Russian management style: A game theory approach to evaluating decision making

This paper springs from the practical problem of designing management training programs to improve decision making by Russian managers in the market economy. We approach the problem by attempting to identify any clustering (focal points) in their decision making, and investigating the impact upon the efficiency of firms in a simulation game. We then consider the implications for a real economy and for the orientation of management training programs by asking whether these focal points inhibit effective decision making and efficient results. We believe that our methodology has wide implications for identifying management training needs generally, and is not confined to the Russian managers who provide the empirical basis for this paper.