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VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian was invited to the American University of Armenia as a guest speaker to lecture on the contemporary issues of Corporate Social Responsibility for the students of the American University of Armenia (AUA) College of Business and Economics. Ralph Yirikian has delivered numerous lectures at different educational institutions and forums in Armenia and abroad, as part of his voluntary commitment to share his experience and knowledge with future managers and entrepreneurs, in order to enable them find the formula of success in business and effectively manage modern-day business structures, to give them innovative practical knowledge for them to be able to make the country competitive on international markets.

Prior to touching upon the concept of corporate responsibility and its application in the Armenian context, Ralph Yirikian introduced to MBA students the stakeholder approach employed by VivaCell-MTS as a socially responsible company. Based on the experience of VivaCell-MTS, he encouraged future managers and executives to keep integrated the principles of CSR into the core of their business strategies, to always take into consideration interests of stakeholders during day to day operation and in managerial decision-making processes.

VivaCell-MTS General Manager presented the importance and the principles of responsible management. He introduced the difference between traditional management and responsible management, as well as the importance of stakeholder engagement and its analysis

“A corporate executive striving for excellent performance can’t underestimate the importance of thinking strategically about key stakeholders’ concerns, mapping out their values and power bases. Corporate executives should be able to make right decisions to support and strengthen the alignment of organizational strategies with the most influential stakeholders. Commercial organizations don’t live isolated. They are bound by moral obligations to their stakeholders, including consumers, customers, regulators, suppliers, shareholders, the natural environment and communities,” Ralph Yirikian commented.

Ralph Yirikian provided the students with special frameworks helping decision-makers to address a diverse set of stakeholders with different goals, interests and values. VivaCell-MTS General Manager Ralph Yirikian is sure that in developing and implementing sound long-term strategy, companies should seek feedback from stakeholders toward the goal of mutual understanding.

In less than 10 years, VivaCell-MTS has become popular not only as the leader in telecommunications, with the largest market share, but also in innovations. The Company was not only the first and only telecommunications operator to offer 4G services, but also the first to introduce and promote the concept of CSR as an essential part of corporate behavior. At the same time VivaCell-MTS has implemented numerous of social investment projects in a broad range of spheres, contributing to the sustainability of these spheres and the country’s economic development. The Company makes considerable investments into the implementation of innovative projects in the spheres of healthcare, culture, science, children, environmental protection, education, and rural infrastructure.