"Theory to Practice: Teaching Strategic Management"
At last, a PDW which has something for everyone who teaches strategy, and which does not require advanced registration! Just show up! - Saturday, August 8, 2009
- 1:10 3:10 pm
- Hyatt Regency Comiskey
What is actually being taught in U.S. universities in Strategic Management classes? Are the intellectual developments in the field being brought into the classroom? Is there a systematic disconnect between the agreed-to definition of the field and what is being transferred to students? Almost no efforts within our field through publications or conferences - are devoted to effective translation of research/theory to practice in the classroom, at any level (undergrad, MBA, exec ed). It somehow just happens, left up to textbook authors who select content for their books, or to individuals who eschew texts and pursue their teaching by assembling their own materials idiosyncratically.
This PDW is designed to engage the BPS community in conversation about what we teach and how we teach it. There are two parts:
1) "What we say versus what we do" - The results of a nationwide survey of strategy/BPS faculty are presented to shed light on important questions for strategy education. The findings of this research are surprising, and argue for greater attention on how theory is translated to practice.
2) "Emergent domains in teaching strategy" - The dearth of published papers about teaching strategy and the different approaches (or none at all in some cases) adopted by textbooks result in inconsistent approaches for translating theory to practice. This is especially true for recently-emergent domains in the field. BPS division members recognized for their expertise in teaching will briefly present their own approaches, the challenges of doing so, and suggest key questions that remain:
- Teaching resource based theory - by Chuck Bamford, Queens University of Charlotte
- Teaching sustainability - by Tom Dean, Colorado State University
- Teaching strategic entrepreneurship - by Lowell Busenitz, University of Oklahoma
Roundtable discussions will allow for sharing of ideas. You are sure to emerge from this PDW with useful knowledge to put into practice in your own classroom.
We look forward to seeing you there on Saturday afternoon.
Page West
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Page West, Ph.D.
Professor, Strategy & Entrepreneurship
BB&T Fellow in Capitalism and Free Enterprise
Schools of Buisness
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, NC 27109-7285
westgp@wfu.edu
336.758.4260
336.758.6133 (fax)
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