The University of Strathclyde Business School is delighted to be working with the industry group 'Be the Business' to deliver the first 'Productivity through People' (PtP) programme in Scotland. This programme follows successful pilots in the North West and South West of England and will become part of UK-wide movement on improved productivity.
The preview event took place on January 23 giving attendees the chance to meet the industrial partners and hear first-hand from a company that has benefited from participating in one of the pilot programmes. Strathclyde's delivery team led the session and were joined by speakers Andrew Murphy, Group Productivity & Change Director of The John Lewis Partnership, who talked on "The importance of Productivity through People" and Chris Blade, Cumbria Crystal on "A participant's view of Productivity through People".
Dr Viktor Dörfler of the Management Science Department has been on a roadshow with the topic 'Big Data, Artificial Intelligence and the Human Intuition'. He has delivered this talk in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Muscat, and on 5th February was in New York.
His talk is addressing the question whether AI will ever match the masterful leadership of an outstanding CEO, deeply moving writing of a great poet, or nurturing care of a hospital nurse.
Based on interviews with some of the world's top scientists, including 17 Nobel Laureates, as well as with 18 of the world's best chefs, Dr Dörfler takes the stand on inimitability of exceptional human performance. In this talk, Dr Dörfler contrasts the way computers process data with the way human experts think, explores the difference between learning algorithms of Artificial Intelligence and human learning and argues that while Big Data Analysis can get us more data and faster, it is not, and will never be, an adequate substitute for human thinking. The most exceptional achievements of the future, according to Dr Dörfler, will result from the intuitive knowledge of smart people who are supported by smart technology, rather than just by smart technology alone.
Professor Peter McKiernan (Strategy and Organisation) led the CEEMAN accreditation team to the Othman Yeop Abdullah Graduate School of Business, University of Utara, Malaysia.
'OYA" has gained AMBA and AACSB accreditations already, and was keen to make its 'triple crown'. The School was founded in 1984 but remained part of the larger College of Business until 2011. Since then, it has exploded onto the post graduate research scene with a vengeance - securing over 70 PhDs, 4 DMgmt and 140 DBA students. Their MBA cohort has fallen from a peak of 518 in 2012 to 217 in 2016, as a result of tightening admissions criteria imposed by AMBA and AACSB. Their main market is in Kuala Lumpur, where they are about to move into new premises. Malaysia is one of the toughest business school markets in the world and they seem to be thriving in it.
Bethan Goodwin a first year Accounting and Finance student, has been selected as a member of Team Scotland to attend the commonwealth Games in the Gold coast, Australia later this year.
MBA Presentation Ceremonies took place in Abu Dhabi, Bahrain and Oman during January 2018. These were attended by Professor Peter McKiernan, Mr Alan McIntyre and Dr Ron Bradfield.
In Oman the ceremony took place at the College of Banking & Financial Studies on Wednesday 17 January 2018; in Bahrain at the Gulf Hotel on Thursday 18 January 2018; and in the UAE, the ceremony was held in Abu Dhabi at the Emirates Hall, Abu Dhabi Women's College on Saturday 20 January 2018.
Richard Baker, Emeritus Professor at Strathclyde Business School, has a new book published: "Tourism and Religion: Issues and Implications," edited by Prof R.W. Butler and Dr W. Suntikul, Channelview Publications, Bristol, 2018.