Lessons in Finance at HSE's April Conference
On April 9th and 10th, HSE’s School of Finance is organising several new platforms of discussion as part of the XVI April International Academic Conference. Topics will include measuring and assessing companies’ intellectual capital, research on corporate financial decisions, and for Russian and foreign post-graduate students, the second annual PhD seminar on financial markets and corporate financial policy will take place.
About Intellectual Capital
For the first time in the April Conference's history, a separate section is being organized on intellectual capital and its impact on companies' efficiency. It is being carried out together with the European Institute for Advanced Studies in Management (EIASM), which is based in Brussels.
‘We might be asked, what is finance doing here? Well the thing is, the efficiency of these resources should be assessed and, accordingly, measured, and all measurements are financial issues. This is especially true in monetary form if we are talking about their impact on a company’s performance. It is critical to identify the role of intellectual capital as a driver for a business’ value,’ according to Irina Ivashkovskaya, who is the head of HSE’s School of Finance and the section leader. Professor Ivashkovskaya adds that the topic of intellectual capital is not studied in Russia, and if it is, it is done at the micro level. As an example, she uses HSE’s Institute for Statistical Studies and Economics of Knowledge, which studies the level of intellectual capital in the economy.
‘Intellectual resources are unique. They form the core of business’ competitive capabilities, and they are very difficult to copy,’ Ivashkovskaya adds. The session, which takes place on April 9, will be the first time these issues have been looked at on such a large scale in Russian academia.
Professor Stefano Zambon from the University of Ferrara will show why practices that were successful in one country at one period of time end up being inefficient under different national conditions or at a different time
The section will open with a paper by Professor Stefano Zambon from Italy’s University of Ferrara. Professor Zambon is a recognized expert in the field of intellectual capital, and the organiser and leader of EIASM’s annual international conference, which has been taking place under his leadership for ten years. Professor Zambon will summarize the best international practices in this field and show the benefits of reporting on intellectual capital. He will also show why practices that were successful in one country at one period of time end up being inefficient under different national conditions or at a different time.
Another element of the special section is a research session that will feature four unique papers. They are empirical works built on quantitative methods and data collected on various companies and countries. Presenters include representatives from the International Laboratory of Intangible-driven Economy at HSE’s Perm campus, as well as the Corporate Finance Centre at HSE Moscow.
The section will end with a round table discussion that will be strictly practical in nature. Participating in the section are specialists from the global consulting companies PricewaterhouseCoopers, E&Y, and KPMG, which all use a methodology for assessing intellectual resources in real-life consulting in Russia and around the world.
The joint HSE-EIASM section will be a unique prelude to another academic forum; HSE is set to host an international conference on intellectual capital in the fall of 2016
The joint HSE-EIASM section will be a unique prelude to another academic forum; HSE is set to host an international conference on intellectual capital in the fall of 2016. The conference has already been taking place for ten years at various universities around the world.
About Corporate Finance
Instructors and researchers of the School of Finance traditionally present their papers at various sessions of the April Conference. In 2015, however, a special session will take place during the Firms and Markets section where all papers will be presented by HSE researchers. A wide array of financial issues will be discussed during the session, including the results of research carried out by HSE’s Corporate Finance Centre for the international consulting company PricewaterhouseCoopers.
About the PhD Seminar
Headed by Irina Ivashkovskaya and Alexander Karminsky, the second international PhD Seminar will be held on April 10. This year’s seminar is devoted to financial markets and corporate financial policy. The PhD Seminar’s keynote speaker is Professor Elettra Agliardi of the University of Bologna. Professor Agliardi will present her viewpoint on the role of ambiguous solutions and uncertain results in corporate finance. This is an original work that largely sets the tone for prospective areas of research.
In addition, post-graduate students from HSE and a number of foreign universities will present papers at the seminar. ‘The purpose of the seminar is to nurture within our walls a culture of discussion for junior researchers,’ Professor Ivashkovskaya notes.
This is the second time the seminar has been held, and it should expand geographically and become an annual event. In the future, works presented at the seminar may appear in academic collections published by large publishing houses.
Registration requests for HSE's XVI April Conference are being accepted until March 25
See also:
25th Yasin (April) International Academic Conference Now Accepting Proposals
Reports on new research results will be presented and discussed as part of the conference’s sections. These reports will be selected based on reviews of proposals. As always, the conference programme features expert discussions of the most pressing economic, social, internal and external issues in the format of roundtables and associated events.
Academic Council: HSE University’s Contribution to Achieving National Goals and Development Priorities to Increase
HSE University’s Development Programme until 2030 will be improved in order to increase the university’s contribution to achieving national goals and implementing the priorities of the country’s scientific and technological development. This decision was made by the university’s Academic Council on April 26. The meeting also addressed the principles for the development of HSE University’s external communications, one of which is the creation of a high-quality information field around the university.
Keeping Up with the Neighbours: Envy as a Driver of Economic Growth
Classical economic theory assumes that economic agents are entirely self-interested and rational in their pursuit of material well-being, and that they are not affected by external factors. As a result, externalities are not considered in any way when constructing economic models. Nevertheless, some sociologists argue for a revision of modern economic theory to incorporate the ethical dimensions of economic agents' behaviour. Kirill Borissov, Professor of the Faculty of Economics at the European University in St Petersburg, spoke at the XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference and shared his observations from creating his own economic model incorporating the factor of envy.
Structural Transformation and Drivers of Sustainable Growth in Russian Economy Discussed at HSE University
The Russian economy has demonstrated high resilience to unprecedented external pressure and has managed to largely adapt to new conditions. As early as this year, it can go from recession to growth. The issue of where to find drivers and resources for this was discussed at a plenary session titled ‘Russian Economy under Sanctions: From Adaptation to Sustainable Growth’ at the XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference held at HSE University as part of the Decade of Science and Technology. Minister of Economic Development of the Russian Federation Maksim Reshetnikov took part in the discussion.
‘People Want to Receive Only Useful Content’
Experts say that interest in news has sharply increased among the Russian audience. At the same time, part of the audience deliberately avoids it. What kind of content is in demand and will people continue to watch TV? These and other issues were discussed at the plenary session ‘ Info-hygiene and Information Elitism: How to Consume Media Properly’ at the XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference.
'The Emerging Trends in Africa Will Shape the World Order, and We Need to Be Prepared for That'
Africa has the potential to become a new economic giant. Today, African countries are interested in comprehensive cooperation and strengthening their positions in the global arena, and they look forward to receiving assistance from Russia and China in developing their technology, economy, and social sphere. Effective engagement with Africa requires training a greater number of professional African studies specialists. The XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference at HSE University featured a plenary session on 'Africa in a Changing World'.
Learning a Foreign Language Can Delay the Onset of Dementia
Dementia, a debilitating form of cognitive impairment, can be preventable. According to Professor Jubin Abutalebi of the University Vita Salute San Raffaele, Italy, and the Arctic University of Tromsoe, Norway, the easiest way to prevent cognitive decline after the age of 60 is to learn and practice foreign languages – the more languages, the better, suggests Professor Abutalebi in his presentation 'Preventing dementia through bilingualism' at the XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference.
‘The BRICS Strategic Partnership Offers the World Creative, Unifying, Forward-Looking Initiatives’
Today, BRICS has become an influential factor in modern international relations and is perceived as one of the pillars of a more just world order. This association is not based on one party’s dominance, but instead, is built on a sound balance of interests. The role of the association was discussed by the participants of the plenary session ‘BRICS Development Strategy: Equal Opportunities in an Unequal World’at the XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference.
Sanctions Create New Opportunities for Russian Companies
Like any crisis, the sanctions of 2022, besides problems, have created new opportunities for Russian companies. This is the conclusion that HSE University’s experts have come to. Their study results are presented in the report ‘Adaptation of Russian Industrial Companies to Sanctions: First Steps and Expectations’, prepared by HSE University for the XXIV Yasin (April) International Academic Conference.
Search Query: How to Study Migration with Google Trends
Experts have calculated that the number of international students in Russia has grown six times over the last decade, and researchers say that many of those who are studying today would like to stay in the country. This, alongside issues such as why Google Trends are worth looking into, were covered at the HSE XXIV Yasin International Academic Conference on Economic and Social Development section on demography and labour markets.