managerial and ethical foundations. Thirdly, the Glasgow MBA approach to leadership starts with self-awareness of individuals; they will become better team members who will, in turn, effectively lead organisations and society for the greater good. “Finally, it embraces Adam Smith’s legacy while preparing people for the 21st century and the future, encompassing ethical wealth co‑creation, sustainable development, data-driven decisions and continuous exploration of technological changes such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, augmented reality and the Internet of Things.” How would you define the new generation of business leaders? What skills, qualities, capabilities and mindsets do they need? “This question allows me to expand on the Glasgow MBA approach to leadership. During our thorough review of the programme, we questioned the wisdom of using the word ‘leader’ due to prevailing stereotypes. The programme’s cohort already includes millennials; we anticipate that millennials and GenZ participants will soon become a significant proportion of each cohort. Therefore, changes introduced to the programme must consider the characteristics of those generations. “Studies show they may behave in a different way when becoming business leaders. Therefore, I would say that the new generation of business leaders is characterised by its interaction with social media platforms, such as Twitter, TikTok and Instagram. Sometimes this lacks a critical approach to the ‘information’ consumed, as well as having a thirst for ‘social approval’. “Among other skills, qualities and capabilities, the following is essential: a critical mindset, resilient attitude, courage to dissent and long-term commitment; plus the ability to see the value of co-creation, teamwork and responsible management. In addition, I would say that it is important for the new generations to better embrace the dimensions of authority, responsibility and accountability that leaders must exercise.” Sustainability is a huge hot-button topic for MBA students – for instance, Insead is refreshing its curriculum by embedding sustainability into all its core courses. Are there any plans afoot at the University of Glasgow to reflect this growing interest? “It is key that leaders of organisations are fully aware of the impact their decisions may have on people and the planet. However, MBA programmes (and academia at large) must help leaders to better understand what is required and how to operate during the stage of transition the world is living through. The University of Glasgow, the business school and the MBA programme are all implementing initiatives to respond to these challenges and to equip graduates. “For instance, MBA students discuss how the world is moving from a Western-dominant perspective to a multi-perspective world and how sustainability concepts apply across all the managerial subjects, including strategy, accounting, finance, marketing and HR. “The MBA promotes a critical approach to what sustainable development could mean under different conditions: developed countries and businesses operating within their boundaries versus developing countries and businesses, high and low biodiversity, or communities at risk versus powerful corporations. The intrinsic value of the triple‑bottom‑line approach, synthesised as profit-people-planet,
The University of Glasgow is blending traditional lecture methods with new technology
sheds light on assessing how socially and environmentally responsible organisations’ operations are, rather than relying only on financial performance indicators. Business leaders must consider that there are trade-offs and alternatives to a zero-sum game.” How do you believe technology will continue to impact and disrupt the business school environment? In particular, how will you manage developments such as ChatGPT in order to ensure that it complements, but does not replace, original thinking and research? “We must recognise that the pace of change shows no indication of slowing down. Therefore, education in general, higher education and more specifically business education will be very much disrupted in the years to come. People are adopting new tools and different approaches when learning. The mode of delivery used by schools must evolve so students are well equipped for the work demands they will face after graduation. “ChatGPT must be seen as a tool that might help people in their learning journey, just like for instance a calculator, laptop, smartphone or AI apps. Technological changes have already impacted education, including online learning, data analytics and virtual and augmented reality immersive experiences. With that said, tools could also hinder the learning processes of individuals. “ChatGPT is the latest tool; it might be the next step after web browsers, with the difference that the algorithm could be the one learning rather than the person using the tool. I am encouraging MBA students to use ChapGPT and similar technologies so they get a quick start when answering a question. However, from there they should
20 | Ambition | JUNE 2023
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