Created in October 2023, the SEIM’s aim is to foster knowledge about the Eurasian socio-economic area that is relevant to:
- Science
- Swiss companies and governments
- Students in the ‘Business in Eurasia’ Master’s programme
Its main research focus relates to :
- Internationalisation of companies (with a focus on Swiss enterprises) in Eurasian markets
- Liberalization and globalisation of Eurasian economies and markets
To this end, the SEIM develops and maintains relations with universities in the Eurasian region, particularly in Azerbaijan, China, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, and South Korea.
It also aims to promote the academic mobility of lecturers, researchers, and students, to develop joint research projects and to (co-)organise summer academies in Switzerland and in Eurasian countries.
Main analytical perspectives
Within our research focus, we are particularly interested in investigating firm’s internationalisation and globalizing Eurasian economies looking into:
- Country context: geopolitical, political, administrative, economic, educational factors, etc., that frame a given economy and host market
- Internal processes: organizational and managerial capacities that enable change and development, relating to intercultural management, knowledge sharing and transfer, partnerships, etc.
Transversal topics
Relating to the impact on the companies’ actual internationalisation strategies and the country’s globalisation process the following transversal topics are addressed alongside others.
Sustainability
Country perspective: e.g. to what extent does a given host country promote sustainable development, in terms of energy sources, balanced and multipolar geopolitical relationships, social equity, higher education programmes, etc.
The impact of firms’ activities in host countries: e.g. to what extent organizational practices and collaborations with local companies and other partner organizations promote sustainability; what initiatives are developed to contribute to sustainable development; what are the conditions that facilitate or hinder development of initiatives, etc.
Digitalization
Country context: e.g. to what extent are public administrations of a host country digitalized; how does digitalization change the business models of firms and impact on the value creation and capture
The state of systems and processes, and their consequences in the internationalization process: e.g. what is the degree of digital maturity of a foreign company; to what extent does digital maturity facilitate or hinder development and dissemination of initiatives, etc.
Master of Science in Business Administration (MSc BA), Major in Business in Eurasia
The members of the SEIM are all heavily involved in the organisation and teaching of the Master of Science in Business Administration (MSc BA), Major in « Business in Eurasia ». This specialisation equips students with the specific knowledge and skills needed to export, set up and develop Swiss companies in Eurasia.
Projects and mandates
Research funded by Haute école Arc :
The role of Asia in the globalization of the Swiss banking industry: an exploratory research in Japan (Prof. Thierry Theurillat) (2024-2025)
Foreignness of Swiss Companies in South Korea (Prof. Güldem Karamustafa) (2025)
Internationalization of Swiss SMEs in India: what is the impact of the digitalization of public administrations in the host market? (Prof. Lukas Baschung) (2025-2026)
Research funded by HES-SO Business, Management, and Services:
Swiss firms in China: issues and strategic recoupling in the Xi Jinping era (Prof. Thierry Theurillat), in partnership with the Sino-Swiss Chamber of Commerce and Swiss Centers China (2025-2026)
Managing Foreignness: The Identity Work of Swiss Companies in South Korea (Prof. Güldem Karamustafa) (2025-2027)
Projet funded by Movetia:
ConnectEurasia: designing collaborative online learning for sustainability (2023-2025), in collaboration with higher education institutions from China, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, and Switzerland.
Research project financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) (100017_192829) : The changing role of real estate in Swiss urban development: evidence and theoretical reframing (07.2021-06.2025).
Research project financed by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) (10001A_189196(06.2020-06.2024): Uses of cultural heritage at the Beijing Winter Olympic Games of 2022, with Dr. Florence Graezer-Bideau, College of Humanities, EPFL.
Companies and governments that wish to award mandates to SEIM, please contact lukas.baschung@he-arc.ch
Events
The SEIM offers a series of “Doing Business in ”…” events, each focusing on one of the Eurasian countries. The next event will be dedicated to South Korea and will take place in autumn 2024.
In October 2023, a public conference organised in partnership with the French-speaking section of the Switzerland-China association, and presented by Thierry Theurillat, focused on “The role of land and property in the growth of Chinese cities”.
Research team
Agenda
No events are planned in the near future.