|
East Met West in the Land of Aloha
More than 1,100 business educators and corporate leaders from over 43 countries
converged in Hawa'i at the 2008 AACSB International Conference and Annual Meeting to network, explore, and debate the
expanding world of management education. Attendees discovered the magic of the aloha spirit amidst the lush tropical
gardens of the Hilton Hawaiian Village, the live coconut palms and the towering 70 foot indoor waterfall at the
Hawaii
Convention Center.
Plenary Speakers
Featured keynote speakers, Gary Hamel, director of Management Lab (Mlab), and David C. Cole, chief executive officer of Maui Land & Pineapple Company,
Inc. spoke to a captivated audience and provided insightful theories on the future of management and business education.
Hamel, described by Fortune magazine as the “world’s leading expert on business strategy,” challenged educators to take a lead role in the
transformation of current management ideologies. He pointed to the members of AACSB as those with the potential to make the strongest impact by
equipping tomorrow’s leaders with the tools of innovation through the classroom.
Cole, who is co-founder of Hawaii BioEnergy, illustrated the importance of values-driven management and encouraged the audience
to consider how traditional measurements of business success are inadequate. Recognizing the importance of collaboration, Cole emphasized that business goals and
environmental needs are not mutually exclusive – and environmentally responsible planning can benefit both business and the community.
Also presenting was Chung Po-Yang (Po Chung), co-founder and chairman emeritus of DHL International Ltd. and the 2008 International
Honoree of Beta Gamma Sigma, and Judy D. Olian, chair of AACSB International and dean of the UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Po-Chung focused on the importance of strong leadership for success, and postulated that in today’s globalized society the
productivity of a professional network depends on the level of mutual trust between network members, and that its optimal performance is analogous to that of a
virus-free computer system. He emphasized that to be a leader whom people will follow, one should reflect on the value of maintaining a “virus-free personal
operating system.”
In her presentation, Olian discussed the role business schools must play in the evolving global environment, and offered solutions
to how management education can recalibrate for the entrance of a new student population – the millennials. In addition, Olian provided examples of how AACSB member
schools are beginning to provide solutions to the critical doctoral faculty shortage, and challenged attendees to consider their contribution to meet this growing
demand.
Fast Facts
|
