INTERVIEW
in terms of methodological innovations that before might have been more risky.
We must make big changes now so that we can be leaders in what’s coming next.
we should educate the next generation of business professionals with this critical concept of purpose as a core part of their training and thinking. This is inspiring, as business has the power to play a positive role in shaping the future of our planet and society. What are the biggest challenges facing international Business Schools over the coming 18 months? The education sector in general has become very dynamic in recent years, with new entrants, new technologies, and the need to adapt to unexpected forces such as the global pandemic, major political and societal trends and various other factors. This is is particularly true for Business Schools. So think we have some self-reflection to do in order to understand where our sector is heading.
What innovations in business education have inspired you most over the past 18 months? I think various forces at work in the world have given rise to questions about the role of business in society, and in the world more generally. We are living at a time of great challenges – such as pandemics, climate change, poverty and inequality, social and politcial division, cyberwarfare and ongoing regional conflicts. When I talk to both aspiring and rising business professionals, I repeatedly hear the word ‘purpose’. People want to link their work and their lives with a broader, self-defined sense of purpose, meaning, and impact – beyond their own professional results. Business Schools are embracing this and we are asking ourselves important questions about how
And finally: do you feel optimistic about the future of business, Business Schools, and the global economy? There are some major upheavals happening at the moment, and predicting where the global economy might be heading is difficult. I am cautiously optimistic about its direction, but current events could change things very quickly. With respect to the future of business education, I am very optimistic. Business – however it may evolve – will always be a driver of markets, economies and society. The career opportunities available to young and rising professionals are enormous, and I see the overall demand for business education continuing to grow – even if the relative demand for one programme category over another might vary.
Lee Newman is Dean of IE Business School and Professor of Behavioral Science & Leadership at IE University. He was formerly an enagagement manager at McKinsey & Co (Chicago) and a founder and senior manager in two tech startups (New York City). He holds a PhD in Cognitive Psychology and Computer Science (U Michigan), an MBA (MIT Sloan) and a ScB in engineering (Brown University).
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Ambition | BE IN BRILLIANT COMPANY
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