Soviets Learn American Way of Doing Business

Sixteen Soviet executives began honing their capitalist skills Monday as a management training program for comrade businessmen billed as the first of its kind got under way at Northeastern University.

“Our program is both a symbol and an example of the increasingly cooperative relationship that is emerging between the United States and the Soviet Union,” said David Boyd, dean of Northeastern’s College of Business Administration.

“We believe the program is the first of its kind in the United States,” he told a news conference.

During the 3 1/2-month program, the executives will be exposed to American business management methods in such areas as international marketing, business strategy, the art of negotiation and management of executive stress.

The program includes internships at U.S. corporations.

The Soviet executives were selected from Aviaexport, the export arm of the Soviet Ministry of the Aviation Industry, which is also responsible for a range of consumer products.

The need in the Soviet Union for executives versed in capitalist methods has become more acute since Kremlin leader Mikhail Gorbachev began his perestroika (restructuring) program to edge his country toward a market economy.