AMBA & BGA ASIA PACIFIC CONFERENCE REVIEW
move away from fragmented facts towards ‘organic’ knowledge. This holistic approach allows students to see the big picture, understanding how every decision ripples across an entire organisation. Lastly, Yokoyama touched on optimising the learning ecosystem. The perceived tension between case volume and structured building provides an opportunity for innovation. By evolving teaching models, schools can integrate high-impact cases with streamlined, foundational theory, thereby creating a more potent learning experience.
( Clockwise from above ) Universiti Utara Malaysia deputy vice-chancellor of academic and international, Mohd Azizuddin Mohd Sani and Hassan Abu Bakar, dean of the Othman Yeop Abdullah Graduate School of Business, discussed fostering agile strategic growth; AMBA & BGA’s international advisor for China, Zhongming Wang, hosted a session on how the Silk Road network is promoting sustainable leadership; Sarah Kelly, head of school at QUT Graduate School of Business, looked at how sport can be used to engage students in business education
How schools can learn from sport Sarah Kelly, head of school at QUT Graduate School of Business, did a deep dive into how sport can be leveraged to engage students in business education, given that it’s a global high-growth sector that intersects with numerous pressing issues, including health, diplomacy and human rights. In terms of AI and data for instance, Leicester City Football Club, owned by the King Power Group, is considered the gold standard in how a medium-sized organisation can disrupt an industry dominated by giants. While the big clubs were spending hundreds of millions on famous stars, Leicester’s ownership invested in a world-class data department. They used predictive analytics to find undervalued players such as N’Golo Kanté and Riyad Mahrez. Lessons on climate resilience can also be learned from sport, argued the QUT representative. As seen in the lead-up to Brisbane 2032, athletes are increasingly running in heat that pushes the limits of human physiology. This is a human rights issue, as children in hotter, more deprived areas are losing their safe access to sport, which is vital for health and development in line with the UN’s sustainable development goal number three on good health and wellbeing. Partnerships was another area that Kelly touched on. One of the most significant recent shifts in sport business, as seen in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia, is ‘unbundling’. Previously, women’s sponsorship was often a throw-in with the men’s package, but now it is sold separately. This teaches students about asset valuation; by separating the assets, FIFA proved that the women’s game has its own unique, highly engaged audience. “Cultural movements are born from cultural moments”, declared Kelly, in the context of the Australian women’s national rugby union team, the Wallaroos. Players launched a public campaign protesting pay disparity and inferior resources compared to the men’s team, which led to Rugby Australia increasing investment and committing to an ongoing process to secure full professionalisation. This is stakeholder activism; it shows students that today’s consumers don’t just want a product – they want to support an organisation that stands for something, pointed out the QUT Graduate School of Business head. Other points made by Kelly included the fact that “high performance and socially responsible leadership are not mutually exclusive” and the concept of “sports diplomacy”, which helps build relationships between nations.
Unlocking the power of case method education After a talk from CELM Asia managing director Kyoko Nakamura on how the company has supported executive talent development at many major Japanese companies, Kenji Yokoyama, dean of external relations at NUCB Business School, took to the floor to analyse the pros and cons of one of business education’s most impactful teaching tools, the case method. While the case study focuses on retrospective analysis, the case method emphasises decision-making without any single right answer; crucially, students must think from the protagonist’s perspective. Yokoyama described the case method as “wisdom in action”, helping students to practise integrating knowledge, making decisions and reflecting on outcomes. The NUCB dean then went on to outline what he sees as the essential pillars of the case method system that can be used to develop world-class leaders. First up is accelerating wisdom through immersive practice: the cumulative effect of engaging with numerous diverse scenarios creates a leadership instinct. This intensive practice transforms students from passive learners into seasoned problem- solvers, ready for the complexities of the global market. Then there is the synergy of knowledge and application: true wisdom is the bridge between what we know and how we use it. By balancing case-based learning with a robust knowledge foundation, schools can ensure that the next generation of leaders acts with informed, strategic precision. Cultivating integrated expertise is also an important factor: the goal of the modern case method is to
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