Hello. My name is Mikhail Plotnikov, I'm from Russia. And I'm going to introduce my course, Business Strategies for Emerging Markets. But first let me tell you a few words about myself. My experiences are quite diversified. I am a management consultant, a manager, an educator, a researcher, and an interpreter. As a professor at the National Research University Higher School of Economics, I teach business strategy and general management courses for Master and MBA students. Being a HSE Business School consultant, I help medium size business owners and executives to deal with the challenges organization development. Some of my consulting projects require much deep involvement on my part. Then I get hired as a director or a project manager for one or two years. For example my current position is Partner for Strategic Human Resource Management at the Special Economic Zone Alabuga. As a Doctor of Sociology, I am conducting research work in the field of Experimental Sociology. Finally, I am the owner and the dean of a small private business school, called Vadens Business School. And besides, I have some entrepreneurial experience in the background. In this course, I would like to share with you both my practical experience and my theoretical findings. And I'll do my best to make it interesting, useful, and thought provoking. So what the course is about. It compromises three fundamental concepts. The first is entrepreneurship. Business is not just a set of rules or algorithm. It requires passion, cunning mind, curiosity, subtle critical thinking, and the ability to act. The second is Schuler's strategy. The core idea of the course is how to invent, design, plan, and implement a strategy that will lead you to success. The third concept is emerging markets. We will discuss the opportunities and the threats that the emerging economies offer. We'll learn what to do and how to act properly within the ambiguous, yet so promising, conditions of these markets. Throughout the whole course, we'll be repeatedly referring to the same story. The case of creation, design and development of a specific business within those specific conditions. I will tell you the story of my company, Vadens Business School, from the very first days through many rises and failures, towards its current position and plans for the future. This case is about entrepreneurial activities and subtle strategies that help the school prosper within a strong competitive environment. It allows me to cover all the three business models, business to client, business to business, and business to government. Vadens is a small private business. It depends on the environment greatly, which makes the strategic approach truly vital. Besides, the school acts in Russia, which is a typical emerging market, with it's own typical options. Finally, as far as this is my own business, I will be much more involved and attentive to details when telling you the story. Hope you will enjoy it. You will understand whether you need to do business or not. Actually, almost everyone had a thought to run his or her own company. Although no more than 5% become entrepreneurs in fact. On finishing the course, you will have a much more clear vision upon entrepreneurship. And you'll be able to make the decision. You will learn the specific trades in emergent markets and be able to recognize opportunities and threats there. You will learn how to create a boosting business idea that is able to survive within severe competition and bring inspiring results and profits. We will speak about the ways of attracting necessary investments to launch or upgrade your business. Significant stress is made on the concept of consumer value, the ways to create, to augment, and deliver it to mutual benefits. You will also learn why networking is so important nowadays and what you can achieve by making partnerships and involving partners. Besides, we will speak about the concrete steps to launch your business. We will discuss how to shape your product and value proposition. How to adapt them to the clients in the emerging markets. You will learn a wide range of interesting things from solid concepts to small, practical tips and hints. I wish you good luck on this way, and welcome you to explore, to challenge and to succeed in the world of emerging market business strategies.
