Russia is a rapidly growing market with enormous potential for international companies. In many industries competition is underdeveloped as Russian local companies are often unable to satisfy constantly growing demand of the market. On the other hand, international enterprises hesitate to enter the market due to its complexity and difficulties like e.g. bureaucracy and corruption. The aim of the present bachelor thesis is to define main challenges of the Russian market with the help of a modified PESTEL model which emphasizes political, economic, social, and legal aspects of the market. Having identified the main market challenges exporting, joint ventures and foreign direct investments as means of market entry are assessed in terms of coping with these challenges. As an outcome of the theoretical section, a model assessing the chosen entry modes is developed together with a list of challenges of the Russian market. The developed theoretical model is applied to a Swedish automotive industry through conduction of semi-structured interviews with key representatives of a number of Swedish enterprises operating in Russia. After the empirical analysis, the theoretical model is reviewed and the main challenges of the Russian market experienced by the interviewees are stated. Moreover, the most common entry modes within the Swedish automotive industry are identified. This thesis will be applicable both for students who would like to learn about different entry modes and ways of analyzing foreign markets through a theoretical framework, and for Swedish companies that aim to enter the Russian market and need to understand its challenges in order to avoid failures in the initial stage and gain ideas about the most suitable entry mode for them.

Abstract As a novel always deemed eccentric and chaotic, Laurence Sterne¡¦s Tristram Shandy has constantly drawn attention of the reading public but has also incurred multitudinous attacks by the critics for its apparent disorderliness. Exteriorly, the novel indeed exhibits chaotic features, whether by its digressions or interludes; however, after a close and meticulous analysis we could actually find harmony and unity within all the confusions and irregularities. Since the author utilizes the eccentricity of the novel to camouflage harmony within, we could assume that a force of some kind is surreptitiously in motion to conduct all the exterior chaos into harmony. Thus my objective in this thesis is to indicate and analyze the ¡§force¡¨ which can trample down all the external irrationalities and enables harmony and order to reveal themselves once again. The thesis will analyze the novel in three main aspects. Formally, the digressions of the novel will be mainly investigated. All the seemingly irrelevant opinionative and explanative digressions will be discussed and examined in close analysis. In dealing with digressions, the ideas of the Russian Formalist Victor Shklovsky will be referred to. Reciprocally, Sterne¡¦s demand for his reader¡¦s participation (interaction) is another distinguishing feature of the work. This part of the thesis will examine the balancing force while it exhibits itself when readers act as active agents bestowing meanings through interaction and Wolfgang Iser¡¦s Reader-Response theory will applied. The closing section of the thesis endeavors to analyze the content of the novel by inspecting the discrepancies and exemplify how Sterne attempts to liberate his reader¡¦s imagination. The thesis will end with the analysis of the author¡¦s philosophical attitude towards life as I realign the novel in strict time-order and trace the causality of the events within. Key words: Laurence Sterne, Tristram Shandy, Russian Formalism, reader response, interaction, digressions, harmony, chaos, discrepancy, causality

本文嘗試初探俄羅斯在經濟轉型後，貪污問題的演化。從貪污的本質論起，接而粗略介紹俄羅斯在經濟轉型的時序演進，最後闡釋俄羅斯貪污現象的形成過程與探究俄羅斯貪污的來源，並尋求解釋現象的原因。 本文利用國際透明組織(IT)所公布的貪污感覺指數(CPI)及國民生產毛額人均(GDP)作為量化的實證分析，並以經濟學的模型闡釋貪污行為造成的社會成本及影響。 初步的研究結果發現，貪污現象對於俄羅斯經濟的發展及民主的建設有極為負面的影響，並且難以根除；如何減輕貪污對於社會成本的虛擲，將是影響俄羅斯經濟發展成敗的重大關鍵。 / The thesis tries to show the corruption phenomenon during the Russian economy transformation. The discussion begins with the comprehensive analysis of corruption phenomenon, roughly introduce phases of Russian economical transformation. This study will also make some explanation of Russian corruption phenomenon. This study uses Corruption Perception Index(CPI) from the Transparency International and GDP per capita(PPP) to run correlation coefficients. The author of this article analyzes the relations between economy and corruption empirically by the statistical results. Furthermore, the author also explains the societal cost of corruption behavior with economic figures. This research indicates that corruption phenomenon erodes the economical development and democratic construction of Russia, and can not be erased. Today, the crucial problem to the future of Russia is how to prevent from the dead losses of corruption.

Habilitationsschrift--Constance. / Includes indexes. Includes bibliographical references (p. 424-446).

Diss.--Humboldt-Universität, Berlin. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-149).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2003. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 403-410).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 295-302). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 295-302). Also available on the Internet.

Not available / text

This dissertation examines the methodology behind using literature to teach Russian as a foreign language to intermediate level students. Due to the unpredictable trends in Russian student enrollment throughout the twentieth century, the development of a method to match student needs and encourage retention will benefit the field of Russian studies. To this end, this dissertation explores some of the past research regarding the role of the reading skill in foreign language classes. In addition, an examination of previous use of literature as a teaching tool in foreign language classrooms prompted development of possible materials for the Russian language. Based on the investigation of this research, current Russian language textbooks were analyzed in light of their inclusion of literary texts and overall methodological tenor. Following the textbook evaluations, a suggested methodology is elaborated for a textbook that integrates literary texts from the twentieth and twenty-first centuries with exercises for Russian language development. Samples of proposed teaching materials and a proposed table of contents for a textbook of applied literature are presented. The proposed materials focus on twelve literary texts of five hundred words or less, chosen from among twentieth and twenty-first century works of Russian prose. The twelve texts span the length of the twentieth century with one text representing each decade and two for the first decade of the twenty-first century. Different Russian authors, some of whom intermediate students may recognize but most of whom will be unfamiliar, represent each decade. Several sample materials were then tested for their feasibility in a second-year, second-semester Russian language course. Student volunteers were solicited to comment on and work with the test materials, determining a baseline for the practicality and necessity of the materials. Suggestions for future research recognize the importance of expanding the study beyond a limited scope. Finally, the place of applied literature is examined in light of current global tendencies and academic developments. / text