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Contents

• Introduction
• 1. Literature review and research methods for studying ethics and trust in international business
• 2. Cross-cultural peculiarities of the ethics and trust in business cultures of Nigeria
• 2.1 National features of business cultures in Nigeria
• 2.2 Analysis of the ethics and trust problems and opportunities connected with business culture differences in the Nigerian company
• 3. Measures to harmonize ethics and build trust in the Nigerian company
• Conclusion
• References


Introduction

ethics business culture

Rapid changes in the socio-economic conditions of the global space have led to the fact that the economy and business are faced with problems that were previously unfamiliar to them. Communication between partners has become the main problem of business [10, p. 143]. Effective internal and external communication has become a strategic resource for business. Against this background, there is an explosion of interest in culture, cultural diversity and intercultural interaction; it is especially important to make massive attempts to study the values of national cultures in relation to business culture. This actualizes the search for the foundations of intercultural dialogue in the business sphere, requires a rethinking of established traditions and new theoretical searches in related fields - linguistics and cultural studies, ethics and management. Thus, issues of intercultural dialogue acquire particular relevance [10, p. 143]. The relevance of studying the cultural aspect in business culture and in business communications is also due to a number of reasons. The interdependence of cultures in the modern world is becoming more and more obvious every day and is manifested at all levels of human activity, in particular in the business sphere. Increased interest in the problem of business culture, its role in society and various spheres of public life is closely related to problems of a cultural nature. It is also becoming relevant to study the processes of adaptation to a foreign cultural environment, where the subject of research is not only new value standards, but also the mechanisms of interaction of already existing cultural norms. Culture in the system of social relations acts as the most complex and multifaceted phenomenon. This situation prevents the ability to outline in a few words the essence of this concept and give a definition, since the word - the concept of «culture» is key, and here it is necessary to give its definition in the context of our research, that is, about business culture and its influence on business communication. The study of business culture in the context of business communications inevitably raises the question of the underlying foundations, principles, methods, and meanings of business culture. This approach involves identifying those components of culture that, in their coexistence with each other, form a business culture: values, norms, rules, statics and dynamics of language. In this case, as the main definition of culture in the analysis we undertake: «culture (from the Latin cultura - cultivation, upbringing, education, development, veneration), a historically certain level of development of society, creative powers and abilities of a person, expressed in types and forms of organization life and activity of people, in their relationships, as well as in the material and spiritual values they create.» [11, p. 283]. Business culture is a rather complex and contradictory phenomenon that is born in a certain cultural environment. Business culture can be defined as a system of relationships expressed in norms, values and knowledge in the field of labor relations. This system regulates business activity. Such activity is manifested in the organization of work, in business communication skills and rules of business etiquette, in the art of doing business. Analyzing the concept of «business culture,» A. Prigogine proposes to proceed from the norms and values of labor exchange, exchange of activities and to distinguish between abstract business culture (ideals and values that sometimes turn into concrete acts of behavior, but are often present in it in a hidden form) and concrete business culture. culture (stereotypes in official, official, etc. behavior). Alekhina A. includes in this concept a more capacious content than the culture of business and negotiations. She believes that it covers people's attitude to work and their relationships, the culture of organizing a business and the ability to raise it to a certain height [3, p. 18]. From our point of view, in general terms, the concept of «business culture» can be understood as compliance with the accepted «rules of the game» in business interaction. Business culture is a business culture inherent in all entities involved in the organization and implementation of social production in the era of post-industrial market society. At the present time, such a phenomenon of the modern world as business culture is a way of organizing and motivating people that is aimed at increasing efficiency in making a profit.

There are many reasons, primarily economic, that led business to the fact that it ceased to perform the function that it performed a couple of hundred years ago, namely the function of sharpening and breaking culture, adapting it to the needs of modernization. Nowadays, business has begun to adapt to existing cultural characteristics. This is especially true for those countries in which it exists or is being transferred. National characteristics of business cultures are most clearly manifested in situations of cross-cultural contacts and often serve as the cause of misunderstanding, hostility, and negative attitudes. Business culture has a strong inertia; its development process is based on maintaining continuity [4, p. 72-77]. The most important characteristic of business culture is its relationship with the internal fabric of national culture. In addition, the principles of business culture are socially approved in most national cultures of the world. It is the intangible elements of national culture that are decisive in the formation of the structure of business culture. These include traditions, rules, values, norms, rituals, customs, behavior patterns, language and symbols of business culture. Culture acts as an environment within which business culture functions as a subcultural formation. Accordingly, there is a need to make a small comparative analysis of the business cultures of different countries, as well as to show the influence of various factors of national culture on the development of business culture and communication. Several thinkers, such as G. Hofstede, F. Trompenaars and E.T. Hall, have formulated frameworks in which to determine how each national culture fits into a complex spectrum of interaction. This fundamental knowledge can help businessmen anticipate and resolve potential conflicts caused by misunderstandings due to cultural differences. Cultural awareness is the key to success. G. Hofstede, and his theory of comparison of cultures, in which key cultural differences are most widely known such as: the index of distance from power; individualism and collectivism; uncertainty avoidance index; «male» and «female» type; short-term and long-term orientation to the future; self-indulgence and restraint. For example, workers in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Arab world are likely to show much more respect to their managers than their counterparts in countries such as Denmark, Israel and Austria, where subordinates tend to often wait commands from above and do not show their own initiative.

1. Literature review and research methods for studying ethics and trust in international business

According to a literature review on the study of business ethics [Tucker, Stathakopolous, Patti, 1999], there are five different approaches to this issue: 1) empirical research on ethical attitudes and behavior in business organizations; 2) methodological issues in the study of business ethics; 3) a conceptual framework for the study of business ethics; 4) institutionalization of ethical codes; 5) the nature and content of codes of business ethics. This work, based on unique Nigerian data, is intended to complement the last two points from the above list. If, in theoretical terms, serious groundwork in understanding the peculiarities of domestic business ethics and culture was made in the works of [Shikhirev, 1999; 2000; Krasnikova, 2007; Smirnov, 2010], theories of corporate governance and corporate social responsibility adapted to Nigerian conditions have become widespread [Strizhov, 2006; Belyaeva, 2008; Blagov, 2010], in the context of cross-cultural management [Myasoedov, 2003; Myasoedov, Kolesnikova, Borisova, 2010; Naumov, Puffer, 2000; Grachev, Rogovsky, Rukitski, 2002], then in terms of systemic empirical research devoted to the implementation of corporate ethical practices.

Against this background, individual publications seem rather an exception [Eliseeva, 2009a; 2009, studying the code of ethics as a social tool for company management. The rest of the few empirical studies on the topic of business ethics in Nigeria fall into the first category from the list above - for example, an empirical study showing a link between a favorable ethical climate and managerial success in Nigerians companies [Deshpande, George, Joseph, 2000]. One can also point out a comparative study of business ethics in Nigeria and the USA [Robertson, Gilley, Street, 2003], which revealed a number of cross-cultural differences in ethical attitudes. Nigerians managers, compared to their American colleagues, turned out to be more committed to situational ethics, while Americans showed a special degree of pragmatism, demonstrating their interest in the financial result of their activities. Of particular interest is the study of corporate values in Nigerians companies, conducted using the multiple case study method, in which the authors not only showed the innovative nature of such practices, their prevalence in both horizontal and hierarchical organizational structures, but also emphasized the decisive role of owners and top managers. management as agents for the implementation of value-based management systems [Kabalina, Cheglakova, 2013]. In general, the topic of ethical codes in Nigeria is most often covered by business print and online publications. The content of these publications is devoted to the best practices of individual companies or represents recommendations from management consultants, created primarily on Western experience and of a clearly prescriptive nature.

2. Cross-cultural peculiarities of the ethics and trust in business cultures of Nigeria

Africa is a unique, original world with a decline in value and ethical complexes, norms of behavior and specific ideas. Africa's traditional value and ethical systems essentially define the principles of business culture and social and cultural communications. Russian business in Africa faces serious problems, since it has to interact with the structure of the value-ethical and communicative complex, which is not always obvious and understandable and in modern conditions can successfully hide behind a «screen», the so-called «Davos culture» associated with universal Western models of business behavior.

Traditional values in African business culture.

Is there a specific African business culture, or is it a universal, «globalization», so-called

«Davos» after many years of colonial influences and the integration of the countries of the African continent into the system of the world capitalist economy, and if this specificity exists, what does it consist of?

«African accent» The author's experience, confirmed by field research, proves that yes, it exists, and the specificity lies in the presence of African traditional value and ethical ideas. African traditional values permeate the lives of modern Africans. It is difficult for a non-African to realize how closely traditional beliefs, values and ethics are woven into the lives of people of different ages, different levels of education and different social status.

Russian businessmen should be prepared to meet all the uniqueness of the traditional values and ethics of Africans. Certainly, they can be ignored and business can be conducted as if they did not exist, at the level of a functional and pragmatic solution to emerging problems. But in this case, misunderstandings and misunderstandings are inevitable. A business partner may have an «external» cultural layer, acquired in the context of modernization in African countries, and an «internal» one, associated with traditional values and ethics. A businessman going to Africa who does not have information and does not feel the cultural and mental specifics of African partners, who does not know the peculiarities of their business culture, will not be able to build an effective dialogue with them. There are many examples when the slightest «inaccuracy» in behavior, a dismissive attitude, a hint of superiority, or failure to take into account the cultural and historical context can result in irreversible destruction of the dialogue.

Let's give an example. One of the main criteria for differentiating business cultures is the attitude to time: the stronger the difference between cultures according to this criterion, the more grounds for the destruction of business contacts. The perception of time in traditional African culturesYarskaya V.N., Time in the evolution of culture. Philosophical essays. Saratov, 1989., p.21, its relationship with the cult of ancestors, with ideas about the universe, reflects the «ontological concept» of AfricansIliad M. Space and history. Selected works. M., 1987, p. 55. The present, past and future in the ideas of Africans are cyclically interconnected; the subjective experience of time, its cycle reflects the logic of social processes in traditional African societies.Bondarenko D.M., Spatio-temporal “coordinate system” of the inhabitants of ancient Benin (West Africa). - Space and time in archaic and traditional cultures. M., Institute of African Studies RAS, 1996, p. 77

Africans, even those who received a European education and hold positions in the government, existentially experience, often unconsciously, the basic elements of the traditional culture of their people - ideas about time, ancestors, unity, justice. Talking with Africans during expeditions to the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa, conducting surveys and expert interviews, the author repeatedly received confirmation of these provisions. In turn, Russian businessmen noted that the agreements reached by the Russian and African sides can be assessed by partners differently: by the Russian side - almost as a contract, by the African side - just as an opportunity or unwillingness to upset the partner. Africans are often late for meetings and fail to meet agreed deadlines. This behavior is perceived by the Russian side as optional and even unreliable, however, it can have different reasons: on the one hand, the traditional African perception of timeMoseyko A.N. Time and space in the ideological systems of African cultures. - Space and time in archaic and traditional cultures. M., Institute of African Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 1996, Arsenyev V.R. Mental codes and searches “imaginary”: temporal and social cycles of the Bambara. - right there. is cyclical, so haste is pointless; on the other hand, in some cases it may be intentional «revenge» in relations with the «white man» in the form of delaying the beginning of the meeting (as a result of the colonial collective «trauma»). If African behavior is perceived as a deviation from business communication standards, misunderstanding and conflict may arise. In turn, understanding the cultural and historical roots and ideas that underlie behavioral patterns and shape the specific business culture of Africans helps to establish dialogue.

The prevailing opinion among representatives of Russian business is that the main factor in the effectiveness of cooperation is financial and economic interests, and the business culture of African businessmen is the so-called «Davos culture», which everyone follows in the conditions of globalization and cultural unification modern politicians and businessmen, regardless of their cultural background, is not only controversial, but also erroneous.

Nigeria is a West African country, dynamically developing on the basis of authoritarianism, with certain historical and modern democratic traditions and trends. The country is so diverse in its ethnic characteristics that there is no need to talk about a single system of moral values. The basis, as in most African countries, is family and respect for elders. The dynamics of growth of economic opportunities, entrepreneurship and assertiveness of Nigerians have created a special type of business culture in this country, largely devoid of such qualities as courtesy, gentleness, tact and correctness. Nigeria has developed its own standards of behavior in the business environment, incorporating many features of national culture and psychology, on the one hand, and the Western manner of doing business during the period of emerging capitalism, on the other. Any business contacts in Nigeria begin with a greeting and a handshake, which is carried out exclusively with the right hand. Any manipulation with the left hand is considered indecent. Women in Nigeria give their hand first. Christians, as a rule, shake hands with female representatives. Muslims - no. Men can put their hand on their partner's shoulder. When shaking hands, partners look into each other's eyes, smiling warmly and sincerely. At other times, staring or frequent staring is mistaken for aggression and rudeness.

2.1. National features of business cultures in Nigeria

Family members and very close friends may exchange kisses. When greeting a group of people, you need to extend your hand to everyone, starting with the eldest in rank and age, expressing your respect to the most authoritative of them by bowing your head. Flowers are given exclusively on family occasions. In Nigeria, it is customary to be the first to greet strangers. our people with simple phrases: «Hello», «Good morning/evening». Starting any conversation without greeting is considered a gross violation of local culture. If you already If you know a person, be sure to ask him about his family, health, children. When it comes to business communication, Nigerians are very personal. Be prepared for the fact that most of the negotiation time will be spent on your partner's stories about his sick mother, family and health. The way you listen and react is how Nigerians test what kind of person you are and whether you can be trusted. Establishing good interpersonal relationships and mutual empathy are central to business success in Nigeria. When meeting people, it is customary to introduce yourself, stating your name and position in full. The younger ones introduce themselves eldest first. Nigerians are very formal and particularly scrupulous in their use of addresses. The procedure for addressing people in English-speaking African countries is described above in this book, as is the handling of business cards, which are handed exclusively with the right hand and should remain on the table in front of you until the end of the negotiations. The name of the interlocutor in Nigeria requires memorization and correct pronunciation. It is considered bad form to make corrections to your business card using a pen or pencil. If your details have changed, it is better to order new cards before traveling to Nigeria. Relations between employees, whether of government agencies or private companies, are based on the rules of strict subordination. The leadership style is authoritarian. Business decisions are made hard and fast. Much attention is paid to competition, the quality of work performed and the improvement of work skills by employees. Nigerians, compared to other Africans, are considered noisy and aggressive. They usually set short-term goals and bend over backwards to achieve them. Nigeria is proud of its millionaires who once started from scratch. The employee incentive system is well developed. Motivation is both individual and collective. The main thing is recognition of everyone's personal merits and contribution to the common cause. Addresses to employees are made strictly by last name with the prefix Mr, Ms or Mrs. In an informal environment, calling by name is allowed, but only with the consent of the partner. According to traditional culture, women in Nigeria do not yet have equal status with men. However, recently the issue of gender equality is increasingly discussed in society, and women are given more and more opportunities to compete with men in politics, science and business. Relations between the sexes are quite free, although hugs and kisses in public are not common. Provocatively revealing clothing on women is condemned by others. Elegant national clothing is widespread. While talking, men can hold hands, which is not a sign of a sexual relationship between them. The distances between speakers in Nigeria are significantly smaller than between Europeans and Americans. The invasion of personal space by a Nigerian interlocutor frightens visitors and makes them nervous. You must always be prepared for this and not take steps back. Business meetings in Nigeria are rarely held in offices or business centers. As a rule, these are public places where relatives, friends and acquaintances of the partner can drive up or come at any time and interfere in the negotiation process with their personal affairs and questions. The meeting can last a relatively long time - 2 hours or more and, as it may seem, end in vain. As a rule, Nigerians never have a conversation about business immediately after meeting. The first meeting is aimed primarily at getting to know the partners. In this regard, the conversation can be about anything, but not about business. The main task of guests is to make a good first impression. During the first conversation, Nigerians seem to be trying out whether they can do business with you at all, discussing exclusively things that interest them. As such, doing business in Nigeria is costly in terms of time and resources. You should always have 1-2 days left to talk to the right people. The selection of such people is a key task that determines the success of a business. There are no shortage of intermediaries willing to help in Nigeria, but identifying and reaching out to the people who really make decisions seems to be a very difficult task. Nigerians compare business to a river: if you understand how it flows, you will succeed. Negotiations that begin in the office turn into informal communication in a restaurant or bar, where you can invite your partners. Usually meetings take place quite late and are accompanied by loud noises, national music, songs and folk dances. Nigerians know how to have fun. At this time, it is better not to discuss business issues at all, but to devote time to consolidating relationships. Lateness in this case, as with all other events, is of the usual «African» nature.

If you are invited to dinner at home, you need to bring fruits, nuts or chocolate as a gift to the host. It is better to give sweets or chocolate to the owner's children. During religious holidays, such as Muslim Ramadan, it is better not to enter the owner's house without gifts, if he is a Muslim. It is better to give gifts to the owner's wife not on your own behalf, but on behalf of your wife, sister or close relative. Gifts and souvenirs are usually wrapped in paper. It is not customary to open the package in the presence of a guest. All gifts and souvenirs are given exclusively with the right hand.

When entering someone else's house, it is customary to take off your shoes.

The peculiarities of organizing and conducting negotiations in Nigeria do not differ from other African countries. We must remember to respect our elders.

The biggest holiday in Nigeria is Christmas, celebrated on the night of December 24-25. The day before, be sure to congratulate all your friends and acquaintances. Nigerian congratulations are always distinguished by special warmth and empathy. Reciprocate. Don't forget about gifts if you are in the country.

The Muslim part of Nigeria, mainly the northern one, celebrates its holidays: the end of Ramadan, the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, etc.

Nigeria is a poor and very conservative country. Clothing, both men's and women's, during official meetings should be in calm (preferably dark) colors, neat and clean. The colors of suits, shirts, and ties should not stand out, and women's makeup should not concentrate attention. It is better to use perfume in moderation. The skirt should cover the knees. Bare shoulders, even in hot conditions, are unacceptable. This is considered offensive. Women can wear trousers, preferably dark ones.

It is advisable to meet with business partners, especially officials, even in the hot season, in formal suits and ties. In Nigeria they like to «meet people by their clothes.» Nigerians themselves prefer black in formal business attire. During the meeting, by mutual agreement, jackets can be removed. Nigerians, in addition to classic suits, are allowed to wear national clothes in strict colors (french jackets). Women can wear colorful national dresses with scarves on their heads. Jeans or wrinkled clothing are inappropriate and in no way justified during business meetings. On Friday, civil servants and company employees are allowed to wear casual or national clothes.

In informal settings, including business meetings, Nigerians willingly dress in free-style clothing, bright, often flashy, and replete with jewelry.

Telephone communication depends on the level of relationship between partners. As a rule, Nigerians are not prone to long telephone conversations, preferring personal contact.

Quite a lot has been said about the negotiations in Africa. All the mentioned features are also relevant to Nigeria. I just want to note that guests being late for events is considered impolite and unacceptable. During negotiations, new people, friends and even relatives may appear on the Nigerian side. New participants should be greeted with a nod and a smile.

During negotiations and meetings, Nigerians do not consider it a major violation of business etiquette to use a mobile phone.

Control your emotions, watch your gestures. The thumbs up, which signifies approval in European culture, is the equivalent of the middle finger in Nigeria.

Nigerians, like all Africans, have imaginative perceptions and are difficult to assimilate purely rational information. Their level of emotional intelligence allows them to read and reject «too good» proposals during negotiations, notice the uncertainty of speakers and the inconsistency of positions of delegation members, thereby provoking suspicions, feel hidden tension, arrogance, arrogance and even racism, causing persistent rejection of potential partners.

Nigerians love to bargain. We need to be prepared for this and provide them with such an opportunity in negotiations to mutual satisfaction.

Depending on their tribal affiliation, Nigerians have different communication styles. Residents of the Yoruba tribe, living in the southwest of the country, are more emotional and allegorical. In conversation, they resort to jokes, proverbs, metaphors and even songs, thus believing that the interlocutor will better remember their thoughts. They never tell the truth face to face. They clothe their disagreement or refusal in various beautiful stories, allegories, wise expressions or proverbs. In Nigeria, expressing agreement with a partner means respect, which is why a «yes» said by a Nigerian partner must be double-checked many times.

Those living in the south of the country are more straightforward. They speak louder and more emotionally, although on the part of the guests, loud and emotional speech is perceived as aggression. Nigerians are masters of non-verbal communication. They are good physiognomists, and if you are bored and your face does not express any positive emotions, it is unlikely that they will want to meet with you again. Nigerians hide their disappointment and condemnation behind a smile. It is always difficult to understand what is really on their mind. During negotiations and meetings in Nigeria, it is customary to look at the forehead and shoulders of the interlocutor. Good command of the English language in negotiations acquires special importance both in terms of the correct construction of speech, as discussed above, and in terms of understanding partners. Nigerians speak English quite poorly. Peculiarities of pronunciation and allegorical speech can lead to incorrect conclusions and decisions following a meeting or negotiation. In order to make sure that the agreements reached correspond to the understanding of the results of the negotiations, it is advisable to «synchronize watches» with several additional

2.2 Analysis of the ethics and trust problems and opportunities connected with business culture differences in the Nigerian company

Cultural differences in business are not about which hand Nigerians take documents with, whether they have business cards and what kind they are, what gifts they like - what can and cannot be given, how they dress for a business meeting and why they are late, etc..d. This is also important, and will be discussed below. But this is completely different. I enjoyed reading a book by psychology professor Marina Melia, a famous Russian business consultant, entitled «Business is Psychology.» If this is so, then in Africa business is doubly psychology. Cross-cultural communications in the Nigerian business environment, which will be discussed in this chapter, are based primarily on the ability to understand the inner world and way of thinking of Nigerians, those psychological strings, touching which, you can exchange trust with a person of a different nationality, culture, religion and race. The latter is especially important, because you come to work in «black» Africa, being a «descendant» of those people who, in the opinion of Nigerians, oppressed their ancestors for centuries and robbed them of their wealth. And without mutual trust, as was said, business will not work. But the trouble is that trust is different in different cultures, since it is based on different foundations. In most European countries, this trust is cognitive. Rational in its essence, it is based on an assessment of the abilities and skills of another person, that is, solely on his professional qualities. In Nigeria, trust is affective. It is based on the emotional component, the so-called emotional intelligence. As Marina Melia writes, observing your classmates, fellow students and colleagues in life, you wonder why excellent studies at school or a honors diploma from a university do not guarantee a prosperous life, successful career advancement, or happiness in your personal life.

It turned out that in addition to knowledge and practical skills, in order to be successful, a person must also have a set of qualities that allow him to effectively but interact with people and society. Scientists and practitioners who have written dozens of books on the topic of emotional intelligence identify its five main components: self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, empathy and effective relationships. It turns out that long before modern science combined these qualities into one concept, they had been formed for centuries in African culture. Thus, Nigerians learned to be aware of their emotions, strengths and weaknesses, internal values and motivations, and their influence on other people. Having learned to know themselves, they developed patience and the ability to effectively extinguish both negative and overly positive emotions. Self-regulation is the basis of the African mentality, which can be clearly seen in two African proverbs: «Anger and madness are brothers» and «When you become rich, jump for joy in a dark corner.» Self-motivation is expressed in the ability of Africans to be devoted to a cause that does not bring immediate benefit or moral success, to follow it based on one's inner motives, beliefs, optimism and perseverance. «If you want to move mountains tomorrow, start lifting stones today,» says an African proverb. Empathy is one of the main qualities of the African mentality. Nigerians are convinced that participation, care, and compassion are like medicine. Words of support spoken at the right time may not solve the problem, but they will affect the person's emotional state. Nigerians empathy is at such a level of development that they are able to feel even what their partner or interlocutor may be thinking about at a given moment. Empathy does not mean that a person must be liked or Africans approve of his views or actions. Although they disagree with you, Africans nevertheless retain good feelings and relationships towards you, as long as you do not agree with them.

The position «I am the boss, you are a fool» is categorically unacceptable in Nigeria even in relation to one's subordinates, including local citizens, be it a driver or an au pair. You will be respected not for the kind of boss you are, but for the kind of person you are. Whatever happens and whatever mistake your partner or subordinate makes, never blame him for it, especially in front of people. The first reaction of some of our leaders to gross miscalculations of their subordinates is to give a scolding (or something else from the list of 42 only literary synonyms for this word, recorded in the explanatory dictionary). If you do this to an African in any form, you can forget about the relationship forever. Moreover, in his eyes you will become a racist. This is the worst insult in Nigeria. A Russian friend of mine, who runs a private business in one of the African countries, told me that, having once received an incorrect utility bill, he «ran into» the manager of the management company. The girl silently listened to the emotional complaints, and the next month my friend received an invoice with a tenfold error in the larger direction. I advised him to calm down, buy a chocolate bar and contact the girl again, only politely with a question about a possible malfunction of her printer. He did just that, and everything fell into place. The following invoices arrived without errors. Remember another African proverb in this regard: «Man exists only because he surrounded by other people. «Nigerians have a vague sense of personal responsibility. Don't try to look for the guilty, it's better to play up the situation with humor. Any offensive word uttered in the heat of the moment can cost a multimillion-dollar business. I remember a case involving a top manager about bottom of the Russian company, who, tired of repeated explanations to his African shareholders of the technical and financial foundations of the joint business and realizing that he was not understood, uttered the phrase: «Well, you are stupid!» The resentment remained for a long time. The business, supported at the state level by the two countries, did not move for several years. Shareholders simply stopped communicating with each other. In the perception of Nigerians, this was racism in its purest form. African countries have a lot in common. All Africans consider their continent to be one home for all and value their common homeland, which is lovingly called «Mother Africa». But there are also significant differences between them. I would like to especially emphasize that, despite the general similarity, all African countries are different - each has its own history and culture, its own organization of political power, its own laws and business environment. In our perception, Africa exists as a whole. This is a big misconception that has an extremely negative impact on business. One high-ranking Russian official, preparing for a long business trip to an African country, in order to emphasize his extensive experience in international communication, somehow too self-confidently stated that he had visited 40 countries before and had a good grasp of the mentality of foreigners in the sense that that understanding Africans will not be difficult at all. This immediately alerted him, because he had never been to Africa, and especially to that extremely complex and contradictory country where he was heading. As I have already noted, the hierarchy of power in Africa can be both visible and hidden. Often the latter is built along tribal lines, in contrast to the borders between countries established during the period of colonization, mostly artificially - according to natural obstacles or simply along a line. As a result, representatives of the same African tribes or nationalities may live in several neighboring countries. I remember the case of one of the top managers of a Russian company, who asked to organize access to a promising presidential candidate in one of the countries of West Africa. An African friend of mine arrived in Paris, where he had a meeting with our businessman. We were talking about a large iron ore deposit that we planned to acquire. Imagine my surprise when the manager called me after the meeting and began to reprimand: «Who did you send me? This guy came in sneakers, a wrinkled T-shirt, and didn't even have a business card. Yes, he's actually from a neighboring country!» As a result, the business did not work out; after the politician's victory in the elections, the deposit was given to the Americans. It turned out that my African acquaintance was the nephew of the future president, a native of the same tribe, although he was a citizen of a neighboring country. After his uncle's victory in the presidential elections, my acquaintance was appointed to the post of head of a national mining company and for a long time put Russian business on fire. The meeting clearly passed without empathy on our part. To summarize, we can say: the absence of formal attributes of power or social status on the part of the African partner does not mean that he does not have it, and tribal relations play a significant role in the structure of power without taking into account the formal boundaries between countries. Any ignorance or arrogant disregard of these points leads to a negative result. When starting to do business in a particular country on the continent, you must always remember that Africa does not forgive a reckless, arrogant or condescending attitude. If you have, for example, work experience in Bangladesh, and you come to work in Zambia, there is no need to bring past experience to new realities. It is Zambia that needs to be studied.

Measures to harmonize ethics and build trust in the Nigerian company

Due to historical, cultural, economic and financial realities, the situation with the implementation of CSR standards in the variant is often called paradoxical, and business, at best, publicly regards it as skepticism. CSR issues of concern in the context include: 1) poverty of the local community; 2) the impact of business activities on the environment and climate change; 3) corrupt business practices; 4) working conditions and working environment, including the health and safety of workers, as well as the minimum wage; 5) human rights situation, including costs, child labor and sex harassment; 6) tax evasion and lack of disclosed information; 7) public health, including HIV/AIDS treatment. The emergence and development of the CSR initiative in this case was associated with the territory of international organizations and the spread of Western codes of conduct covering business activities. Firstly, Western CSR models are applied and promoted by international organizations such as the UN, the World Trade Organization (WTO), the International Labor Organization (ILO), the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), etc., as well as transnational corporations (TNCs). and provide consumers. Secondly, Africa, such as the African Union and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), have a special focus on CSR, including through the development of the New Partnership for Africa's Development Organization (New Partnership for Africa's Development), NEPAD) and generally accepted in the African collective review.

It seems that corporations can and should be instruments of social policy. Business is part of society and has the resources to create social change. This is especially true for many MNCs doing business in Nigeria such as Nestle, Vodafone, Guinness, Microsoft, etc. There are four reasons why firms should act as instruments of social policy and be active participants in CSR. Firstly, corporations that implement socially engaging practices have more satisfied customers, employees, shareholders, increase their longevity and will thrive even in more adverse environments, especially in Nigeria. Second, corporations have more knowledge than individuals and governments, derived from their constant and active research, and are therefore more likely to use this knowledge to meet the needs of their stakeholders. Third, corporations make compromises more easily, implement technology faster and more actively, follow current trends in society, and can act more rationally than governments. Fourth and finally, corporations can more easily engage in social innovation and experimentation that can bring broad benefits to stakeholders. However, in Nigeria, corporate activities in particular are associated with the exploitation of CSR for the benefit of business without corresponding social benefits. The assumption underlying CSR is that firms are guided by the interests of society and do not deliberately manipulate them to their advantage. And in relation to Nigeria, this assumption causes skepticism among many for the following reasons. First, corporations exist to make economic profit rather than to solve social problems, so their behavior is opportunistic. Second, corporations distort social standards to suit their own needs. This is usually done by manipulating the legal and political environment. Third, corporations have no understanding of society as a whole. Entrepreneurs in Nigeria, even small ones, do not imagine the life of the poor and disadvantaged sections of society. And managers of MNCs do not have full information, even less so. Fourth, with the exception of innovative companies, most businesses are socially conservative by nature and will therefore only experiment when they can see clear benefits from their efforts. Fifth, CSR allows governments to relinquish some of their social responsibilities.

Conclusion

Implementing CSR in Africa presents both challenges and opportunities. One of the most pressing problems in African countries is the «resource curse», or «paradox of abundance». Resource-rich but «poor» countries have failed to use their wealth for the benefit of society. Generally, the main causes of this problem are poor corporate and political governance, theft and corruption, inter-ethnic conflicts, environmental degradation and lack of resource diversity, which continues to be the case in countries such as the Democratic Republic of the Congo in particular., Nigeria, South Sudan, Angola. And the implementation of effective CSR policies can partially improve the situation. Countries that have achieved fairly balanced resource-led growth in the recent past include Nigeria.

The issue of leadership crisis in both corporate and political governance is another critical area for Nigeria. CSR in Nigeria is often used by corporate and political leaders to gain social and political power. This is unacceptable because CSR should benefit society as a whole. Some political leaders are involved with their business partners in corruption and resource depletion. Examples of exceptional leadership were demonstrated by such prominent African political figures as Nelson Mandela and Julius Nyerere. And today such leaders are rare in Africa. This leadership style is consistent with social responsibility and has been a hallmark of many traditional African societies. Attempts to address the leadership crisis have already been launched in Africa, for example, within the framework of the African Renaissance concept, the African Peer Review Mechanism, etc., but have not been particularly successful. Another challenge of CSR in Nigeria is the enormous level of social expectations of the government and to some extent business. While businesses pay taxes to the government to implement social programs, most social expectations remain unmet. Poverty and inequality levels in Nigeria remain high compared to other countries in the world. The urgency of this problem is also due to the growing recognition of the inability of African governments to solve many social problems. Therefore, CSR can be a tool for overcoming inequality and solving poverty problems. This has led to recent criticism of business in a more far-reaching direction to meet business expectations. Increasingly, organizations are expected to address social issues and take on greater social responsibility in addition to addressing social issues for which they are more directly responsible, such as environmental pollution, product safety and quality, and social inequality.

For Nigeria, with its long history of social and economic deprivation such as slavery, colonialism, economic and trade inequality, over-exploitation of MNCs and resource degradation, the significance of the concept of CSR is that it can be used as a basis for strategies for social and political empowerment and opportunities for the country's residents.

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