You should be open to everything new and constantly learn
Natalia Khazieva is a senior lecturer at the Department of Management at School of Economics and Management. In the “International Business in the Asia-Pacific” programme she teaches two important courses – Strategic Management and Digital Business Transformation.
Natalya, what were your first steps at the academy? Why did you decide to teach at HSE?
Several years ago I managed to combine work in business and science, but family life made its own adjustments, and I made a choice in favor of university. This can be explained very simply: by the dynamism and flexibility of the university environment and the need to always be "on the wave". Working in business, I did not have the need to know the latest news in business, society and politics, apply the latest technologies and constantly learn. HSE is a second home for me, because I am a graduate of the HSE Master’s program in management.
Tell us about your scientific interests.
Research interests lie in the areas of stock markets, intellectual capital, knowledge management and digital business transformation. Their formation is mostly influenced by chance: either I read something somewhere, or I meet someone at a conference, or they simply offer to work on some topic.
What projects are you currently working on and what is the most interesting project you have done in the past?
I am very proud of my first away business game with students, which took place in a high-tech company where I used to work. It was not easy to organize the arrival of 4 groups of students, a tour of the company during working hours, visiting different departments with a story about the specifics of their work, so that no one did not interfere with anyone, as well as directly presenting the children’s projects to the credit committee selected from among the students. It was a lot of organizational work, which was rewarded with excellent feedback from students. Now I’m trying to introduce artificial intelligence in teaching, because technology is developing rapidly, and hiding it is wrong. Artificial intelligence can significantly help in mastering disciplines and simplify work. Another question is what are the goals and where are the boundaries of its use. I think that it would be more correct to initially show what the thoughtless use of AI can lead to, including when writing papers.
What challenges do companies face in the digital era?
What essential skills can help management students be competitive in the job market and help companies successfully adapt to the digital age?I think that the main challenge for companies is that employees are not ready to implement technology for various reasons. It can be expensive, unclear, time-consuming and with unclear results. In this sense, you need to be open to everything new and constantly learn. You never know what you might need.
Starting this year, the international business program is focused on the Asia-Pacific region. What role do you think cultural context plays in management in Asia, and how does it influence the development of strategies and business plans?
Basic Western approaches to strategic management are known and applied in Asia-Pacific countries. Rather, the way of doing business and informal rules play a big role here. When entering foreign markets, they most often hire specialists who know cultural characteristics - the cost of a mistake can be very high. Many students love real company cases and want to know more about the current state of affairs in business.
Do you use successful case studies in your courses to show how theoretical concepts are applied in practice?
Successful and failed cases are a significant part of my work as a teacher. As you know, you also learn from mistakes. Reflecting on what you can do to avoid a situation or how to fix it is very useful. The difficulty is that failed company stories are not shared as actively as successful ones. At the same time, I like the game approach even more, when you can simulate a situation, show how the theory actually works or doesn’t work, and what people do. For example, the game of tic-tac-toe is about strategy. Developing a wristwatch layout is about digital transformation.
How do you motivate students and generate interest in your discipline?
I try to give as many examples as possible from my experience or open sources and engage in dialogue. The students are very smart and talented: they know and can do a lot. In addition, different types of tasks and physical activity (no, I’m not asking you to jump over tables) in the classroom also help.
What books can you recommend to students who want to improve their competencies in the field of strategic management?
The books that are most inspiring are those of managers and entrepreneurs who have grown and run companies. For example, Howard Schultz, Sam Walton, Lee Iaccoca, Andrew Grove, etc. Also V.K. Chan and R. Mauborgne “Blue Ocean Strategy” and R. Rumelt “Good Strategy. Bad strategy."
What advice can you give to future and current students?
Don't forget to give feedback to your instructor throughout the course. Everyone's skill level and knowledge needs may be different. If you would like more cases or presentations at lectures, books or videos for discussion - tell me.