MBA Wraps up Fall 2022 Guest Speaker Series

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YEREVAN, Armenia — The American University of Armenia (AUA) Master of Business Administration (MBA) program wrapped up its fall guest speaker series hosting the HR business partner of ServiceTitan in Armenia Anna Barseghyan. The session was organized within the Human Resources Management course led by Manoogian Simone College of Business and Economics (CBE) Program Chair and Associate Professor Dr. Mane Beglaryan. The session was open to all students interested in human resources management, strategy development, and the MBA program.

Dr. Beglaryan started the session by discussing the importance of strategic human resource management practices in the current pace of business development, particularly in IT startups, which are aimed at drastically changing and challenging the traditional working environment in Armenia not only in particular industries but also in the employment market of the country as a whole. 

Barsegyan continued the session by introducing the role of the HR business partner in ServiceTitan, the main strategies that are prioritized and implemented in the company, its overall structure, working environment, benefits, and strategic tools implemented for staff management. She went on to highlight the role of the Armenia country HR team and its close collaboration with the HQ HR colleagues to address issues related to global HRM, particularly in situations where cross-cultural and labor relations significantly differed. The company’s services are provided in the United States with offices in Yerevan, Glendale and Atlanta, where global human resource management tools are at the forefront. The speaker provided interesting insights into how HR matters were addressed on a case-by-case basis, which also were elaborated in the ServiceTitan global employee guidance blueprint. Drawing on her previous experience, she compared HR approaches used in her current position to her actions as HR business partner in Grant Thornton Armenia, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling company, etc. to further emphasize the importance of being employee-centric and utilizing workforce talent as the core asset and competitive advantage of a company. 

ServiceTitan is the first Armenian-founded tech unicorn, which provides the world’s leading and fastest-growing software technology platform for trades. It was founded by CEO Ara Mahdessian and President Vahe Kuzoyan, both of Armenian descent, partnering to resolve their simple but challenging goal: to streamline their fathers’ home service business. Now, their company transforms the entire home service industry and helps small business entrepreneurs run and grow their companies, streamline operations, improve customer service, and increase sales. The company currently has over 12,000 customers and more than 3,500 employees in Glendale, Atlanta, and Yerevan.

Founded in 1991, the American University of Armenia (AUA) is a private, independent university located in Yerevan, Armenia, affiliated with the University of California, and accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission in the United States. AUA provides local and international students with Western-style education through top-quality undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs that promote research and innovation, encourage civic engagement and community service and foster democratic values.