Gender and attitude toward an international career: a survey of Russian nationals

This paper examines attitudes of Russian MBA students toward international careers and finds that gender is not an issue but that respondents with family constraints were less favorable toward an international career. Respondents who are male, single, or with no children were slightly favorable toward international careers. Women and respondents with spouses without a career were neutral toward international careers. Respondents who were married, respondents with children, and respondents with a spouse with a career, were slightly unfavorable toward an international career. The results of this survey indicate that Russian MBA students are, on average, only slightly favorable toward international careers. These results contrast with an earlier study that found a stronger preference for international careers among Russian MBA students. Current MBA students in Moscow have more career opportunities than before. The results are based on the responses of twenty-nine Russian students in an AACSB accredited MBA program in Moscow who speak both Russian and English and work for an international company or agency.