IPM BUSINESS SCHOOL PRME REPORT 2020 Table of Contents Letter of Renewed Commitment of the Principles for Responsible Management Education Communication of Progress on Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) at IPM Business School Reporting for Principle 1 | Purpose Reporting for Principle 2 | Values Reporting for Principle 3 | Method Reporting for Principle 4 | Research Reporting for Principle 5 | Partnership Reporting for Principle 6 | Dialogue Key Objectives for the next 24 months
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IPM BUSINESS SCHOOL
PRME REPORT 2020
Table of Contents
Letter of Renewed Commitment of the Principles for
Responsible Management Education
Communication of Progress on Principles for
Responsible Management Education (PRME) at
IPM Business School
Reporting for Principle 1 | Purpose
Reporting for Principle 2 | Values
Reporting for Principle 3 | Method
Reporting for Principle 4 | Research
Reporting for Principle 5 | Partnership
Reporting for Principle 6 | Dialogue
Key Objectives for the next 24 months
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Letter of Renewed Commitment of the Principles
for Responsible Management Education
Being a member of PRME, IPM Business School accepted
the Principles for Responsible Management Education
(PRME) in order to improve the educational system for
managers and to spread corporate social responsibility
around the territory of Belarus.
This is our fifth PRME Report 2020 and we are ready to state
once again that we fully subscribe to the six Principles of
Responsible Management Education. PRME truly align with
our mission and play a key role in our assuring that we offer
our students a business education that has a beneficial
impact on the world.
As an institution of higher education involved in the
development of current and future managers, we declare our
willingness to progress in the implementation of the six
principles of responsible management education.
We understand that our own organizational practices should
serve as an example of the values and attitudes we convey
to our students.
Sincerely,
Pavel Daneyko
General Director
IPM Group of Companies
Sharing Information on Progress (SIP) on Principles for Responsible Management
Education (PRME) at IPM Business School
As a Business School involved in the development of current and future managers, IPM
Business School declares its willingness to progress in the implementation of the following six
principles of responsible management education.
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Reporting for Principle 1 | Purpose
“We will develop the capabilities of students to be future generators of sustainable value
for business and society at large and to work for an inclusive and sustainable global
economy.”
IPM Research Center and BEROC Educational Activities
Traditional Student School in Economics has become a valuable source of new and
modern knowledge for young generation of Belarusians. It’s a well-recognized event and
a unique opportunity for students to master skills and absorb knowledge and experience
from local and foreign scholars. In addition KEF Regional School in Economics adds
significant value to BEROC’s educational activities and available for all students in the
regional cities thanks to collaboration with the IPM Business School. Seminars for policy
makers have also become a valuable channel for knowledge sharing and networking with
the government.
In 2018–2020 three editions of Student Regional Economic School were conducted, and
the series of lectures were prepared by the experts of the Action and BEROC. As a result,
68 students from five regions and more than ten universities went through the schooling
process. 52 of them (16 in 2018, 20 in 2019, 16 in 2020) presented projects and received
certificates of graduation.
KEF Student School (held in 2018, 2019, 2020) was a two-week evening school for
students of the Belarusian regional universities in econometrics, macro and
microeconomics as well as economy of Belarus. At the end of the course, students were
presenting projects aimed at supporting sustainable regional development. Hence, the
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school served also as a platform for informing youth in the regions about current
challenges faced by the economy, as well as receiving feedback from them on the barriers
hampering regional development.
In the Y2019 the 9th Student School in Economics (17 participants) and KEF Regional
School in Economics (21 participants) were held, as well as the series of Thematic
working meetings in regional centres, including:
Seminar “(Re)Assessment of the role of state-owned enterprises in Central,
Eastern and South Eastern Europe” at IBB center with 150 participants on June 20,
2019
The seminar laid the foundations of the discussion on one of the major topics of the future
KEF-2019 conference with presentations of the Report “(Re)Assessment of the role of
state-owned enterprises in Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe” prepared by the
IMF European Department in cooperation with the EBRD.
The event attracted 150 participants representing all stakeholder groups of the Action:
government, CSOs, academic and business community, IFIs, including representatives
of the leading think tanks and specialists from the state economic agencies (National
Meetings provided officials with the feedback from business on their current efforts and
new ideas for regional development. Ideas were summarized in the KEF Policy
Discussion Paper “Window of opportunity or last chance? A few ideas on what would help
unleash the potential of the Belarusian regions”, and presented directly to the Ministry of
Economy.
The educational activities of Beroc and IPM Research Centre in 2019 included:
VIII Annual Academic Conference in Economic and Finance (150 participants);
BEROC Postgraduate school (15 participants);
School of young analysts “The League of Analysts” (25 participants);
KEF-2019: The Invisible Hand of Leviathan (1000 participants);
Conference “Green and Resource Efficient Business: Challenges and Practices”,
February 28, 2019 (200 participants);
Conference "State Regulation of the Economy and Improving of Business
Efficiency" (80 participants);
Study course “Econometric tools for business cycle analysis” for the Development
Bank of Belarus;
12 seminars for policy makers (including workshops for the National Bank of
Belarus) (450 participants in total);
2 seminars for the private sector representatives (40 participants in total);
12 open lectures (300 participants in total)/
Thus, events held within this activity had focus on different target groups. Large seminars
were largely targeted at think tanks, mass media and business. Educational events had
focus on academia, specialists from the government, while working meetings in the
regions were designed to bring together local authorities, advocacy groups and business.
KEF Economic School helped to cover youth that was often underrepresented in other
events.
Open Lectures, Workshops and Trainings
The Open Dialogue project
Beroc implements The Open Dialogue project in partnership with Press Club Belarus
with the financial support of the Netherlands Fund for Regional Partnership MATRA and
Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency SIDA.
The project develops the informed dialogue on the ongoing situation in the economy
between the media, the policy makers and the experts. We chose four topics for the 2019-
2020 project: Demography and Migration, Regional Development, and Support of the
Development of the Private Business and Corporate Management.
The project started in December 2019 with the seminar on Demography and Migration.
Kateryna Bornukova, BEROC Academic Director, and Lev Lvovsky, BEROC Research
Fellow, presented the results of their research to the journalists of the top Belarusian
media.
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The seminar has resulted in the high media coverage (over 50 articles) which helped
jumpstart the society-wide conversation on the demographic problems in the country.
The project continues in 2020 with topics of regional development, SME development
and state sector enterprise restructuring.
On April 16, 2020 we organized an online workshop for journalists within the project Open
Dialogue on Economic Reforms "Measures to Support SMEs in the Pandemic
Circumstances". Twenty-one people took part in the event.
The meeting on the topic "Belarusian Business Before, During and After the Pandemic"
was held on May 6, 2020. The IPM Research Center was the partner of this event. In the
discussion, experts and journalists were talking about the perspectives of the Belarusian
economy and business. The total number of the participants was 38 people, including
media and thinktanks representatives.
The online meeting with experts and journalists on the topic ‘Challenges 2020. Results of
the Business Poll’ was held on October 8, 2020. Radzivon Marozau, BEROC Research
Associate, presented the results of the new wave of national poll of SME.
We arrange events of the Open Dialogue in two formats: seminars for journalists with
presentations by BEROC and other thinktanks experts; and round tables with journalists,
experts, and representatives of the Belarusian government. We hope it will inform the
public debate on these issues and help make policies more responsible and evidence-
based.
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Reporting for Principle 2 | Values
“We will incorporate into our academic activities and curricula the values of global social
responsibility as portrayed in international initiatives such as the United Nations Global
Compact.”
IPM Business School joined the 3rd and 4rt PRME Champions Meetings
in Johannesburg, South Africa and Melbourne, Australia
IPM Business School supported the PRME initiative in 2012 and adopted the Principles
for Responsible Educational Management to improve the education system for managers
and spread corporate social responsibility throughout Belarus.
In 2017 IPM Business School became a member of PRME Champions Group and still
remains the only educational institution in the Republic of Belarus with this honorary
status. The PRME Champions are a select group of experienced and engaged PRME
signatories that are committed to working collaboratively to develop and promote
activities and resources that address shared barriers to making responsible management
education a reality. The PRME Champions group is globally and proportionally
representative according to the makeup of the larger PRME community.
During the PRME Champions 2018-2019 cycle, IPM took part in the three face-to-face
gathering of the Champions Group. First one was held in Nantes, France hosted by
Audencia Business School in February, 2018 and was included to the latest SIP 2018
Report.
In the year 2019 the representative of IPM Business School Olga Belskaya took part in
two PRME Champions meetings: in Johannesburg, South Africa and Melbourne,
Australia. Let Olga share her stories and impressions.
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March 2019, Johannesburg, South Africa
The PRME Champions Meeting in South Africa was hosted by the Gordon Institute of
Business Science (GIBS) at the Illovo Campus in Johannesburg.
The topic of the meeting was Business Research in the Complex Context of the SDGs.
The main purpose of the meeting was to discuss the possibilities and problems of
integrating the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into the research practice of
business schools, as well as to share and develop knowledge, best practices and
leadership among Champion schools.
“A real revelation and a paradigm shift from this Champions Meeting was going beyond
the campus and the conference hall. The meeting participants were divided into four
working groups and sent to the fields to conduct research. These were a kind of case
studies with the possibility of further joint academic work. Since the research context was
driven by one of the seventeen UN Sustainable Development Goals, my mini-group
worked on SDG 4: Quality Education. We visited two high schools: Ivory Park Secondary
School, a public school in an underserved community, and Nova Pioneer, a private school
with an innovative teaching model serving a similar community.
During the excursion and conducting research interviews in a public school, I could not
hold back tears: I saw a library without books and a computer class without Wi-Fi - the
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school has no money for that. Classes are overcrowded, children are fighting for chairs -
not everyone has enough. But what can I say - the photos speak for themselves:
The Ivory Park Secondary School. A library without a single book
A Campus of the Ivory Park Secondary School
Next visit to the private school Nova Pioneer after the state one was equal to an
intergalactic flight. It is really hard to imagine that these two schools are in the same
Johannesburg city and serve similar communities.
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The researcher’s mini-group in the Nova Pioneer Private School
On the way back to our Oasis- GIBS campus, we reflected with a colleague on the poit:
is it really true that all men are born equal, since those children from the two schools
already had completely different lives, and even more different future.”- said Olga
Belskaya, IPM Business School Delegate.
October 2019, Melbourne, Australia
The PRME Australia Champions Meeting was hosted by La Trobe Business School and
Deakin University in Melbourne and focused on the Partnership to Implement the SDGs
and Responsible Management Education.
During four tight days PRME Champions shared their experiences, discussed and
contributed to the creation of the SDGs Integration Project in Business Schools (the
Blueprint), which will be the result of the PRME Champions Group's work over the two
intense years.
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PRME Champions Group at Worawa Aboriginal College
The work on the Blueprint began long before the meeting in Melbourne, says Olga
Belskaya. It would be a mistake to believe that being a PRME Champion is all about
participating in Champions meetings and having pleasant "parties" around the world. The
PRME Champion status implies active participation and a plenty and plenty of work in
between meetings. That is why there are 38 participating organizations in the Champions
Group, although there are much more applications for this honorary status. The status of
the Champion must be confirmed by active participation in the work of the group of
Champions, numerous reports / inputs, as well as certain financial resources.
For example, close to the meeting in Melbourne, it was necessary to submit three
extensive reports on the implementation of the SDGs and adherence to the principles of
responsible management education, with real examples, reflection and suggestions, in
three areas: educational process, research and partnership. Since the IPM Group of
Companies includes not only the IPM Business School, but also two research centers -
Beroc and IPM Research Center, we had to work hard on the reports. On the other hand,
personally I was very pleased to learn and subsequently share with the PRME Champions
that, for example, the director of the IPM Research Center, Alexander Chubrik, is a
member and the Economic Coordinator of the Sustainable Development Partnership
Group within the framework of managing the process of achieving the Sustainable
Development Goals in the Republic of Belarus.
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Deakin University. Daily routine of PRME Champions
The meeting in Melbourne was the final meeting of the PRME Champions in the 2018-
2019 cycle. Work on the Blueprint continued until March 2020. The Leadership Group,
coauthors from the PRME Champion Institutions, kept working with the PRME Secretariat
to establish the framework for the project and to manage the project as a whole, using
the experience and contributions of the Champion Institutions.
At the PRME Virtual Global Forum 2020, the “Blueprint for SDG Integration in Curriculum,
Research and Partnerships" was presented. As it was stated on social media pages of
PRME:
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“The “Blueprint for SDG Integration in
Curriculum, Research and Partnerships" was
launched thanks to the incredible work of the
3rd PRME Champions Cycle (2018-2019)”.
The project was published and presented as
a primary PRME resource for business
schools seeking guidance on integrating the
SDGs into curriculum, research, and
partnerships.
IPM Business was also present at the Global PRME Forum, though virtually. “I was so
glad to see the faces of my Champions-fellows – says Olga Belskaya- We have done a
great job and our partnership will continue”.
IPM Business School expresses its gratitude for the excellent organization and conduct
of all PRME Champions meetings and continues cooperation and partnerships, sharing
the PRME Champions mission: to transform management education and develop the
responsible decision-makers of tomorrow to advance sustainable development.
IPM Business School Response to the Global COVID-19 Pandemic
From all other European nations, with the exception of Sweden, the Republic of Belarus
was the only country not introducing strict measures to try to slow the spread of the virus
during its first wave in spring, 2020.
Official guidelines were few, so business and people relied on information from the
Internet and made their decisions to reduce the number of social contacts, the
consumption and got ready for hard times.
Thus, IPM Business School faced a controversial situation:
• The countries of our international partners closed the borders, so our faculty members
from abroad could not come to offline classes;
• Our Executive MBA students couldn’t travel from Minsk to Warsaw for the diploma
defense at Kozminski University;
• There were no official restrictions or lock-down mode for the educational institutions.
Otherwise, people were afraid to come in groups. IPM Business School cannot neglect
the pandemic risks and kept being socially responsible.
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Interactive Technologies Open the Borders. Defending Executive MBA Diplomas
via Video Conferencing: Done.
On March 13, 2020 Minsk IPM office hosted the defense of graduation projects of
students of two Executive MBA groups. Traditionally, the defense takes place in Warsaw
at Kozminski University, which has been temporarily closed since March 11 due to the
pandemic.
An Interractive Defence of Executive MBA Diplomas, Minsk – Warsaw, March, 2020
Good news that IPM Business School was ready for this challenge: an interactive
educational video system has connected international commissions in Warsaw and in
Minsk. It was a double challenge for our graduates, and they coped with it perfectly well.
Changes to IPM’s Day-to-Day Work
Though the pandemic presents a clear challenge, IPM Business School was in a better
position than many businesses, schools, and organizations to adapt to the need for a
completely virtual operation. Several years of building online capabilities via the CISCO
teleconferencing equipment provided by USAID in 2015 during the DRIVES Program’s
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very first grant cycle meant that IPM Business School was well-equipped to move all of
its engagement online. For the courses that are typically held in-person, IPM Business
School faculty moved quickly to adapt the course material.
Just a week into the height of the pandemic, all courses at IPM Business School had
been adapted for use via CISCO teleconference equipment, allowing students and
customers to connect to their courses online from home and preventing a disruption of
their learning. All of the programs at IPM Business School are integrated with advanced
online services that allow for interactive engagement between the teachers and students
during full-time classes.
Today, more than ever, it is important for leaders and managers to be able to quickly
rebuild, generate new strategic solutions, apply new tools, and exchange ideas. IPM
Business School faculty and staff used their knowledge, experience, and technical
capabilities to help their clients adapt to the new situation.
IPM introduced as well the GET SMARTED project as a series of relevant educational
programs developed on the principle of Blended Learning combined with the use of
ZOOM-sessions.
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GET SMARTED is not a “dialogue with the computer” or viewing webinars. It is interactive,
including group discussions with other participants, case studies and assignments under
the supervision of a teacher. The distance is physical, not social.
Free Webinar Series
Due to COVID-19, supporting entrepreneurs who are navigating the economic, social,
and political changes during this time is critical. To connect entrepreneurs in regional
cities and provide a platform to share challenges and innovations, the DRIVES program
organized a series of free webinars. These webinars are available across Belarus and
focus on the most urgent needs currently facing businesses including remote
management, online sales, and virtual presentations. The table below illustrates the
topics and speakers of the seven free webinars organized in Q4 and attended by 420
participants.
Date Topic Speakers Number of participants
July 1 How to get rid of the desire to control everything
Sergey Soloviev, IPM Business School
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July 8 Conflict Markers and Behavioral Strategies
Medea Akhvlediani, IPM Business School
80
July 15 Remote Employee Management
Vladislav Tolkach, IPM Business School
45
July 29 Client typology as a tool for increasing sales
Marina Kozhurova, IPM Business School
81
August 5 Mistakes and miscalculations in marketing analytics
Edward Churley, IPM Business School
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September 2
To whom, what, and how to sell online
Svetlana Borisevich, IPM Business School
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September 9
Zoom presentations: Real success with a virtual audience
Olga Belskaya, IPM Business School
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Research
The researchers of Beroc and IPM Research Center conducted a series of surveys of
Belarussian business and population on the costs shortening and the reaction to the
coronavirus pandemic.
On April 17 2020, a new site http://covideconomy.by/ was launched with up-to-date data
on the development of the socio-economic situation in Belarus during the pandemic
COVID19.
Our goal is to provide timely and reliable information to everyone who has to make
economic decisions in conditions of high uncertainty.
Executive MBA Presentations Moving ONLINE.
The series of Executive MBA presentations called “Executive Open Day” were
conducted in online format.
The latest Executive Open Day “VUCA: Challenges Require Change” took place on
December, 10 2020 and attracted a considerable audience, to which we are grateful for
their questions and activity.
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Reporting for Principle 3 | Method
“We will create educational frameworks, materials, processes and environments that
enable effective learning experiences for responsible leadership.”
Blended-Learning Methodologies Training for IPM Faculty Members
From September, 30 till October, 4 2019 18 faculty members of IPM Business School
received training on blended-learning methodologies to gain the tools and resources
necessary to transfer courses into the blended-learning format. The USAID DRIVES
Program invited Floria Volunskaya, Senior Advisor, In-Person and Online Learning
Program Design of AARP, Washington, DC to organize a week-long training of trainers
course in Minsk, Belarus.
As a result of training all of tutors finalized their presentations of developing course,
completed all presentations and were ready to showcase their work to Floria Volunskaya.
Tutors discussed successful strategies and how they used what they had learned during
this seminar in their classroom.
In addition to the tutors of IPM Business School, three partners of DRIVES Program were
invited: two people from the Society for Innovative Business Support (SIBS),
implementing the Creating Sustainable Infrastructure to Support Startups and Small
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Business Development in the Regions of Belarus, and one from Belbiz, implementing the
AID-Venture activity. Each of these partners have a niche in business training and SME
development and our partnership allow us to coordinate and complement activities in the
regions, benefit from expertise, and support each other.
2019-2020 «Best Start-Up Idea» Competition
A significant accomplishment of the DRIVES program was the successful completion of
the fourth annual Best Start-Up Idea Competition, an opportunity for entrepreneurs across
Belarus to pitch their business ideas, receive feedback and mentorship, develop business
plans, and compete for awards.
Despite COVID-19 and its implications, the DRIVES program decided not to postpone
the final event and award ceremony of the fourth annual Best Start-Up Idea Competition.
However, because the event could not be conducted in-person, it was delivered entirely
online for the first time and took place on June 19th. Nine entrepreneurs pitched business
and product ideas to a jury of experts consisting of previous competition winners, IPM
Business School faculty, local business owners and CEOs, the head of an investment
consulting company, and the Director of Financing for Small and Medium-Sized
Enterprises at the Development Bank of Belarus. Some of the ideas pitched at the
competition finale include a financial literacy center for children, youth, and adults in
Mogilev; a line of locally fermented Belarusian teas; and a children’s hairdresser franchise
in Grodno.
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The following nine projects competed in the competition finale:
Project Name Finalist Name Description
1. Ecological Laboratory
Nadezhda Aksenenko
A children's science studio or "Eco Laboratory" with a unique product—a "Laboratory in a Box"
2. Smartbook Valentine Hajduk The first and only specialized financial literacy center in Mogilev for children, youth, and adults
3. Wooma Victoria Yazvinskaya A brand of clothes for pregnant and nursing mothers
4. Online School for Moms
Anastasia Boyarsky A remote business advisory service available to mothers seeking to start a business, gain financial independence, or learn how to balance a family and career effectively
5. Holst.by Mikhail Rebenkov A production workshop and order service for stretched art canvases of any size and shape
6. Brand Development of the New Field Village
Lyubov Ermakova A single brand, “Tsikavostki i pachastunkiveski Novaya Pole,” comprising the skills, goods, and services available for community members in the village of Novoe Pole
7. Podstrigulki Maxim Kazbanov A children’s hairdressing franchise
8. Tea Gaspadina Natalya Andreyenko Local fermented tea production
9. ARTproducts
Tatyana Vasilenko, Oleg Shkulepo, and Pavel Bychkov
An online platform for placing, searching, and ordering designer products worldwide
The first place was awarded to Victoria Yazvinskaya for her Wooma brand of clothes for pregnant women and nursing mothers. In second place was the Eco Laboratory children's science studio, and in third was the Podstrigulki children's hairdresser franchise. This year's winners pitched projects related to motherhood and childhood. This is because in Belarus today these consumer segments are underserved by domestic business offerings. The winning projects are niche, in a less competitive environment, and offer customers new value.
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This gives them a chance to be successful not only in the competition but also in the market. For example, the WOOMA project, which won first place, offers clothes for pregnant women and nursing mothers, a narrow segment, especially when compared with women's clothing in general. All of the winning projects stand out and show promise of a profit.
Projects that took first, second, and third places this year led by a significant margin and the judges quickly reached consensus about who to select as the winners. Also, this year the judges took into account the quality of the presentations and the presenters’ progress throughout the several months of the competition as they developed their idea into a real business project and continuously adapted it based on feedback and training.
Partners of the competition finale include Streamline School of Foreign Languages, REVERA Law Office, Belinvestbank OJSC, and Aser Investment and Consulting Company.
Every year, the number and most importantly, the quality of applications submitted to the competition is growing and improving. Participants are increasingly working with experts to adapt and refine their business projects. It is important to note that projects from previous competitions continue to be successful. For example, the social entrepreneurship project from the 2017 competition, which produces “Boxes of Courage” for children's hospitals, continues to operate successfully. The boxes, which contain plaster toys that children can draw on, provide a creative outlet and pleasant distraction from their medical situation. So far, more than 7,000 plaster toys have been delivered to over 200 children's hospitals throughout Belarus.
Six years ago, when the DRIVES program decided to establish five Centers of Excellence for Entrepreneurship (CEEs) in regional cities, the team recognized that entrepreneurs in these areas did not have sufficient access to high-quality and professional business education and consulting services. As such, upon opening the CEEs, the percentage of students attending courses and participating in activities from outside Minsk grew rapidly. Based on the high demand and need for business education opportunities, the DRIVES program launched the Best Start-Up Idea Competition to attract regional entrepreneurs and provide them with expert advice and coaching. The success of this year’s competition, in terms of the number of applications, quality of projects and presentations, and interest by mentors and partners, demonstrates that the efforts made by the DRIVES program over the past several years have proven their worth. The Best Start-Up Competition continues to significantly contribute to entrepreneurship development in the regions of Belarus.
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Reporting for Principle 4 | Research
“We will engage in conceptual and empirical research that advances our understanding
about the role, dynamics, and impact of corporations in the creation of sustainable
social, environmental and economic value.”
Green/Circular Economy Project in Belarus
In 2018 BEROC started the green economy project which was transformed to the project in a circular economy. Having finished analysis of current state of affairs in the country, the team came to a conclusion that circular economy would be more relevant to Belarusian development stage. There is a need to support the state and the private sector actors in adoption of modern approaches in improving resource allocation efficiency and waste management solutions. The concept of a circular economy is the practical basis for the implementation of a green economy and offers effective business models for a more environmentally friendly resource use, contributing to the achievement of the goals of sustainable development of society.
In 2019, BEROC developed the questionnaire of the Belarusian enterprise survey regarding the barriers to the development of the Green and Circular economy and on how they manage their waste and use secondary materials. The survey was conducted by the Research Institute of the Ministry of Economy. The answers were received from 330 industrial enterprises, 185 construction companies and 136 trade organizations.
BEROC developed the survey of Belarusian business and conducted interviews using the repertory grid technique.
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Besides, BEROC’s experts developed two business plans and two feasibility studies to identify promising areas in the Green/circular economy and to identify local problems and assess business opportunities within the Green Economy:
1. Business plan of the environmental initiative «Creating a system for collecting waste of electronic and electrical equipment in the territory of the Soligorsk district of the Minsk region» was developed. The project was funded by the European Union and implemented by the UNDP in Belarus in partnership with the Ministry of natural resources and the environmental protection of the Republic of Belarus. At the request of the participating organizations, a business plan was developed to justify investment in the BEROС environmental initiative. During its preparation, the capacity of the market for electronic and electrical equipment waste generated in the Soligorsk district was calculated, and a preliminary analysis of the most convenient places for placing waste collection containers was carried out. The business plan showed that the project was effective. The initiative was financed by UNDP.
2. Business plan for the environmental initiative «Compacted waste – clean air» has been developed, which is implemented on the territory of the Lida district. The project is funded by the European Union and implemented by the UNDP in Belarus. The project involves the purchase of new equipment for the landfill. The acquisition of new equipment allows the landfill to function without interruptions caused by the repair of old equipment, improve waste disposal thus extending the life period of the landfill. At the request of organizations participating in the BEROC environmental initiative, a business plan was developed. The business plan confirmed the effectiveness of the environmental initiative and the UNDP decided to allocate funds for the implementation of the environmental initiative.
3. Feasibility study «Production of fertilizers based on poultry manure in Belarus: opportunities for investment» has been prepared. To identify promising niches for investment in the Green Economy, the analysis of the market for fertilizers that can be produced from poultry manure was conducted. The purpose of the review was to assess the feasibility of investing in a new company that could start producing organic fertilizers based on poultry manure. The analysis of Belarus, Russia, and a number of EU countries showed that currently there are no prerequisites for the appearance of a new company in Belarus that would produce organic fertilizers from poultry manure and farm animals. The majority of fertilizer consumers in Belarus are insolvent; the EU market demand is satisfied by local producers.
4. Feasibility study «Tires recycling in Belarus: current state and opportunities for development». Overview of the market of worn tires was conducted to identify promising niches for investment in the «green» business projects. The purpose of the study was to evaluate opportunities for investment in a new company that processes used tires. If there were favorable conditions, further work would be carried out to find an investor, select technological equipment, and find markets for products obtained from tire processing. The market review showed that Belarus has excess capacity in the field of processing the tire waste, and the creation of a new recycling company is not effective.
Researchers under the supervision of the academic mentor published 6 policy papers and 1 article in local journal:
1. Pyotr Sachek, Yauheniya Shershunovich, Irina Tochitskaya. “Decision-Making in Waste Management at Belarusian enterprises: Survey Results”.
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BEROC conducted analysis on waste management and factors affecting the possibility of using waste for manufacturing new products. A relation between the size of an enterprise and the amount of waste was examined.
2. Yauheniya Shershunovich, Irina Tochitskaya. “State vs. Private Companies: Differences in Waste Management”.
BEROC experts examined whether the effectiveness of waste management depends on the form of enterprise ownership.
3. Nadzeya Batava, Yauheniya Shershunovich, Irina Tochitskaya. “Barriers to the Circular Economy: Evidence From Belarus”.
4. Yauheniya Shershunovich, Irina Tochitskaya. ”Waste Management in Industrial Enterprises of Belarus: When the Amount Matters”.
These papers revealed that in general enterprises positively evaluate the existing legislation in Belarus that regulates issues concerning waste management, but identified a number of other significant barriers: lack of recycling technologies, the economic inexpediency, mainly caused by the expectation of high initial investment costs for the implementation of innovative business models. The analysis has revealed that when industrial enterprises use secondary raw materials more actively in their own production. Lack of recycling technologies and economic infeasibility are perceived as the key constraints to waste reuse. The papers provide an analysis of the survey on waste management and the use of secondary raw materials by Belarusian industrial enterprises.
5. Nadzeya Batava, Petr Sachek, Yauheniya Shershunovich, Irina Tochitskaya. “Circular Economy in Belarusian Agriculture”.
Another study presents the results of the survey of agricultural producers on waste management and factors affecting the reuse of their waste.
6. Nadezhda Batova, Pyotr Sachek, Irina Tochitskaya. “Circular Economy: Ways to Finance a Business?”
These papers present the findings of the study on public and private funding opportunities for circular projects. The financial products and instruments such as crowdfunding, grants, venture capital, government support, bank loans, and etc., which are tailored to the specific needs of circular projects were examined depending on the stage of the company's life cycle.
Gender Issues In Economics
Gender issues is a cross-cutting topic in all research BEROC produces. The gender dimension is added to most of the papers on socio-economic issues, and, where possible, on papers in other topics as well. Gender dimension was highlighted in the study of attitudes towards the social assistance system. BEROC also produces papers specifically focused on gender issues.
Akulava and Mazol continued their work on data from the Generations and Gender Survey, this time looking at intergenerational mobility with the special focus on gender. examines the issue of intergenerational mobility in Belarus and looks at to what extent the level of parental education impacts on the income of individuals. The results reflect
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high and significant level of social mobility in the country for all age cohorts. In general, there is a significant growth in the educational level of the younger generation in relation to their parents.
Akulava and Mazol also wrote a FREE policy brief about the gender wage gap in the state-owned and private sector in Belarus based on their previous research results. According to the results, the unconditional gender wage differential equals 22.6%. The size of the wage gap is higher in the state sector than in the private sector. Additionally, it increases in the state sector throughout the wage distribution and accelerates at the top percentiles, indicating the presence of a strong glass ceiling effect.
Akulava continued her research line on female entrepreneurs with the study on leadership styles. It explored the link between the applied effectuation principles, gender of the leader and SMEs financial and innovative functioning in Belarus. Consistent with existing literature, the results show that combined usage of causal and effectual logics can be both beneficial and harmful. The findings also clearly indicate women being more prone to the hybrid decision-making strategy than men.
The research papers mentioned above do not cover all the papers produced by BEROC researchers in 2019. Other topics covered include Belarusian macroeconomic situation in 2019, recent developments in foreign direct investment, fintech, and fiscal incidence. The complete list of BEROC working and policy papers is in Table A.
In 2019 BEROC produced a total of 8 working papers and 11 policy papers. Six papers from BEROC working paper series were submitted to the international peer-reviewed journals. Four papers were published in the international peer-reviewed journals or books. BEROC working papers are cited by the researchers from other Belarusian think tanks and research organizations, international organizations, as well as by the researchers abroad, disseminating knowledge about the Belarusian economy.
BEROC research and analytics has multidimensional impact on the economic development in Belarus, both direct and indirect. Research outputs provide the policy makers with research-based evidence and policy recommendations. We reach policymakers by either presenting to them directly (as is often the case with the National Bank and the Ministry of Economy), in open forums (e.g. KEF, Annual Conference in Economics and Finance, Conference on the Green Economy etc.), by publishing findings in the media or disseminating them as policy papers directly to the relevant policymakers. Our partners – the World Bank, EBRD, IFC, UNICEF, UNDP, IPM Research Center – both use the results of our research in their work and advocacy, as well as help us with dissemination. BEROC consolidates its position as knowledge-provider to various state institutions. The policy-relevant research stimulates dialog in the society and benefitted to different actors – academics, policy-makers, business and individuals.
With the support of Academic adviser and the international academic community BEROC research also feeds into conference presentations abroad and publications in the international peer-reviewed journals. Efforts of Academic Director resulted in creation of a solid ground for BEROC in the international academic community, making it a bridge between Belarus and the academic world abroad. BEROC experts are often invited to the academic and policy conferences abroad.
Results of BEROC research and analytical work are disseminated and frequently circulated in the local and international professional environment. This provides a strong
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influence on raising awareness on specific elements of the state social and economic policies. This is especially the case for policy oriented research and analytics, as well as BEROC’s involvement in cross-sectoral projects (e.g. the SME and private sector development, women participation in business, circular economy and waste management etc.) or in providing advisory services for government (e.g. requests to comment on draft laws, documents on social and economic development, etc.). In combination with workshops for policymakers, participation and presentation in local seminars and conferences, media interviews and quotes this work is a necessary component of research-based advice and support of the government’s reform agenda. More information on these activities and their impact are in the Outreach and Education section of the report.
Finally, in 2019 at least 130 opinion articles and interviews involving BEROC team were published in the local and international media. More than 300 quotes of BEROC experts were published in the media. These numbers confirm high demand for BEROC’s research and expertise in the Belarusian society.
Being part of the FREE Network, BEROC team has also produced five FREE policy briefs in 2019: on monetary policy dilemmas in Belarus, on the gender wage gap in the state and private sector, on the influence of institutions on trade, on the Belarusian poverty dynamics, and on the development of the Belarusian higher education.
Table A. Working and Policy Papers
Working papers Working Papers Authors
1 Political Responsobility for Different Crises Lev Lvovskiy and Kirill Shakhnov
2 Fntech project finalization (preliminary version has been sent to the National Bank) Anastasiya Luzgina, Oleg Mazol (and others)
3 Fintech project finalization (revised version has been sent to the National Bank) Anastasiya Luzgina, Oleg Mazol (and others)
4 Formation and institutional development of the National Bank. Part 1. Development of a preliminary version of the information base (repository) of documents, statistical and other materials on the creation of the National Library of Belarus, the transformation of its objectives, tasks, functions, instruments, and the banking sector of the Republic of Belarus. (1 part of the research project has been sent to the National Bank)
Anastasiya Luzgina (and others)
5 The Value of Corporate Political Connections: Evidence from Sudden Deaths Lev Lvovskiy, Viktar Fedoseyeu
6 The Impact of the Russian crisis on the Belarusian economy: the trade channel Kateryna Bornukova, Igor Livshits
7 What forms gender wage gap in Belarus? Maryia Akulava, Aleh Mazol
8 Revisiting Growth Patterns and the Factors of Growth in Emerging Markets Dzmitry Kruk
Policy Papers Policy Papers Authors
1 Education of children and parents: intergenerational mobility and impact on income Maryia Akulava, Aleh Mazol
2 Development of P2P lending market: peculiarities of functioning and international experience of development