Vladimir Kvint

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Dr. Vladimir Kvint (born 1949) is an economist, the President of the International Academy of Emerging Markets, and a Professor (since 2005) at La Salle University's School of Business (Pennsylvania, USA). In parallel, since 2007, he has been the Chair of the Department of Financial Strategy at the Moscow School of Economices of the M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. He is a Foreign Member (ad vitum) of the Russian Academy of Sciences. He was a full professor of International Business at the Kogod School of Business at American University in Washington D.C. (2004-2007). In addition to his professorship, he is currently and has been a consultant to governments of several countries. Dr. Kvint’s work has appeared in such well-known publications as the New York Times and The Harvard Business Review, among others. He is a regular contributor to Forbes magazine in which he published [1] his most profound forecast in February 1990, predicting the fall of the Soviet Union. In addition, he is a member of the Editorial Boards of several professional publications.

1 Early life
2 Early Career in Industry
- 2.1 Norilisk Mining - Metallurgical- MMC Norilsk Nickel
- 2.2 Sib Tsvemet Automatica
3 Later Career in Education and Lecturing
4 Awards
5 Topics of Research and Forecasts
6 Published Works
- 6.1 References

[edit] Early life

Dr. Kvint was born the son of two professional engineers in the very heart of Siberia in what was the capital of Stalin’s infamous labor camp, Gulag. He then moved to Norilsk, the most northern city in the world, located 1,000 miles above the Arctic Circle.[2] He began his 14-year career in the [Ferrous and non-ferrous metals|non-ferrous metals] industry at the age of 14 as a construction and metal worker. Most of Dr. Kvint’s education was completed in parallel with his professional and athletic activity. By the age of 28 Dr. Kvint had established himself as the Chief Economist and Vice Chairman of a major Russian high-tech company in addition to successfully earning his Ph.D. in Economics, and being well educated in the fields of Mining-Electrical Engineering and Law.

[edit] Early Career in Industry

[edit] Norilisk Mining - Metallurgical- MMC Norilsk Nickel

Despite an invitation to work as an associate professor in Moscow, Dr. Kvint returned north to Norilsk, the most Northern city in the world, located above the Arctic Circle. Between 1975 and 1976, he continued his work in the metallurgical industry. He founded and was Chief of the Department of Organization Management at the Norilsk Mining –Metallurgical Concern, later renamed MMC Norilsk Nickel, which was the largest Russian enterprise (150,000 employees) and still the largest producer worldwide of nickel, cobalt, platinum, palladium and osmium. Under his leadership, the company’s first General Organizational Structure, focusing on the improvement of final products was developed. The theoretical results of his work were published in Moscow in 1976, "The Acceleration of the Industrial-Technical Development". This book received the U.S.S.R. Annual Award “Best Popular Scholarly Book of the Year”.[The Global Emerging Market in Transition, 2006, p. 649]

[edit] Sib Tsvemet Automatica

In 1976, Dr. Kvint was promoted to the position of Deputy Director General and Deputy Chairman of “Sib Tsvemet Automatica,” a scientific-technological company, which automated the nonferrous metals industry throughout the former U.S.S.R.[Gallus, Jacqueline, The Global Emerging Market in Transition, About the Author, p. 692] He was responsible for economic policy, business planning, the organization of compensation systems, and accounting departments in this company of 5,000 employees. Under Dr. Kvint’s economic strategy, this company became one of the first self-sufficient firms in the U.S.S.R. despite the Soviet command planning system. In addition, he was Chief of the Forecasting Economics Laboratory of the Nonferrous Metals and Gold Industry, and prepared strategies and forecasts for the nonferrous and precious metals and diamond industries.

[edit] Later Career in Education and Lecturing

[edit] Arctic Seaway Economic Expedition

In 1978, he was invited to join the Academy of Sciences of the Soviet Union, and was elected as the Chief of the Department of Regional Problems of Scientific-Technological Progress at the Institute of Economy and Industrial Organization of the Siberian Branch of the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences. The Siberian School of Economics was at that time under the leadership of the world renowned economists Abel Aganbegyan and Leonid Kantorovich.[3]

In the Academy, Dr. Kvint found a lack of accurate empirical statistics and economic information. As a result, many economic studies based on this inaccurate information had no practical use. With Dr. Kvint’s business experience, he immediately recognized this serious problem and developed the methods of studying economic situations, natural resources, and strategic business opportunities through the organization of Complex Economic Expeditions.

In 1979 the Chairman of the Siberian branch of the Academy appointed him to head these expeditions. Several of these major expeditions were unprecedented. For example, in 1980 the academicians ventured across the entire eight seas of the Arctic Seaway by ship, helicopter and SUV. Another economic expedition traveled through three seas along the entire Pacific Coast of Russia to evaluate the area’s natural resources and productive forces.[Capitalizing on the New Russia, Arcade Publishing: New York, 1993 p. 29-33]

[edit] Research at the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow)

In 1982, Dr. Kvint was elected as a Senior Researcher and then as the Head of Department and later a Leading Scholar at the Institute of Economics of the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences (Moscow). During these seven years he discovered and developed the concept of two new global trends: Regionalization and Technologization. He defined the category of regional scientific-technological policy and the role of this policy in the reduction of poverty and ecological protection. In the late 1980’s he came up with the theory of regional and global emerging markets.

In 1986, he wrote the report on the organization of strategic development of scientific-technological process which he brought to the attention of the U.S.S.R. Council of Ministers, explaining that without the activation of these factors, as well as the function of motivation, the Soviet Union would have no economic future. After this predication, Dr. Kvint again faced a great deal of pressure from the Soviet power structure.[March 7, 1990 Komsomolskaya Pravda (Moscow)]

In 1985, Dr. Kvint prepared his second Doctoral dissertation on the “Regional Management of the Scientific-Technological Development of the National Economy”. Among the consequences of Dr. Kvint’s recommendations would have been the decentralization of the Soviet command economy. As a result, he was not allowed to present his dissertation to the Scientific Council until February of 1988, when he finally received the highest European scientific degree- Habilitation-“Doctor of Sciences in Economics”[4]. In 1989, he received the lifetime title of “Professor of Political Economy” - the highest state academic title in the former Soviet Bloc.

The fundamental ideas of Dr. Kvint’s theories were explored in his dissertations and books. Since 1989, he has continued his studies in Austria, and then in the United States. However, the development of his theory of the Global Emerging Market has its roots in all of his years of scholarly activity. For these studies, Dr. Kvint would later receive international recognition [Kvint, Vladimir, The Global Emerging Market in Transition. Fordham University Press, 2006)].

[edit] European Professorship and International Lecturing

In 1988 and 1989, Dr. Kvint was finally allowed to travel outside of the Soviet Union, upon which he gave speeches and lectures on the results of his studies. He was invited to many universities and prestigious academic centers in Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Luxemburg, China, the United States, Great Britain, and Germany. Among his many lectures was his speech in front of the Presidium of the Royal Belgian Academy of Sciences. In 1989-1990, he worked as a visiting professor at the Vienna University of Economics and Business Administration, an institution with more than 100 years of history.

Since 1990, Dr. Kvint has lived and worked in the United States where he has been granted citizenship. In 1990, he gave lectures and consultations in several think tanks and leading corporations of the United States including the RAND Corp, Kissinger Associates, General Electric, General Motors, Transamerica, Timex, and the Exxon Corporation, among others.

[edit] Professorship in the U.S.A.

Dr. Kvint’s first professorship was in International Economics department at Babson College, MA, a worldwide leading school of Entrepreneurial Studies. Following this, from 1990, until the Fall of 2004, Dr. Kvint was a Professor of Management Systems and International Business at Fordham University's Graduate School of Business. In addition to his professorship at Fordham, from 1995 through 2000 Dr. Kvint served as an Adjunct Professor of International Business Strategy at New York University's Stern School of Business. He developed major elements of his theory of the Global Emerging Market, presented it at many conferences and published six books and several articles in major U.S. academic and business magazines, journals and newspapers. Between 2004 and 2007, he was a professor of International Business at the Kogod School of Business of American University in Washington, D.C.[5]. During this period, he taught the following courses- Fundamentals of International Business, The Global Marketplace, Export-Import Management, Comparative Management Systems and developed and taught the Global Emerging Market course for honors students.

[edit] U.S. and European Consulting Practice and Directorship

Since 1989, Dr. Kvint has been an Economic Consultant to the General Electric Corporation, Cable and Wireless (of Great Britain), Timex Corporation, TOSCO Corp., Engelhard Corporation, and Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, and Hogan and Hartson LLP- the two largest law firms in the world. From 1992-1998, Dr. Kvint was the Director of Emerging Markets at Arthur Andersen, at the time, the largest professional auditing and consulting services firm in the world. This job gave him the opportunity to study emerging market countries of Latin America, Pacific Asia, and Eastern Europe and to implement his theory into practice. Between 1997 and 2000 Dr. Kvint was a member of the Board of Directors of PLD Telecom (later merged with Metromedia International Telecom Inc.) a publicly traded company on NASDAQ and the Toronto Stock Exchange.

His consulting and professorship activity was always used as a continuation of his studies and research activity. Dr. Kvint was the Chairman of the World Economic Development Congress' Summit for Institutional Investors (Washington D.C, 1995); the World Economic Development Congress' Global Risk Management Summit, (Washington D.C, 1996); and the International Banking Congress: US-CIS and Baltics, (NYC, 1997). He was an Economic Advisor to the President of the United Nations General Assembly. Between 1996 and 2001, Dr. Kvint was an economic adviser to the King of Bulgaria, Simeon II. In 2001, the King returned to Bulgaria and was elected Prime Minister. Between 2001 and 2005, Dr Kvint was an advisor to the government of Albania. Since 2006, Dr Kvint has been Chairman of the board of Directors of one of the major investment projects in Saint Petersburg (Russia) “Morskoi Vokzal” [6]

[edit] Awards

For the development of the theory of regional scientific-technological programs, Vladimir Kvint was awarded with Silver Medal “For The Achievements in National Economy”, 1986 (Russia), Artiom award, 1986 (Ukraine), and Proclamation of the Presidium of the USSR Academy of Sciences, 1986 (Russia)

In 1992, Dr. Kvint was awarded a two-year scholarship by the Wexner Heritage Foundation (New York City) and in 1993, was presented with the Faculty Scholarship Award by the University of Southern California. In 1997, the New England Center for International and Regional Studies (Connecticut) awarded Dr. Kvint the title of an Honorary Fellow. He was recognized with a silver medal by Cambridge Biographic Center (England) as Outstanding Scholar of the XX Century.

In 2001, as a U.S Fulbright Scholar Award recipient, Dr. Kvint conducted studies, lectured at Vlora and Tirana Universities in Albania and provided consultations to the government of Albania. For these activities, he was given an award by the U.S Department of State (2002). In 2002, Fordham University honored Dr. Kvint's professorship with the annual GLOBE Award.

In 2002, Dr. Kvint, together with Steve Forbes, was awarded the Golden Crest by the Renaissance Society of Bulgaria for his role in the internationalization of Bulgarian and South European emerging markets.

In 2003 the United Nations' International Informatization Academy recognized Dr. Kvint with a Gold Medal for his achievements in emerging markets studies. In December of 2004 the Presidium of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences presented Dr. Kvint with the Vladimir Vernadsky Silver Medal and Diploma, for his development of the Theory of the Global Emerging Market.

In 2004 he was awarded with the golden crest "Mecenat" and International Award The Golden Aquarius. For his contribution to the economy of Albania, he was awarded by Albanian government with the golden plaque “Mother Teresa.”

In 2005, The City Council of New York awarded Dr. Kvint with a Proclamation “for his outstanding contribution to the City, State and Nation”. In 2005, Dr Kvint was awarded by the Medal for the Promotion of International Friendship by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation,

In 2006, he was awarded with the “Medal for Peace in the Caspian Region” in Kazakhstan. For Dr. Kvint’s input in the drafting of law and under law regulations for the protection of foreign investments, entrepreneurship, economic freedom and private property rights, he was awarded the title of Honorary Lawyer of Russia (2003) and the highest award for Advocacy in Russia, The Plevako Gold Medal (2006)

On September 20th, 2006, by decree of the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, Dr. Kvint was awarded with one of the highest awards of Russia - the “Order of Friendship”.[7]

In 2007, Dr. Kvint was declared an Honorary Member of the Albanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, .

Dr Kvint's contribution to the economics of the mining industry was recognized with the Gold Order “Miner of Russia” by the Highest Miner Collegium of the Russian Federation (2006).

The Russian Academy of Natural Sciences awarded Dr. Kvint with the Wassily Leontief Memorial Medal for his studies on emerging markets (2007).

Honorary Doctorates and Honorary Professorships

Dr. Kvint was awarded with Honorary Doctor Degrees from:

University of Bridgeport (USA),1997
Vlora Technological University (Albania), 2004
The Academy of Public Administration of the President of the Russian Federation (Russia), 2004
Donetsk National Technical University (Ukraine), 2007

He also received the title of Honorary Professor of Economics from

The Graduate Institute of Oil and Gas (Kazakhstan), 2006
St. Petersburg Academy of Management and Economics (Russia) 2006.[8]

[edit] Topics of Research and Forecasts

35 years of Dr. Kvint's research and scholarly activity have been dedicated to the creation of theories on new regional economic development and emerging market countries. Among Dr. Kvint's achievements are:

Theory of Regionalization of Scientific-Technological Progress
an evaluation of the role of the scientific-technical strategy in the regional economy
the development of the methodology of regional programs
the Theory of the Global Emerging Market
the system of optimization models of business strategies in emerging markets
the development of economic solutions to poverty, unemployment and migration
the development of economic systems of production and distribution of ethanol and other biofuels

While his strategic analysis and forecasts of events are not infrequently outspoken, controversial, and at times even criticized as outlandish or impossible [Forbes Global, January 24, 2000 p. 24], in hindsight, they have been remarkably accurate and insightful. Indeed, it becomes evident that his forecasts are soundly grounded in detailed analysis of fact.

One of his most accurate forecasts was published in 1989, proclaiming that “by 1992 there will be no country called the Soviet Union”. In fact, the Soviet Union disappeared in December of 1991. Dr. Kvint’s cover story in the February 1990 issue of Forbes Magazine was called “Russia Should Quit the Soviet Union”, and received worldwide attention.

Among his other forecasts are:

accurate prediction of exchange rate between East and West Deutsche Mark during unification of Germany [Basler Zeitung (Basel, Switzerland), March 20, 1990, p. 1 (in Gernman) and Der Neue Tag (Bavaria Germany) November 28, 1989, p. 1]

prediction of an early stepdown of President Yeltsin and his replacement by a successor in uniform [9]

[edit] Published Works

Dr. Kvint is the author of 21 books and over 450 articles. Many of his articles have been published and translated around the world, including in Forbes Magazine, the Harvard Business Review, Institutional Investor, Journal of Accountancy, International Executive, The New York Times, The Times (London), Die Presse (Austria), The New Times (Moscow), and others.

Books

The Acceleration of Technological Development of Production, 1976
The Introduction and Use of Automation Systems: Regional Economic Aspect, 1981
The Krasnoyarsk Economic Experiment, 1982
The Polar Star Above Us, 1984
Management of Scientific Technological Progress: Regional Aspect, 1986
Economic and Scientific- Technical Information (Co-Author), 1987
The Development of the Economy of Daghestan (Co-Author), 1988
Capitalizing on the New Russia (The Barefoot Shoemaker), 1993
Creating and Managing International Joint Ventures (Co-Author), 1996
Emerging Market of Russia: Sourcebook for Investment and Trade, (Author, Editor-In-Chief) 1998
The Global Emerging Market in Transition, 1999, 2000. 2nd Extended Edition, 2004, 2006.
- This book was the subject of a special conference in the UN headquarters in New York City in 1999.
International M&A, Joint Ventures and Beyond (Co-Author), 2002, 2004
Investing Under Fire (Co-Author), Bloomberg Press, 2003.
- With co-authors including General Wesley K. Clark, Ambassador Dennis Ross, and Vice Chairman of Goldman Sachs International, Robert D. Hormats. Kvint's contribution considered how to calculating the risk of foreign direct investment in emerging market countries.