Weapons, Culture, and Self-Interest: Soviet Defense Managers in the New Russia

The book investigates former Soviet defense industrial leaders at various levels with regard to two theoretical behavior modes as the old command economy disintegrated: 1) rational self-interest and 2) socialization. Not too surprisingly, the author concludes that former Soviet expected social behaviors still exert a strong influence on the way most managers behave.The author looks at people at several levels: former Ministers and Deputy Ministers who now head vast conglomerates or quasi-private businesses, plant or institute managers, work group leaders, section leaders, and trade unions. Some specific enterprises or organizations are reviewed such TsAGI, MAPO-MiG, Mashinostroenie Reutov, Rybinskie Motors, Permskie Motors, NITEL, Goskomoboronprom, Almaz, Baltiiski Zavod, and so forth.The title of the book is, I think, a little misleading. There is no discussion of weapon systems or particular weapon types or models, so you potential readers who may have thought you were going to read about Soviet secret weapons developments will be disappointed.