Negotiating Partnership: How Serbian Hauzmajstor Established a Business Relationship with Austrian Rustler

Abstract

This study is an account of how Serbian Hauzmajstor negotiated and entered into partnership with the Austrian Rustler. The introduction is devoted to the development of Hauzmajstor, a small real estate maintenance firm, founded by a Serbian repatriate in 2004. Beginning with its start up as the first daughter firm of Komon sens, a consulting and project development firm, the study follows its adaptation to the local business environment, concentrating on its organizational and business culture. The focus of the study is on the detailed description and analysis of experiences of the Hauzmajstor insiders with the Austrian Rustler, first as a potential, and later as an actual partner. In the end, a view from the other side, i.e. perceptions of Hauzmajstor by the Rustler Group area manager are given.