From the plan to the market and back—the organizational transformation of the Russian defense industry

Abstract

The article examines the organisational transformation of the Russian defence industry during the period of privatisation and radical market reforms. The study is based on the results of an original large-scale longitudinal survey of the directors (CEOs) of the industry. We find that over a decade of transition, 1996–2006, Russian defence industry managers were able largely to preserve the production potential of their enterprises and make them capable of operating under market conditions. Coupled with the restoration of government orders and the 2020 rearmament programme, these newly acquired market skills have contributed to the impressive revival of the Russian defence industry in the Putin era.