Managing in Soviet Georgia: an extreme example in comparative management. (31st January 2008)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mars, Gerald; Altman, Yochanan
• Is Part Of: European journal of international management. Volume 2:Number 1(2008)
• Page Start: 56
• Page End: 70
• Publication Date: 2008-01-31
• Subjects: Georgia -- Soviet management -- comparative management -- managerial deviance -- networks -- risk -- hidden economy -- second economy -- informal economy -- command economy -- personal support networks -- manufacturing -- liberal economies; Management -- Periodicals; Organizational behavior -- Periodicals; International business enterprises -- Management -- Periodicals; Globalization -- Periodicals; 658.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-6757

Abstract

This historical reflection of an important period of the 20th century – the vagaries of the Soviet-type command economy, accords us the opportunity to discuss the practice and art of management as an ongoing negotiation between different agencies, interest groups, constraints and opportunities. We detail the case of Soviet Georgia's hidden economy, mediated as it was through locally based personal support networks and illustrating our arguments with a case study of legal/illegal manufacturing enterprise. We conclude with a note on present-day Central-Eastern European economies and a commentary on implications for management in liberal economies as they become more globally integrated.