Successful PhD dissertation defense in Economics by Vitalii Savko held at USUST
On 29 June 2026, the Ukrainian State University of Science and Technologies (USTU), Dnipro, a public defense of the dissertation of Vitalii Savko, a PhD candidate at the Department of Marketing and Logistics of the SEI ‘Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology’ took place at USUST.
Following the successful defense, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the field 05 ‘Social and Behavioural Sciences’, specialty 051 ‘Economics’. His dissertation is titled “Developing a corporate image strategy for firms in the legal services market in conditions of digital economy’. The research was supervised by Professor Nataliia Chupryna, Doctor of Economic Sciences, dean of the Faculty of Economics, Humanities and Law at the SEI ‘Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology’, USUST.
The dissertation addresses contemporary challenges facing the legal services sector in the context of the digital transformation of the economy. The study proposes a comprehensive approach to developing and evaluating the image strategy of a legal services firm. In addition, the author developed an economic and mathematical model that can assess the impact of corporate image on the performance of organisations operating in the legal services market.
Particular attention is devoted to improving theoretical and methodological approaches to the use of digital communications, modern marketing tools, and promotional mechanisms in the legal sector. The practical significance of the research is in the potential application of its findings by businesses, professional organisations, and higher education institutions.
The one-time specialised academic council included leading experts in the field of economics. The council was chaired by Professor Larysa Harmider, Doctor of Economic Sciences, head of the Department of Economics and Law at the SEI ‘Ukrainian State University of Chemical Technology’, USUST.
The reviewers were Associate Professor Pavlo Fisunenko, Doctor of Economic Sciences, and Associate Professor Olha Kuchkova, Candidate of Economic Sciences, head of the Department of Marketing and Logistics at the SEI ‘USUCT’.
The official opponents were Professor Yevhen Romat, Doctor of Economic Sciences , Professor of the Department of Advertising and Public Relations at Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, and Professor Oleksandr Zozuliov, Candidate of Economic Sciences, Professor of the Department of Industrial Marketing at the National Technical University of Ukraine ‘Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute’.
Following an open vote, all five members of the specialised academic council unanimously supported the decision to confer the degree of Doctor of Philosophy upon Vitalii Savko.
The USUST community congratulates the young researcher on this significant academic achievement and wishes him continued professional success, effective research, successful implementation of new scientific ideas, and further academic growth.
Vitalii Savko‘s successful dissertation defense demonstrates the high standard of research training at USUST and highlights the relevance of research in the fields of economics, marketing, and digital communications. The outcomes of the study have considerable practical value for the further development of legal services market in the era of digital economy.
More information about the dissertation and its materials is available via the link below.