Expansion or Exodus

Why Do Russian Corporations Invest Abroad?

Evaluate the impact of Russia’s global business expansion

Since the collapse of the former Soviet Union, tremendous changes have taken place in the Russian Federation’s trade relationship with other countries-especially with former allies. Expansion or Exodus examines how and why Russian corporations invest outside the country and why most of that money remains abroad as the growth and performance of these companies increases at an accelerated rate. As the Federation moves closer to joining the World Trade Organization, this timely book provides a global view of Russia’s outward expansion, exploring the operations of Russian firms in old, new, and forthcoming European Union member states.

Russian corporations have invested 50-70 billion USD abroad in the last five years, with global energy giant Gazprom leading the way. Although some of the Russian money has returned home, most of it remains abroad, largely in the EU and the United States. Many ex-socialist countries fear the Russian government is using its energy companies as foreign policy tools and in some cases, those fears have been grounded. But the outward expansion of Russian firms has become less motivated by politics as non-energy-related companies have begun their internationalization.

Expansion or Exodus examines the vital issues surrounding Russia’s outward foreign direct investments, including:

• how a lower-middle income country has become a net capital exporter

• how larger export-oriented Russian companies have used Germany as entry to Europe

• how Russian direct investments in Poland led to corruption and political involvement

• why foreign direct investments in the Baltic States have been met with suspicion

• why natural resource-based companies have been main drivers of international growth of Russian economy and how manufacturing and telecommunication industries are catching up

• the development of a Lithuanian oil refinery from state-ownership to privatization by an American corporation to acquisition with Russian capital

• the international activities of the leading Russian companies in several industrial sectors

• the majors factors that form contemporary Russian business culture

• the negative features of receiving Russian investments

• the outward internationalization of Russia’s telecommunication company Mobile TeleSystems (MTS)

• and much more

Expansion or Exodus is an invaluable resource for the international business community, policymakers, and academics.