Year: 2015

Student Blog – University of St. Gallen’s Global Summer School in Empirical Research Methods

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folasadeBeing a part of University of St. Gallen’s Global Summer School in Empirical Research Methods (GSERM) afforded me the opportunity to be part of a remarkable learning experience. I participated in the program for two weeks through the Global Business School Network’s (GBSN) scholarship made available to 10 participants from developing economies as well as through further support from my school, Lagos Business School. I was therefore one of the over 330 participants attending the program from 58 countries in 2015!

In week 1, I registered for Analysis of Mediated and Moderated Effects facilitated by Dominique Muller, while in week 2 I registered for Multivariate Data Analysis facilitated by Michael Berbaum. Both instructors are evidently experienced and handled their courses with expertise. I was especially glad to have attended Dominique’s class in week 1 because my dissertation – which focuses on the influence of high performance work systems on employee well-being – requires a lot of mediation analysis! Michael also provided some excellent resources on multi-level modelling which is proving useful for my dissertation. Lastly, being able to incorporate our learning from the second week into research presentations we made on the last day of Michael’s class was definitely a highpoint for me.

It was not all academics though, during the first weekend the organizers of the program – the GSERM team – planned two trips for interested participants as a means of integrating the academic aspect of learning with socio-cultural learning. We were at Jakobsbad, to tour Kronenberg Mountain in the Alpine region of Appenzell. We also held a barbeque on the castle grounds of Schloss Untereggen – located about 30 minutes away from St. Gallen. In addition, there were daily sport activities held in the evening of each school day and interested participants could take up jogging, swimming, volleyball or football. Besides these activities, there were so many opportunities to experience the Swiss way of living – (Kinder fest, Marktplatz music festival, visits to the textile museum, beautiful Drei Linden and the famous St. Gallen abbey) – definitely, the Swiss culture is proudly lived out by St. Gallen residents!

I am richer for my experience at GSERM even though it was challenging and rigorous. Challenging because we hit the ground running from the first day, rigorous, because so much ground was covered in such a short period of time. In the end, I can say ‘it was rewarding’, because not only have I connected socially with other scholars that I intend to build mutually beneficial relationships with, I have also brought back value which I can share with emerging scholars in my home country.

Folasade Olufemi-Ayoola is an Organizational Behavior & Human Resources doctoral candidate at Lagos Business School in Nigeria.

Student Blog – University of St. Gallen’s Global Summer School in Empirical Research Methods

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untitled1I am currently a PhD Student of Strategic Management in Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University. I have a Bachelors degree in Electrical/Electronic Engineering as well as an MBA before commencing the doctoral journey. I had prior work experience in Banking as a Relationship Manager in the Multilateral, Conglomerates and Private Banking Group of Zenith Bank, as an Investment Banker where he was involved in Project finance, Mergers and Acquisitions and financial advisory and as a Consultant where he was involved in advisory engagements for state governments, large multinationals and local corporates.

I found the 2015 Global School in Empirical Research Methods (GSERM) organized by the University of St. Gallen a life transforming experience and indeed a very valuable part of my doctoral education. The courses were very well designed and had the required rigour and the richness in content. The Professors were excellent and had the patience to bring in the perspective and research interests of all the participants to bear on the discussions in class. Pre-course information and materials were received from the GSERM team very timely and gave us adequate time to prepare and mentally situate our doctoral projects in the context of the research methods we were studying. The outstanding organization of the programme extended to very well organized accommodation for all participants around the University. There were well over 30 courses from where participants could choose the courses that were best suited to their doctoral projects.

There were more than 300 PhD Students and Post Docs from over 50 nationalities studying very diverse courses. Many international research collaboration opportunities with fellow PhD Students and Professors started off in GSERM 2015. There were also very many networking opportunities as the GSERM team lined up several social events within and outside the University that got the numerous participants to bond and also learn from their different experiences and aspirations. To cap it all up GSERM 2015 was an awesome and terrific experience that is highly recommended to every PhD Student and Post Doctoral Fellow.

Nkemdilim Iheanachor is a PhD Student in Strategic Management at Lagos Business School, Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos, Nigeria.

Don’t Miss This Year’s Conference Field Visit: The GK Enchanted Farm For A Wealthier Countryside

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Join GBSN on Friday, November 6th, the last day of our conference in Manila, Philippines as we explore this year’s venue for experiential learning. Our destination will be the GK Enchanted Farm, Gawad Kalinga’s platform to raise social entrepreneurs and aid local farmers.

The Gawad Kalinga Community Development Foundation (GK) is a Philippine-based movement that aims to eradicate poverty for 5 million families starting by restoring the dignity of the poor. GK sees the road out of poverty as a continuing journey, where providing physical homes is only the beginning. The GK Enchanted Farm came to fruition from the recognition that the Philippines is a country abundant in land resources, and harnessing this strategically will lead a great deal of Filipinos out of poverty.

So what is the GK Enchanted Farm? It is envisioned to be three things: a farm village university, a Silicon Valley for social entrepreneurship, and a Disneyland for social tourism. As a farm village university, the Enchanted Farm aims to make productive use of its land, break disconnectedness within its community, and incorporate the agricultural industry into its education system. The Farm hopes to create an environment like that of Silicon Valley that fosters creative Filipino entrepreneurs and their ideas through mentoring, networking, and basic resources. Finally, the Farm works to stay true to its name by enchanting visitors through lived stories and pioneer centers, allowing everyone to discover the beauty of the Philippines.

At the very core of the GK Enchanted Farm lies a firm goal shared by GBSN: to utilize business and professional tools to find solutions to social problems.

Don’t forget to register for the GBSN Annual Conference!

Click here to learn more about GK Enchanted Farm

Student Blog – UNISG Summer School in Empirical Research Methods

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ishmaelMy experience attending the GSBN sponsored summer school at the University of St Gallen in June 2015 was highly motivating. Over two weeks I attended a modelling empirical phenomena course and another on categorical data analysis and found them very useful in developing my PhD concept. It was great to interact with professors who have published widely in ‘A’ journals and tap into their expertise and ability to simplify complex econometrics into something easy to understand and interpret. In addition, the participants in attendance were also at a high level in quantitative research skills and were great to interact with. As soon as I got back to my university, I was able to present a concept paper to my faculty, something which was made possible by the summer school.

I am currently an assistant lecturer in Finance at School of Finance and Applied Economics at Strathmore University, Nairobi, Kenya and it is at the same place I am doing my PhD. Since 2010 I have been teaching Bachelor of Business Science students portfolio management and from last year leading a research center for value investing in the same School. In this research center I have a number of working papers which I plan to submit to peer reviewed journals.

I found St Gallen and Switzerland exceptional in terms of geographical and artistic beauty; Buildings in town were a wonder to behold as well as the baroque architecture in the Cathedral at the Abbey of St Gall. This view helped internalize the mathematical models from the classes. In addition, I was fortunate to make good contacts with a diversity of people from as far as India, Poland and Nigeria and the ground for future collaboration in research is well laid down.
Ishmael Maina is lecturer of Finance at Strathmore University’s School of Finance and Economics.

Dr. Patrick Awuah Receives Two Illustrious Honors

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This is a modified excerpt, please find the original articles here 

GBSN would like to congratulate Dr. Patrick Awuah on receiving the Elise and Walter A. Haas International Award for his work as a trailblazing educational leader in Ghana. The annual award, given to a UC Berkeley alumna with a devotion to international affairs, is regarded as one of the most prestigious honors on the Haas Business School, University of California Berkeley (GBSN Member School) campus.

Dr. Awuah was also named to Fortune’s list of the world’s 50 greatest leaders in 2015—joining Pope Francis, Bill and Melinda Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg. The list honors “extraordinary men and women who are transforming business, government, philanthropy, and so much more.”

Dr. Awuah is the founder and president of Ashesi University, a private, not-for-profit institution that has quickly gained a reputation for innovation and quality education in Ghana. Ashesi aims to contribute to a renaissance in Africa by arming a new generation of entrepreneurial leaders with the critical thinking skills and the ethical courage needed to foster change in Africa.

Dr. Awuah was a keynote speaker at the 2013 GBSN Annual Conference. His conversation focused on Leadership and Management Education’s Role in Improving Lives in the Developing World.

“Africa will be transformed under the leadership of bright young Africans who are educated in Africa, taught to think critically, to question, to solve problems, and above all, to care. I founded Ashesi to be a spark of a revitalized Africa. Ashesi is a catalyst for new enterprises and new solutions, and offers a new model for other universities in Africa.”
– Patrick Awuah

Congratulations, Dr. Awuah!

GBSN Welcomes Three Schools to Our Network

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jasper-mcelrathGBSN is proud to announce the acceptance of three new schools into our network. We welcome the Kemmy Business School at University of Limerick, Universidad EAFIT and University of Adelaide Business School to our growing list of member schools. These schools join a network of over 70 world-class business schools that spans 33 countries in 6 continents.

The Kemmy Business School of the University of Limerick is GBSN’s first member school in Ireland. KBS prepares graduates for successful and rewarding careers in business management and related professions. With almost 100 faculty and staff and roughly 3,000 students, KBS is one of the largest business schools in Ireland. Furthermore, KBS is the first European university to have a custom designed campus-trading floor, which uses the trading software Bloomberg Professional.kemmy_logo

KBS joins GBSN with aspirations of broadening its global citizenship, specifically in a responsible, developmental and symbolic manner. KBS will approach its engagement with GBSN with a perspective that emphasizes complementarity, partnership, mutual benefit and transparency.

“As Ireland’s first university to embed entrepreneurship within its core programs, we propose this as one area where our strengths and focus will allow us to engage fruitfully with GBSN.”
– Philip O’Regan, Executive Dean of Business School

Universidad EAFIT is a private Colombian university located in Medellin. The university was originally founded by a group of the city’s business leaders to establish an academic institution focusing on business administration. Its mission is to contribute to the country’s social, economic, scientific and cultural development through undergraduate and graduate programs that mold globally competent individuals within a framework of ideological pluralism and academic excellence, as well as through scientific and applied research carried out in permanent interaction with the private sector, government and academia.eafit_logo

“We feel [joining GBSN] is a step in the right direction in order to advance in the commitment of building a better society.”
Ð Manuel Esteban Acevedo Jaramillo, Dean of the Business School

Universidad EAFIT joins GBSN with the hope to serve as a mentor for other institutions from developing countries for whom their experience and institutional context could be relevant for those schools to improve their activities and impact on development, business, science and societies.

The University of Adelaide is the third oldest intuition of higher education in Australia (founded in 1874) and ranks in the top 100 academic institutions in the worldwide QS rankings. The Business School is AACSB-accredited and has over 5,000 students. The University joins our network in hope to continue to support the emergence and development of academic institutions, specifically in the Asia-Pacific region. The University works with the surrounding community through strategic partnerships and alignments with business and enterprise, government bodies, other research institutions, NGOs and industry groups. university_of_adelaide_logo

“We are committed to supporting the development and delivery of management education in the developing world. We are confident that membership in the GBSN will allow us to further our commitment to support business education internationally.”
– Lawrence Abeln, Dean of the Business School

GBSN is excited to welcome these three new schools to our growing network. With the addition of these three schools, the network is now made up of 74 members in 33 countries.

Jasper McElrath is the Communications and Event Planning Intern at the Global Business School Network

Students Take a Role in Strengthening Local Communities

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jasper-mcelrathGBSN member school, Great Lakes Institute of Management, has initiated a unique experiential learning project, called Karma Yoga, where students work with a number of local villages adopted by the business school.

Karma Yoga is a required program for the school’s Management students that aims to develop leadership through social responsibility.

The main objective of Karma Yoga is to connect the students with on-the-ground realities and experientially learn transformational leadership. The project involves each student visiting the assigned village and spending time with the locals to build a relationship. The objective is to enhance their self-efficacy and self-esteem of the local communities to enable them to lead a better quality of life through this empowerment. The students are engaged with different projects through participatory approaches and methods to make communities and individuals healthy, employable and enterprising.

The major success of the Karma Yoga project is that it has brought positive change among communities through the leadership of the students.

To read the full article, please click here

To read Great Lakes Institute of Institute of Management’s first SIP report click here.

Jasper McElrath is the Communications and Event Planning Intern at the Global Business School Network

Tools for Teaching About Business at the Bottom of the Pyramid

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guyA few years back I was fortunate to sit in on a presentation by the late C.K. Prahalad, who, together with Stuart L. Hart, published the seminal 2002 article “The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid”. Professor Prahalad put up a slide on the screen of a typical Indian village. It looked somewhat like this:

As Professor Prahalad intended, the word “poverty” flashed through our minds. He then pointed to the calf, to the metal pot, to the woven materials drying in the sun, the tire, the discarded plastic bottles, all evidence that this village was not without purchasing power.

Since then the Base Ð or Bottom Ð of the Pyramid has become a familiar concept. It refers to the fact that while people at the bottom of the income scale have little purchasing power, they are in most developing countries so numerous that, together, they represent a sizable market, hence opportunities for imaginative companies and entrepreneurs.

Last year, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) convened government officials, business school deans and senior faculty, as well as representatives of civil society, business and philanthropy on the occasion of their biannual World Investment Forum, and launched the Business Schools for Impact (BSI) initiative. GBSN is partnering with UNCTAD in the BSI initiative.

While UNCTAD’s mandate includes investment and sustainable development, BSI focuses particularly on teaching skills to build businesses at the Base of the Pyramid. BSI is a platform for business schools worldwide to develop and share teaching materials, experience and ideas. Over 450 persons from more than 170 business schools have signed up to date.

The site is up and running, and offers a growing body of course materials and case studies from top institutions. BSI also offers internship opportunities, thanks notably to partnership with EMPRETEC, an UNCTAD program that has been training over 300,000 aspiring entrepreneurs, women entrepreneurs, small businesses, young people and employees of large public or private firms in 34 countries. It is one of the aims of the initiative eventually to build a full-fledged integrated Global Impact Master program.

BSI’s other partners include CEMS; The Case Center; OIKOS International; University of St. Gallen, a member of GBSN’s Executive Board; ISEA; Essex Business School; UNIL, UniversitŽ de Lausanne; Riara University, Kenya; ALTIS, a GBSN member school; Tata Institute of Social Sciences; and Universidad del Pacifico, Peru.

The initiative will be presented at GBSN’s 2016 annual conference in Manila in November. I am pleased that GBSN has been part of this initiative from its early stages.

Guy Pfeffermann is the Founder and CEO of the Global Business School Network

Higher Education in sub-Saharan Africa: Why the Neglect?

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Our CEO and founder, Guy Pfeffermann, recently contributed an opinion piece to the 2015 eLearning Africa Report. He focused on the challenges facing higher education in sub-Saharan Africa and explored possible solutions.

Below you can find screenshots of Guy’s opinion piece, to read the entire eLearning Africa Report please click here. Guy Pfeffermann is the Founder and CEO of the Global Business School Network

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