Expanding global activities into the community through outreach is another way the SBA and its Center for Integrated Business Research and Education (CIBRE) builds global understanding within the community. The following highlights global outreach activities through the SBA’s CIBRE.
Events expand understanding for business community
A series of events addressed international economic and organizational challenges for business professionals, faculty members and students.
With a focus on the global business market from the perspective of lean thinking, information systems leadership and health care, the SBA hosted a business conference last October offering attendees valuable information and insight. The conference brought business practitioners and academic leaders from across the country together to collaboratively identify and answer questions challenging businesses today to advance business, research and education. In all, more than 30 academic and business leaders in various industries shared their insight and expertise with more than 150 attendees.
During the conference, high school students from the International Academy in Bloomfield Hills presented posters under the guidance of Dr. Yash Lakra, M.D. and general surgeon from Pontiac Oakwood Hospital. For the session, the students analyzed health care policies from 23 countries ranging from Andorra and Argentina to Spain and the UK on affordability, availability and quality.
Additional events throughout the year highlighted the importance of cultivating global understanding. From the 2009 Gorlin Lecture by Michael Mussa of the Petersen Institute for International Economics titled “The Global Nature of the Current Economic and Financial Crisis” to the sponsoring the World Trade Week topic “Brazil: Emerging Market in the South,” and discussions with delegations from Taiwan covering product quality, the events crossed the globe.
Others invited exploration into compelling topics, such as “Does International Diversification Matter?” and the “Global Employees in a World of Cultural Differences” panel discussion in partnership with the Auburn Hills Chamber of Commerce that presented strategies for successful participation in the global marketplace.
While still more imparted insight into complex matters, from the future of manufacturing in the CIBRE’s Business Futures Council meeting to the Back to Business breakfast that focused on “Michigan in the 21st Century Globalized Economy: A Requiem or a Renaissance?” offering a keynote by senior economist Thomas Klier of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, on the impact of globalization on the U.S. auto industry and a panel discussion offering insight into how to succeed in the global market.
Future events promise insight and impact
With a focus on the future and the increasing importance of the global marketplace, the SBA’s CIBRE is in the midst of planning events and activities to expand international understanding for business professionals, students, youth and others.
A fall business conference set for Friday, Oct. 9, will offer sessions in ethics, international business, strategy and technology, and new approaches to business education. An expanded summer program for youth that includes business development in multiple disciplines, including integrating the global perspective, is under development.
Plus, the CIBRE at SBA played an instrumental role in bringing the Americas’ Conference on
Information Systems (AMCIS) – an international IS conference
– to Detroit in August 2011. This conference, organized by the Association for Information Systems, is one of the leading conferences for presenting the broadest variety of research done by and for IS and IT academicians in the Western Hemisphere.
Case competition joins students from leading MBA and MIS programs
Together with the Computer Associates, Indiana University at Bloomington and University of Arizona,
OU’s SBA sponsored the first International Case Competition on the strategic value of IT management in Las Vegas last November. Bringing together students from leading MBA and MIS programs from around the world, the competition enabled students to evaluate and demonstrate the strategic value of IT management for the success of global organizations.
The student teams were provided with a case study – the HHS-Connect project for the City of New York – of an organization in the throes of change, and evaluate its IT department and infrastructure and give recommendations on how to align the IT department to better support the changing business environment.
“By presenting the students with a real-world IT management challenge, they gained an experience not unlike those they may face after graduation,” said Connie Smallwood, senior director of University Relations at Computer Associates. “We were incredibly pleased with the quality of work and dedication demonstrated by all the participants. As the need for skilled IT professionals continues to rise and IT systems become increasingly more complex, the outstanding efforts exhibited by the students will be well received in today’s business environment.”
Plans include an annual competition, with the next oneslated for April 2010.