The 11th International SEAM (Socio Economic Approach to Management) Conference, with the central theme of «Putting Theory into Practice», took place on May 25-26. The extensive event became a platform for seven professors from the UCU Business School to present results of their research.
The conference aimed to explore the interplay between theory and practice and reevaluate new knowledge acquired based on current life realities. Scholars and practitioners from around the world came together to examine the consequences of the interchange between theory and practice.
Participants presented their research and relevant findings, and panel discussions with subject matter experts were held during the presentations.
Among the UCU Business School members, who participated, were Sophia Opatska, Nataliya Lagotska, Andriy Rozhdestvensky, Artem Kornetskyy, Valeria Kozlova, Olena Trevoho, and Natalia Oboznenko.
Sophia Opatska, Founding Dean and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of UCU Business School, shared the results of the study titled «Lessons from the war: A case study of Ukrainian leaders and business owners».
Sophia Opatska presented the findings of a research study conducted in collaboration with UCU Business School and Aarhus University. The study involved a series of interviews with Ukrainian business leaders as preparation and immediate reaction of C level executives to full scale invasion and lessons learned from it: «We wanted to understand from these interviews what processes top-managers and business owners went through, what happened to their companies in the first months of the war, and how they look into the future perspective of the country and their organizations.
When the company is experiencing a crisis, its leader is expected to be able to manage the crisis and act responsibly. This puts a lot of pressure on leaders. From a number of interviews, we see that business owners and top managers who had trustworthy relations with their teams, who are able to adapt in a rapidly changing environment amidst tragic circumstances of such a crisis as war could be hopeful and think about the future of their businesses . Which is aligned with a number of theories in crisis management. According to Sophia Ukraine today is a battlefield, moral ground, solidarity hub, recovery site & social transformation lab. Therefore international community can learn from our experience.
Nataliya Lagotska shared the results of her research on «Organizational resilience in the face of the war in Ukraine». Among the findings, she highlighted that «all respondents emphasized that team cohesion, individual resilience, and the leadership of top managers were crucial for their companies during the first months of the war».
«The topic of my research, part of which I presented at the SEAM conference, is dedicated to the organizational resilience of Ukrainian companies during times of war. Stories of resilience from our country, government, ordinary people, and organizations have become an important new narrative during the war, which is crucial to share not only within the national space but also beyond its borders. Therefore, choosing the research purpose and deciding to share its results with an international audience is partly motivated by my personal desire to bear witness to the war in my country».
Besides, members of UCU Business School highlighted the following topics:
- Andriy Rozhdestvensky: «Lessons of organizational resilience of the business organizations in Ukraine during war»;
- Artem Kornetskyy: «Social entrepreneurship ecosystem: Operating on multiple levels»;
- Valeria Kozlova and Olena Trevoho: «Acting, reflecting, and creating new knowledge: Action research in a Ukrainian company»;
- Natalia Oboznenko: «How a socially responsible approach to doing business helped an artisanal repair shop become a sustainable and successful company».
Participating in the International SEAM Conference is an opportunity to share current research from the Ukrainian business landscape, remind others about our realities, and receive valuable feedback from global thought leaders. Thank you to everyone who participated.
