 2003. The study describes the role of personal networks in the purchasing decision, depicts the practices and social rules of cellphone use and investigates the differences between cellphone and landline phone connections. The results are discussed with reference to social consequences such as the individualizing and controlling effects of cellphone use in post-Soviet Russia.