Alba Graduate Business School, American College of Greece
“From the perspective of an Alba MBA alumnus, I nominate Professor Batsakis because his Entrepreneurship course was one of the most influential courses of my academic and professional career. The course gave me unique perspectives on the business world, showing me how it works, what laws govern it and, most importantly, giving me the opportunity to influence and improve it. Professor Batsakis designed the entrepreneurship course with the idea that students will have to come up with a product or service idea and pitch it to real venture capitalists. To this end, the goal of each student team is to create and present their entrepreneurial ideas/businesses to a board comprised of real venture capitalists and school faculty members, so that the plans business can be judged and graded from a commercial and academic perspective. » – Dimitris Bertos
Georgios Batsakis, 38, is Associate Professor of International Business at the Alba Graduate Business School of the American College of Greece.
He previously held academic positions at Brunel University London and the University of Kent. His research focuses on internationalization processes and foreign market entry strategies of multinational companies.
He has published in leading academic journals such as Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of World Business, Journal of Product Innovation Management and British Journal of Management, among others. He has served as chair of several leading academic conferences and is an active ad hoc reviewer for a number of leading academic journals in the field of international business and general management.
He has established strong ties with the industry, where he regularly advises pre-seed stage startups on issues related to business model formulation, proof of concept and demand validation. He is frequently invited as a speaker at executive practitioner seminars and as a mentor and judge in major national and international startup competitions.
BACKGROUND
In the current establishment for what year? 2017
Education: Ph.D. (Brunel University London); MSc (Erasmus University Rotterdam)
List of MBA courses you currently teach: Entrepreneurship
TELL US ABOUT LIFE AS A BUSINESS SCHOOL PROFESSOR
I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when I started studying for my master’s degree at Erasmus University Rotterdam. Having the opportunity to study alongside accomplished academics and participate in interesting research projects was the main reason I started thinking about studying for a PhD. and become a professor in a business school.
What is your current research and what is the most significant discovery you have made from it? My research focuses on the internationalization strategies of multinational companies, that is, how companies decide to enter foreign markets and how their decision affects their performance. One thing I am currently studying is the impact of digitalization/digital strategy on how traditional companies (i.e. so-called brick-and-mortar companies) adapt their internationalization strategy and how this affects their performance. A consistent finding from my research project is that digitalization pays off and allows businesses to become more competitive and alleviate problems resulting from over-reliance on physical resources.
If I weren’t a business school professor I would probably be a hospitality and tourism professional. I was born and raised in Greece and getting more professionally involved in the tourism sector has always been on my mind.
What do you think sets you apart as a teacher? Looking back at my teaching evaluations over all these years, I think what sets me apart as a teacher is my relentless dedication to students and the fact that I am always available to provide advice and feedback. I would not describe myself as a gifted teacher but as a passionate scholar, always willing to go the extra mile for my students.
One word that describes my first time as a teacher: Enthusiasm
Here’s what I wish someone had told me about being a business school professor: Being a professor at a business school is as competitive, challenging and demanding as working in finance, banking or consulting. People who do not work in academia are likely unaware of the long hours we (academics) devote to teaching, research, and service. If you don’t believe me, ask my wife!
Teacher I admire most and why: Alex Mohr (WU Vienna), Roy Thurik (Erasmus University) and Ron Smith (Birkbeck) for the great impact they had on me. They are all hardworking, dedicated and accomplished scholars. I learned different things from each of them, so their influence proved complementary in making me a better person as well as a competent scholar. Roy Thurik is a legend and one of the pioneers in the field of entrepreneurship. He inspired me when I had the opportunity to attend his classes at Erasmus University. Ron Smith, an academic expert in applied econometrics, helped me see the true value and fun side of econometrics. What an energetic and friendly person! Alex Mohr has been a true mentor, a generous colleague and friend, and the best boss anyone could ask for!
TEACHING MBA STUDENTS
What do you enjoy most about teaching business students? Of course, this must be reciprocal learning. Working with experienced professionals and executives gives us (academics) the privilege of sharing our knowledge with what we can call change agents. At the same time, we have the opportunity to learn new trends and changing industry dynamics directly from the source.
What is the most difficult? Diversity of student backgrounds. It is mainly the fact that at MBA level I have to engage and work with different functional, educational and professional backgrounds, which adds to the complexity of the learning process. That said, aside from being a challenge, it’s also very rewarding because you learn how different people think and act.
In one word, describe your favorite type of student: Motivated
In one word, describe the type of student you like least: Free rider
When it comes to grading, I think students would describe me as… fair and constructive (at least that’s what I think!)
LIFE OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
What are your hobbies? I am addicted to sports. I love watching and playing tennis. I am also a movie junkie and particularly enjoy watching classic Hollywood films and modern European films. Above all, I am a Liverpool FC fan!
How are you going to spend your summer? I will spend my summer with my family. Being a father of two means this time of year is all about them and my wife.
Favorite vacation spot(s): The Aegean Sea in Greece is a paradise on earth with endless options and several hidden gems. My favorite place however is the island of Skyros because I am emotionally attached to this place.
Favorite books): I would go with a favorite author and that is Paulo Coelho. His novels had a great impact on me. There is always an important message for the reader about the meaning of life and how to become a better person. The Devil and Miss Prym is one of my favorite books.
What is your current favorite movie and/or show and what do you like so much about the movie or show? My favorite the movie is Casablanca. I can’t think of any other movie that keeps me so focused. I love everything about this movie. I particularly like the TV series “Better Call Saul”. While watching “Breaking Bad,” I paid tribute to the genius of Bryan Cranston in his role as Walter White. However, Bob Odenkirk was truly a genius in his role as Saul Goodman. This is by far my favorite TV series and character.
What is your favorite type of music or artist(s) and why? I like listening to different genres and schools of jazz and soul music. I also enjoy listening to disco and rock classics from the 70s and 80s as well as house music from the 90s and 2000s. What most people and students don’t know about me is that I have been a DJ since at the age of 16 (it was actually my first job!). Daft Punk, Nile Rodgers and Michael Jackson are some of my favorite artists.
THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS
If I had the means, the business school of the future would be have a lot more action-based learning, experiential and experiential learning. It would be a school where students would be able to apply their knowledge directly to the market and where businesses/organizations would be key allies and stakeholders in their learning process. Fortunately, I can say that many of them are important ingredients in the learning process of the entrepreneurship course I teach.
In my opinion, businesses and organizations today need to do a better job of be more outgoing, caring and empathetic towards stakeholders.
I am grateful for doing work that I truly love and that has an impact (hopefully positive) on many people and organizations. I am also grateful to be able to achieve the goals I set for myself. Every year I set a new goal for myself and that’s what keeps me motivated and energetic.
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