The Conference

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SHAPING THE FUTURE OF WORK AND BUSINESS EDUCATION

Digital technologies, such as the internet of things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, robotics, blockchain, and virtual and augmented reality are leaving a lasting impact on the way we work, live, and communicate. These rapidly emerging technologies are radically transforming areas of cognitive and physical work, enhancing efficiency, and opening new opportunities and new challenges increasing the complexity of decision-making. As a result, management roles are evolving in constantly renewed directions. In this digital era, managers work alongside intelligent machines that perform many cognitive tasks hitherto performed exclusively by humans. Academic and industry leaders need to work together to debate and exploit the potential of digital technologies today and shape the future of work and business education to foster digital and leadership skills in preparation for future challenges.

A NEW STYLE OF LEADERSHIP IS REQUIRED

A new leadership style is required, where digital savviness is essential, together with an increased focus on collaboration, transparency, entrepreneurship, diversity, and inclusion. Additionally, the development of digital technologies converges with the trajectories of deepening environmental problems and increasing sociopolitical turbulence, making risk awareness and risk management top priorities. This results in new ethical challenges as business needs to pursue sustainability and responsibility. Decision-makers here often find themselves in unchartered waters.

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THE EFFECTS OF THE DIGITAL ERA

The changes of the digital era affect commerce, the public sector, and education. New skills and mindsets are needed to be competitive and to match the emerging new roles when traditional leadership and management roles are disappearing. Businesses that want to become more digitally savvy need a well-educated workforce, either by upskilling their existing staff or by hiring new graduates. To produce graduates that meet the skill demands of newly digital employers, Business Schools are urgently revising and retooling existing programs and curricula. HR managers are already focusing on attracting digitally savvy candidates that also possess a set of meta-skills that have been identified as critical for success in the digital era. This leaves policy makers with the task of creating frameworks, incentives, and policies that encourage investment in broad-based research and teaching of digital concepts across disciplines and along the whole working life of individuals.

THE MACUDE INITIATIVE

Business programs all over the world are preparing students for the sweeping changes taking place today. The MaCuDE project (www.macude.org), led by Stevens Institute of Technology, systematically addresses these issues. The initiative is sponsored by AACSB International, supported by PwC, and involves more than 100 business schools globally. While the MaCuDE teams have already identified interesting results, significant research worldwide is examining the future of work, the changing roles of management, the new skills needed in the digital era, how curricula should change, and how modalities of delivery will change.

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A UNIQUE CONFERENCE

This conference is unique in that it will bring together academic leaders, academic researchers, and industry leaders to discuss new results on management and leadership in the digital era, as well the impact of digital on business and on education. The conference will feature selected papers presenting innovative research results and their business impact, as well as discussion papers and panels by academic leaders and industry leaders on their vision about the future of Business Schools and business education in view of the opportunities in the digital era.

In addition, the conference extension will give the opportunity to participants to attend presentations of important funded research initiatives, engage in networking for possible collaborations in funded research, meet experts and discuss potential collaborations in research projects, and participate in presentations of doctoral research.

More specifically, the conference will explore:

The Impact on Business

The digital transformation of business is one of the items at the top of the agenda of every CEO. New skills and mindsets are needed to be competitive and to match the emerging new roles when traditional leadership and management roles are disappearing. In the conference, academic researchers and industry leaders will shed light on the impact of digital on business with innovative results and impactful presentations.

The Impact on Business Schools

To produce graduates that meet the skill demands of newly digital employers, Business Schools are urgently revising and retooling existing programs and curricula by infusing more technology, creating new programs that address the changing needs, reconfiguring delivery modalities, and more. In the conference, academic leaders will present innovative ideas and plans on how to address the challenges and opportunities of business education in the digital era.

The Impact on Business Research

The digital era and the transformation of the workplace create significant opportunities and expectations for impactful research. Academic journals publish papers on applications of the digital technologies on business, and research grants are increasingly pursued to examine the future of work, the changing roles of management, the new skills needed in the digital era, and more. Conference participants will benefit from presentations of successful funded research initiatives or doctoral projects, networking with experts, and exploring possible collaborations in research.