Corporate Ownership, Leadership and Job Charateristics in Russian Enterprises

This study tests the application of the Western theory of organization's ownership in Russia, suggesting that ownership types – such as state-owned and private – influence leadership style and employees' jobs characteristics. A sample of 724 Russian employees in 15 service and manufacturing companies was surveyed. The results indicate that, contrary to Western theories, the leadership in Russian state-owned enterprises tends to be perceived as being more effective than the leadership in private enterprises. Similarly, jobs in state-owned enterprises are more enriched than in private companies. Explanations and implications are provided.