ABSTRACT
TH E I N C O N S I S T E N T S U P P O RT O F T H E central government set up intimidating odds for Russian business managers as they continued to make decisions, handle negotiations, and conduct transactions. In an environment of instability and capriciousness, they developed survival strategies based on embedded values and rules and determined what had to be done in this unofficial, informal business setting. Some managers saw this opportunity for increased self-determination as an oasis of certainty in what would have appeared to be a chaotic environment for purchasing supplies, bartering for goods and services, manufacturing consumer products, and paying debts.
