Year: 2015

Darden Leader Shares at the Global Business School Network and American University in Cairo Experiential Learning Summit

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As part of the American University in Cairo annual research conference, the AUC Business School, Global Business School Network and Tuck School of Business convened a group of leaders in management education, the private sector, students and public officials to consider the opportunities for experiential learning in management education, with an emphasis on the Middle East and North Africa region. The event convened 60+ people from 11 countries across 4 continents, 15 universities and 14 corporations and associations.

Marc Johnson, the Darden Center for Global Initiatives’ Executive Director, joined a panel of business school leaders to share insights and thinking from experiential learning in practice. He spoke about the importance of defining learning objectives and faculty leadership of any experiential learning program to ensure success at achieving aims Ð at Darden experiential learning is not only a successful way to increase global readiness in our MBA students but to better tackle unstructured problems, work through ambiguity, and engage across cultural and other differences. The panel and audience addressed some of the challenges of implementing successful experiential learning in management education curriculum, including assessment of learning, preparing students to understand and learn from potential project failure and challenges in engaging students in real-world settings with appropriate support.

Johnson shared the Darden School’s partnership with the Mediterranean School of Business in Tunis, Tunisia as an example of a collaboration in experiential learning between institutions in the region and the U.S. In this program, Darden MBA students worked remotely with EMBAs from MSB who were launching new business and organizations. The Darden students had the opportunity to learn more about the context in Tunisia while providing valuable advice and insights to the MSB students that could help them succeed. One example of a project that an MSB EMBA student and Darden students worked on is the Alzheimer’s Family Assistance organization, which launched officially in the fall.

Darden is a long-standing member of the Global Business School Network, an organization committed to developing management education in emerging economies to promote economic growth and development. This event at AUC provided opportunities to share lessons learned from experience at Darden and also to learn from the other schools and organizations present in a thoughtful exchange of ideas. Following the summit, Johnson met with the Dean and senior leadership of the AUC Business School to explore possible areas of collaboration between the two schools.

Original article posted on GlobalVoices blog from the Darden School of Business by Kate Beach

Top African Schools to Collaborate on Entrepreneurship

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Press release from ESCA ecole de Management

A consortium of leading African business schools from five major countries have signed a novel partnership agreement, which commits them to sharing resources, expertise and research to give a much-needed boost to entrepreneurship, job creation and economic development on the continent.The newly formed African Academic Association on Entrepreneurship (AAAE) will promote and develop academic cooperation – particularly in the areas of entrepreneurship, small business development, innovation and start-ups – through research, case study development, the academic exchange of students and faculty as well as academic materials and publications, professional internships and technical cooperation.

“AAAE will play a key role in leading the continent towards stronger linkages among African business schools focusing on teaching and research in the areas of entrepreneurship and family business as well as further global collaboration,” said Professor Karim Elseghir, Dean of School of Business of the American University in Cairo, Egypt (AUC).

AUC will serve as the coordinator of the collaboration until a structured steering committee has been set up. The other five participating business schools are the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, South Africa (UCT GSB), University of Stellenbosch Business School, South Africa (USB), Esca Maroc Ecole De Management of Casablanca, Morocco (ESCA), The Lagos Business School, Nigeria (LBS), and Strathmore Business School of Nairobi. According to Professor Elseghir, youth unemployment and education are the most pressing challenges the African continent is facing and that the inception of the AAAE is an important step towards enhancing entrepreneurship across the African Continent.

According to Sarah-Anne Arnold, Manager of the MTN Solution Space at the UCT GSB who will represent the UCT GSB in the AAAE, promoting the exchange of ideas, experiences and skills is core to building up an entrepreneurship ecosystem on the continent.

“If we want to build our continent then we need to invest in building networks that are broader than any one single institution. The fuel to innovate is created when people with different experiences, realities, passions and ideas come together with the mandate and support structures to develop new possibilities,” she said.

“This is the first time that we have set this type of joint ambition for African business schools, each one of them being a leading academic institution in its region. Regardless our locations, we all share the same belief in the importance of management education, and the need to gather efforts for a continental approach to support entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs. ” added Thami GHORFI, President of ESCA School of Management.

The new association will seek to expand over the coming months to include more African business schools. There is also an explicit objective to invite collaboration between global business schools in the academic study of entrepreneurship. The AAAE will also seek to build bridges between academic and industry knowledge.

This press release was first posted by ESCA, Ecole de Management

Top African Schools to Collaborate on Entrepreneurship

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Press release from ESCA ecole de Management

A consortium of leading African business schools from five major countries have signed a novel partnership agreement, which commits them to sharing resources, expertise and research to give a much-needed boost to entrepreneurship, job creation and economic development on the continent.The newly formed African Academic Association on Entrepreneurship (AAAE) will promote and develop academic cooperation Ð particularly in the areas of entrepreneurship, small business development, innovation and start-ups Ð through research, case study development, the academic exchange of students and faculty as well as academic materials and publications, professional internships and technical cooperation.

“AAAE will play a key role in leading the continent towards stronger linkages among African business schools focusing on teaching and research in the areas of entrepreneurship and family business as well as further global collaboration,” said Professor Karim Elseghir, Dean of School of Business of the American University in Cairo, Egypt (AUC).

AUC will serve as the coordinator of the collaboration until a structured steering committee has been set up. The other five participating business schools are the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, South Africa (UCT GSB), University of Stellenbosch Business School, South Africa (USB), Esca Maroc Ecole De Management of Casablanca, Morocco (ESCA), The Lagos Business School, Nigeria (LBS), and Strathmore Business School of Nairobi. According to Professor Elseghir, youth unemployment and education are the most pressing challenges the African continent is facing and that the inception of the AAAE is an important step towards enhancing entrepreneurship across the African Continent.

According to Sarah-Anne Arnold, Manager of the MTN Solution Space at the UCT GSB who will represent the UCT GSB in the AAAE, promoting the exchange of ideas, experiences and skills is core to building up an entrepreneurship ecosystem on the continent.

“If we want to build our continent then we need to invest in building networks that are broader than any one single institution. The fuel to innovate is created when people with different experiences, realities, passions and ideas come together with the mandate and support structures to develop new possibilities,” she said.

“This is the first time that we have set this type of joint ambition for African business schools, each one of them being a leading academic institution in its region. Regardless our locations, we all share the same belief in the importance of management education, and the need to gather efforts for a continental approach to support entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs. ” added Thami GHORFI, President of ESCA School of Management.

The new association will seek to expand over the coming months to include more African business schools. There is also an explicit objective to invite collaboration between global business schools in the academic study of entrepreneurship. The AAAE will also seek to build bridges between academic and industry knowledge.

This press release was first posted by ESCA, Ecole de Management

Top African Business Schools to Collaborate on Entrepreneurship

Posted on by wpengine

A consortium of leading African business schools from five major countries have signed a novel partnership agreement, which commits them to sharing resources, expertise and research to give a much-needed boost to entrepreneurship, job creation and economic development on the continent.The newly formed African Academic Association on Entrepreneurship (AAAE) will promote and develop academic cooperation Ð particularly in the areas of entrepreneurship, small business development, innovation and start-ups Ð through research, case study development, the academic exchange of students and faculty as well as academic materials and publications, professional internships and technical cooperation.

“AAAE will play a key role in leading the continent towards stronger linkages among African business schools focusing on teaching and research in the areas of entrepreneurship and family business as well as further global collaboration,” said Professor Karim Elseghir, Dean of School of Business of the American University in Cairo, Egypt (AUC).

AUC will serve as the coordinator of the collaboration until a structured steering committee has been set up. The other five participating business schools are the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business, South Africa (UCT GSB), University of Stellenbosch Business School, South Africa (USB), Esca Maroc Ecole De Management of Casablanca, Morocco (ESCA), The Lagos Business School, Nigeria (LBS), and Strathmore Business School of Nairobi. According to Professor Elseghir, youth unemployment and education are the most pressing challenges the African continent is facing and that the inception of the AAAE is an important step towards enhancing entrepreneurship across the African Continent.

According to Sarah-Anne Arnold, Manager of the MTN Solution Space at the UCT GSB who will represent the UCT GSB in the AAAE, promoting the exchange of ideas, experiences and skills is core to building up an entrepreneurship ecosystem on the continent.

“If we want to build our continent then we need to invest in building networks that are broader than any one single institution. The fuel to innovate is created when people with different experiences, realities, passions and ideas come together with the mandate and support structures to develop new possibilities,” she said.

“This is the first time that we have set this type of joint ambition for African business schools, each one of them being a leading academic institution in its region. Regardless our locations, we all share the same belief in the importance of management education, and the need to gather efforts for a continental approach to support entrepreneurship and entrepreneurs. ” added Thami GHORFI, President of ESCA School of Management.

The new association will seek to expand over the coming months to include more African business schools. There is also an explicit objective to invite collaboration between global business schools in the academic study of entrepreneurship. The AAAE will also seek to build bridges between academic and industry knowledge.

This press release was first posted by ESCA, Ecole de Management

Meet the Thomas J. Bata Legacy Award Top 5 Finalists

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The Bata Foundation is proud to announce the top 5 finalists for its Thomas J. Bata Legacy Award, chosen from over 100 young entrepreneurs pursuing responsible businesses in East Africa. Selected for their ability to address community’s social need through a viable, sustainable business combined with commemorating the Thomas J. Bata family values, the finalists are competing to win an award of $15,000 US. Two runners up will each receive $5,000.During the next phase of the competition finalists will be paired with mentors from East Africa with expertise in entrepreneurship who will help them prepare their final proposal to the Bata Shoe Foundation. The mentors will stay with the entrepreneurs for the following year to support the development of their businesses. The finalist proposals will be judged on the potential impact of the Award on their business and community by an international panel of business and entrepreneurship experts. The five finalists are:

GreenChar: Alternative energy in cooking practices
KenyaTeam: Tom Osborn Chief Executive O_cer, Yina Sun Head of Operations, Ian Oluoch FinanceDirector, Brian Kirotich Marketing & Tech
www.greenchar.co.ke
The developers of the Green Char provide agricultural waste cooking briquettes designed to be healthier, safer and cheaper for consumers. Green Char briquettes, made from recycled bagasse (sugar cane husks) are nearly smokeless, more energy dense and longer lasting than wood and coal. Green Char’s smokeless briquettes combat the health risks associated with coal ovens, while also reducing deforestation. Green Char hopes to expand into creating products, which repel mosquitoes and a next generation of safer, cleaner ovens.

KARIBU Solar Power: “Business in a box”
TanzaniaTeam: Adam Camenzuli & Sameer Gulamaniwww.
karibusolar.com

The creators of Karibu have designed a solar powered business in a box. Their business strives to provide a safer, cheaper, and more socially responsible solar alternative to kerosene lighting. Engineered for grassroots success and local empowerment, the Karibu system consists of a 2W solar panel and two rechargeable “hockey puck” batteries designed to provide a night’s worth of lighting. Local Karibu distributors will rent hockey pucks to consumers, charging one hockey puck while the consumer uses the second. This distribution system strengthens local business, while providing safer and healthier lighting.

STAWI: Food and fruit processing company
Kenya Team: Eric Muthomi Founder & CEO, Kent Libiso Chairman, Sangu Delle Director
www.stawiindustries.com
Stawi Foods and Fruits Limited, founded by Eric Muthomi, provides high quality processed foods through sustainable and equitable farmer relations. Seeking to combat agricultural waste from foods such as bananas, which can spoil before making it to market, Stawi processes perishable fruits, grains, and cereals into gluten free flour. This flour, with a higher market demand and shelf life, increases food security, increases farmer income, and reduces waste. Small holder farmers, whose crops are most at risk for perishing, and rural consumers, most at risk for malnutrition, receive the sharpest benefits from Stawi foods.

The Designers Studio Limited: Fashion magazine and retailer
Kenya Individual: Wanjiku Nyoike-Mugo
www.tdsblog.com

The Designer Studio (TDS) produces a series of online magazines, fashion shows and media buys which present local fashion as a better alternative to international brands. This marketing drives consumers to TDS’s online store and future retail spaces stocked only with Kenyan designed and produced goods, which benefits the local Kenyan economy. This higher demand for local goods, driven in large part by an increasingly wealthy, fashion forward population, further strengthens the Kenyan fashion and clothing industry.

BIO-INNOVATIONS: Alternative energy. Uganda
Team: Stephen Birikano, Alex Tumukunde

Bio-Innovation Company LTD challenges Uganda’s terrible deforestation issue Ð 80% of natural forest area has been destroyed since 1960 Ð by creating a bio-renewable cooking and heating briquette derived from bio-waste. These briquettes, organic municipal solid waste amalgamations, are a lower cost, safer and environmental safer alternative to wood and coal fires. Targeting women and youth as employees, Bio-Innovation Company empowers local rural communities while freeing up consumers’ discretionary income by undercutting current heating and cooking costs.

Originally posted by the Bata Foundation at http://batalegacy.org/meet-the-thomas-j-bata-legacy-award-top-5-finalists/

Dean’s Corner: Effectively Combining Regional Expertise, Location, Long- standing History, and Internationalization

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Guest Blog Post by Karim Seghir, Dean of The American University in Cairo School of Business

In a world no longer limited by geographic barriers, business schools must equip their graduates with a perfect understanding of global market perceptions and realities. While you have barriers diminishing on one hand, on the other hand different parts of the world are in different stages of development with different needs and challenges. For this reason, business schools should not become too isomorphic and standardized across the globe. The mission of business schools should not only depend on global trends but also on geographic location. Going forward, business schools should address global trends while responsibly contributing to the pressing socioeconomic issues relevant to their region. For example, using case studies and other teaching tools “imported” from the U.S. and Europe might not be adequate to address the very needs and challenges specific to emerging economies. In this respect, the American University in Cairo (AUC) School of Business launched El-Khazindar Business Research and Case Center in 2008 to produce and disseminate local business cases that provide business leaders with pertinent knowledge about the challenges and opportunities specific to the Arab region.

Unemployment is the most pressing challenge the Arab region is facing. A sustainable solution to unemployment is a well-directed entrepreneurship ecosystem. To this end, AUC School of Business launched the Center for Entrepreneurship mandated to educate citizens in the Arab region as to what entrepreneurship is and to infuse them with the desire to create and innovate. The school also houses the AUC Venture Lab, the first university-based incubator in Egypt, which translates technologies and innovations into commercially viable ventures, thereby contributing to economic development and job creation. The startups benefit from training and mentoring sessions and access to venture capitalists and angel investors. Despite the Venture Lab’s young age, it was recently recognized as one of the top five most promising university-based incubators in Africa by Sweden-based UBI-indexÑa notable honor and a strong indicator of AUC’s commitment to helping the region’s employment plight.

A major contributor to the high unemployment rates in the Arab region is the significant mismatch between the needs of the job market and the skills of graduates. Business schools should refrain from adopting a completely theoretical approach that focuses solely on functional areas. AUC School of Business uses a very practical approach of business education rooted in a liberal arts educational context that fosters critical thinking, creativity, emotional intelligence, and problem-solving skills. Moreover, business schools in the region should work on bridging the gap between business education and the corporate sector in order to maximize their students’ readiness to effectively join the business world. The strong ties between AUC School of Business and industry have not only been invaluable for enhancing the academic and executive education programs, research, and placements but also in boosting the school’s resources, including endowed professorships and funding bright students through scholarships and fellowships.

Business schools can also benefit their local communities in other ways. A backbone of the economy in the Arab region is family-owned businesses. These businesses account for about 50 percent of private sector employment and more than 80 percent of the total companies in the region. Business schools in the Arab region should help business-owning families better understand and navigate challenges, such as governance, succession plans, and innovation and entrepreneurial spirit, which will in turn have a positive impact on companies’ sustainability, longevity, and growth and consequently assist in the creation of long-lasting jobs.

If the popular uprisings in the Arab region have taught us one thing, it is that in an environment that focuses solely on maximizing shareholders’ value, we cannot expect individuals to care about such values as sustainability, nor about socioeconomic challenges the region is facing, including poverty, corruption, and inequality. Driven by its mission to develop responsible leaders, AUC School of Business became the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) MENA Chapter Coordinator and an active member of prominent associations such as the Academy of Business in Society (ABIS), Egyptian Corporate Responsibility Center, and Bottom of the Pyramid Global Network. Furthermore, the AUC is the first university in the Arab region to publish its Carbon Footprint Report, which enables AUC not only to responsibly manage its impact but also to serves as a model encouraging others to address climate change.

AUC is innovating in other areas, as well. Although it is evident how technology can dramatically improve students’ learning experience, very little has been done in this respect in the Arab region. The use of technology is even more critical for business schools in politically unstable countries as they have been struggling to attract international faculty and students. Technology can be effectively utilized to break geographic barriers and foster an environment that includes participants from around the globe. Cloud-based teaching is one way to achieve this feat, as it allows students to form virtual teams and work on projects together with their counterparts in different parts of the world. AUC School of Business is the first in the Arab region to use this learning tool in a course that is an international collaboration between six universities in four continents. In addition, the Queen Rania Foundation for Education and Development has launched Edraak, a nonprofit platform that aims to develop MOOCs for the Arabic region (80 percent of whom are not English speakers). Edraak, which includes AUC among a select group of regional universities, offers more than 24 online courses in Arabic and includes over 130,000 learners of which 40 percent are female.

These achievements notwithstanding, as a result of the Arab Spring, many business schools in the region have been facing major challenges in recruiting international faculty and students. Also, many business schools have experienced significant budget cuts and reduction of academic and administrative staff members, courses, and in some cases even programs. Business schools that have built a strong reputation over the past decades have been successful in maintaining reasonable, steady growth in recruiting talented students and highly qualified faculty, despite the significant challenges. During its 60 years of history, AUC School of Business has witnessed and withstood numerous changes. The foremost accomplishment is the triple-crown accreditation achieved in 2014, making AUC School of Business the first school in the Arab region to achieve AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS accreditations. With these seals of high quality, the school is equipped to face any new challenges that may arise and will continue to be a leading educator and partner in the Arab region.

Karim Seghir is the Dean of School of Business, The American University in Cairo

MOOCs: A Free MBA?

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For many young professionals massive open online courses (MOOC) provide a viable alternative to graduate education- particularly in business and education. MOOCs, or open license online courses, let students complete full degree course loads on their own time, for free. Courses consists of lectures, online quizzes and exams compiled from compiled from top tier universities. This compilation affords students access to the best lectures from the best institutions, while the open access allows students to tailor their education to their needs.

For many, including the manager of nopaymba.com Laurie Pickard, who cannot afford to complete a MBA but want to expand their knowledge and skill bases, MOOCs are a fantastic option. Since being introduced in 2008 the number of non-profit and commercial MOOCvendors have skyrocketed in order to meet exploding demand.

However, MOOCs are not without their downsides. In addition to high secondary costs (including textbooks and secondary material), no opportunities for applied education, and little engagement with professors, the completion of a MOOC program doesn’t convey a degree. Additionally, the average MOOC program has less than a 10% completion rate, with most students failing to complete a single course. That being said, for dedicated professionals seeking to gain a set of skills, update their expertise, or stand out in job applications, MOOCs are an increasingly viable and affordable option.

Take the eLearning Africa Survey 2015

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In May this year, the 4th edition of the annual eLearning Africa Report will be published. The Report is the most in-depth study of eLearning on the Continent and features the findings of a comprehensive survey into the impact of technology on education in Africa.

The aim of the Survey is to show how technology is currently being used and to reflect people’s expectations and ideas about its role in education in the future. The eLearning Africa Report is looking for responses from a wide variety of people from many different sectors, including education professionals, students, policymakers, politicians, administrators, managers, investors, health professionals, agricultural workers and entrepreneurs.

Take part in the eLearning Africa Survey: http://survey.elearning-africa.com
[Please note the option at the end of the general survey to proceed to the specialised questions for: women, teachers & educational institutions, agriculture, health, and entrepreneurs.]

You can find out more about the Report and download 2014’s edition, for free, here: http://elearning-africa.com/report

Case Centre Award and Competition Winners of 2015

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Congratulations to all the Case Centre Award and Competition Winners of 2015

The Case Center is proud to announce their 2015 case award and competition winners. The Case Center’s annual case competition celebrates the 14 best examples of case writing and instruction by both international business students and educators.

This year’s Overall Case Winner is Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in 2010 by David B. Yoffie and Renee Kim of Harvard University. The case focused on the impact managerial decisions had on the competition between Coke and Pepsi and industry structure.

The Case Center also proudly recognizes Debapratim Purkayastha, Associate Dean, ICFAI Business School, with the Outstanding Contribution to the Case Method Award. Desbapratim, a consulting editor for Case Folio, led over 40 case method workshops, and pioneered the use of ‘comic book’ cases as a instructional tool.

The following is a list of all of the award and competition winners of 2015 for demonstrating excellence in case writing and teaching:

Outstanding Contribution to the Case Method: Debapratim Purkayastha, ICFAI Business School (IBS)

Overall Award Winner: Cola Wars Continue: Coke and Pepsi in 2010 by David B. Yoffie and Renee Kim, Harvard Business School

Economics, Politics and Business Environment: Goldman Sachs and Its Reputation by David P. Baron, Stanford Graduate School of Business

Entrepreneurship: Dropbox: “It Just Works” by Thomas R. Eisenmann, Michael Pao and Lauren Barley, Harvard Business School

Ethics and Social Responsibility: CSR and the Tobacco Industry: A Contradiction in Terms? By Susan Schneider and Anca Pintilii, GSEM

Finance, Accounting and Control: Roche’s Acquisition of Genentech by Carliss Y. Baldwin, Bo Becker and Vincent Dessain, Harvard Business School

Human Resource Management: Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Google, Inc. by Debapratim Purkayastha and Adapa Srinivasa Rao, IBS

Knowledge, Info and Comm Systems Management: Online Marketing at Big Skinny by Benjamin Edelman and Scott Duke Kominers, Harvard Business School

Marketing: Michelin Fleet Solutions: Form Selling Tires to Selling Kilometers by ChloŽ Renault, FrŽdŽric Dalsace and Wolfgang Ulaga, HEC Paris

Production and Operations Management: Open Innovations at Siemens by Karim R. Lakhani, Katja Hutter and Stephanie Healy Pokrywa, Harvard Business School
Johann FŸller, Innsbruck University School of Management

Strategy and Management: Apple Inc. in 2012 by David B. Yoffie and Penelope Rossano, Harvard Business School

Outstanding Case Writer: Hot Topic ‘Digital Transformation’: Hello bank! The Birth of a Mobile Bank by Steve Muylle and Stijn Viaene, Vlerick Business School

Outstanding New Case Writer: UCSD: A Cancer Cluster in the Literature Building? (A & B) by Laurel C. Austin, Copenhagen Business School

Outstanding Case Teacher: Casey Lichtendahl, University of Virginia Darden School of Business

Click here to find out more about this years award winners!

Brennon Thompson is the Communications & Event Planning Intern at the Global Business School Network

GBSN Panel at the Innovation Arabia 8 Conference

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GBSN has been invited to put together a session for the Innovation Arabia 8 Conference happening in Dubai on February 16 – 18 at the Hamdan Bid Mohammed Smart University. The session will be at noon on February 17th, and will be a plenary session of the conference.

Innovation Arabia 8 will be held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and President of HBMSU. The main theme of this year conference is “Innovate, Collaborate, and Differentiate: Honouring the Past, Treasuring the Present, and Shaping the Future.”

This theme reflects the university belief that, innovation is the path towards growth, progress and a better tomorrow for the Arab World. Innovation can drive sustainable economic and social development for the region. Countries in the Arab World will need to embark on a journey of innovations, prepare the ground for the rise of the creative revolution, creative class and creative society, so their economies are transformed into knowledge economies.

GBSN Session Description

“Excellence and Innovation in Management Education for Emerging Economies”
Businesses in emerging markets are struggling to recruit and retain people with the skills necessary to operate successfully in challenging, and ever-changing political, social and economic climates. But are the models of business education established in the US and Europe appropriate incubators of effective managers for the developing world? How can industry communicate and collaborate with academics to ensure they have access to the talent they need? What role does the development sector have in ensuring education is relevant to local markets?

Join the Global Business School Network (GBSN) for this interactive discussion between academia, industry and the development sector about preparing talent to lead, manage and grow businesses in emerging economies. This session will explore how these sectors can collaborate to find innovative and effective approaches to the management talent shortage.

Panelists

geralyn_mcclureDr. Geralyn Franklyn
Dean, College of Business and Economics, United Arab Emirates University

Prof. Geralyn McClure Franklin is an experienced academic leader, having served as dean of business at three different institutions for 11.5 years and interim dean at one institution for two years, prior to becoming dean of the College of Business and Economics at United Arab Emirates University in August 2014. Dr. Franklin received her PhD from the University of North Texas.

Dr. Franklin has involved faculty, staff, students, alumni, and other stakeholders to set new, and in some cases transformational, strategic directions and initiatives at all four of the business units she has headed previously. She has been successful in securing external funding for student scholarships, faculty professorships, development and support of academic programming, faculty and staff development, building renovations, and the general needs of her units. Additionally, one of Dr. Franklin’s business schools was successful in achieving initial business accreditation from AACSB International, the premier accrediting body of business programs globally. Another college was able to expedite the initial business accreditation process while she was dean and later received initial business accreditation, and two colleges achieved maintenance of accreditation or continuous improvement accreditation under her leadership.

As an academic, Dr. Franklin has published more than 80 journal articles and 50 conference proceedings on human resource management, employment law, and small business and entrepreneurial issues. In addition, she has co-authored five textbooks, most recently Employment Regulation in the Workplace, 2nd Edition (M.E. Sharpe, 2014).

Professionally, Dr. Franklin has been involved in numerous organizations and served in leadership roles throughout her career. She is active in AACSB International, previously serving two three-year elected terms as a member of the board of directors and currently serving as a mentor and peer review team member. Since June 2012, Dr. Franklin has been the senior vice president of finance and control for the International Council for Small Business, the first international membership organization to promote growth and development of small businesses worldwide and now with 15-country based or regional affiliates and members from more than 70 countries. Dr. Franklin is a past president of the United States Association for Small Business and Entrepreneurship, the Small Business Institute Directors’ Association, the Association for Small Business & Entrepreneurship, and the Southwest Academy of Management. She has been named a Fellow of the three small business and entrepreneurship groups.

For almost 30 years, Dr. Franklin has consulted with small and entrepreneurial firms along with some larger organizations. Dr. Franklin advocates for faculty to engage students in real-world business projects and encourage students to seek internships and study abroad or student exchange opportunities as part of their academic coursework and educational experiences.

zaki_khouryDr. Zaki Khoury
Regional Director, International Organizations, Middle East and Africa, Microsoft

Dr. Zaki Khoury leads Microsoft cooperation with International, Multi-lateral, and Bi-lateral Organizations, across Middle East and Africa.

Dr. Khoury is bringing over 25 years of experience in Business Development, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), ICT for Development & Innovation. Previously, he was Gulf Business Manager overlooking the business strategy and operations in the six Gulf countries. He worked closely with governments in the region to leverage ICT for increasing economic competitiveness, addressing social development, and enhancing Business development climate.

Prior to joining Microsoft, Dr. Khoury held senior leadership roles including the International Rescue Committee’s Regional Director for the Middle East region (New York); Principal Development Director for Post-Conflict countries in the Near East at DAI (Washington DC); Director of Education & Employment at the International Youth Foundation (Baltimore), and the World Bank as Regional Coordinator of the Urban Management Program for the Arab States (Cairo). He also provided consultancy to OTI, USAID, and CIDA on Economic & Social Development in Middle East, Africa and West Asia.

Dr. Khoury has a PhD in Planning (Montreal), a Master in Economics & Urban Development Planning (London), a Master in Environmental Management (Senghor), and a BSc. in Engineering. Author of a number of articles on Urban Economics, Entrepreneurship and SMEs Development, and Innovation – he is a member of the US-Dubai Business Council, Society of the International Development and EF Council for Science, Technology, and Innovation. In 2007, Dr. Khoury moved with his wife and two kids, Alex (13) & Annie (9), from Maryland (US) to be currently based in Dubai.

More information is at http://www.innovationarabia.ae/
Nicole Zefran is the Network Coordinator at the Global Business School Network

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