On November 25 of this year, Aleksandr Shaghikyan, Partner and Head of Advisory Services at the audit, tax, and advisory company BDO Armenia and Chairperson of the Board of the Oxford Alumni Business Club of Armenia, delivered a lecture at the YSU Faculty of Economics and Management.
The speaker addressed students on the topic "From Strategy to Implementation: Striving for Excellence". He noted that without strategic thinking, it is impossible to implement effective economic policies, ensure the targeted allocation of public resources, or prevent risks and instability within governance systems.
Aleksandr Shaghikyan emphasized that the effectiveness of modern public administration is largely determined by the application of business thinking, flexible strategies, and data-driven decision-making. He stressed that the formulation of economic policy can no longer be limited solely to legal and administrative frameworks. Instead, it requires the integration of business-strategy logic into the development and implementation of public policy. This approach allows policymakers to clearly define state priorities, assess stakeholder needs, select the most effective instruments, and ensure measurable and evaluable policy outcomes.
During the lecture, the distinctive features of strategy development and implementation in the public sector were examined. The speaker outlined two significant strategic approaches: the first was the chessboard strategy, which is applicable in stable and predictable environments; the second was the mountaineering or situational strategy, which is essential in conditions of uncertainty, crises, and external shocks.
According to Shaghikyan, combining these approaches is particularly important within public regulation, where the impact of any decision extends beyond organizational boundaries and directly influences the country's economic development and societal well-being.
He also presented classical and contemporary approaches to strategic thinking, referencing the theories of M. Porter, P. Drucker, C. Christensen, McGrath, and other scholars. He demonstrated how the tools of business strategy can be effectively applied in the field of public administration.
The lecture was attended by of the faculty members. During the interactive session, numerous questions and observations were raised.
Karlen Khachatryan, Dean of the YSU Faculty of Economics and Management, noted that the faculty values collaboration with prominent international institutions, as it not only strengthens the faculty's academic and research capacity but also provides students and faculty members access to contemporary developments, international best practices, and effective tools—contributing to the continuous enhancement of the quality of education and learning outcomes.
