By Darija Miletic
There are eight billion of us pressing against and transgressing 6 of the 9 planetary boundaries that are critical to maintain the stability and resilience of the Earth system as a whole. But not only is environmental collapse accelerating, geopolitical conflicts are escalating, global governance systems are fragmenting, and social inequality and discontent is on the rise. Faced with this confluence of challenges or crises, it’s clear that Business- and Management Education must play a pivotal role in addressing these challenges and do so through a unified effort. But how might collective impact through deeper collaboration within, across and beyond the business school community come about?
Whilst calls for intervention and alignment at a system-wide level through collaboration “beyond the logo” aren’t new, the collective impact envisaged and urgently needed has not yet materialised. The dominant competitive logic seems to starve collective efforts of resources at a time when we find ourselves, collectively, in a space of crucial need. It seems more important and more difficult than ever to galvanise and align efforts.
From its inception, and built into the founding call of GRLI, lives the aspiration to scale the positive impact of responsible management education initiatives and globally responsible initiatives by fostering deeper collaboration within, across and beyond the global business education landscape. Recognizing that we represent only a microcosm of the growing ecosystem of business- and management education networks and initiatives, we recently took small steps (with endorsement from our strategic partners AACSB International, EFMD & oikos International) and in co-operation with other entities in the landscape to explore how business- and management education can effectively and collectively respond to these global challenges.
Themes identified by GRLI Partners and Associates
During April and May this year GRLI Partners, Associates and allies convened around an opening place-holder prompt: ‘How might business- and management education collectively, and with urgency, address the meta-crisis to help ensure well-being for all living things?‘
Through interactive discussions held across different timezone slots the prompt was refined and several themes were identified on redefining business education to better address and enable the development of global responsibility in times of perma-crisis. The sessions highlighted a collective aspiration to move beyond traditional, individualistic paradigms towards a more comprehensive, interconnected, and inclusive approach in business education. Some of the notable themese that were surfaced are the following:
- From Well-being to Belonging: Participants emphasized the shift from focusing solely on individual well-being to fostering a sense of belonging. While well-being is challenging to measure and often individualistic, belonging encapsulates community, contribution, and collective responsibility. This shift is crucial for creating environments where individuals feel connected and valued within a larger community.
- Embracing Systems Thinking and Systemic Change: A recurring theme was the need for systems thinking and systemic change. Many global problems are addressed through an individualistic lens, which limits meaningful change. By adopting a holistic perspective, business schools and organizations can better understand the interconnectedness of their actions and their broader impacts. This involves recognizing the interdependence of various elements within systems and fostering collaborative efforts to address complex challenges.
- Breaking Silos and Fostering Interdisciplinarity: Breaking down silos within business schools and promoting interdisciplinarity are essential steps towards systemic transformation. Participants called for more interdisciplinary approaches that connect various fields to tackle complex issues. Integrating excellent but isolated initiatives to create collective wisdom and foster impactful change was also highlighted.
- Responsible Leadership and Educational Transformation: Leadership emerged as a critical factor in driving change. The participants stressed the importance of management and business education in developing future responsible leaders who possess deeper self-awareness, relational skills, and a systemic approach to change. The role of different generations of leaders in advancing global responsibility and sustainability was considered, emphasizing the need for intergenerational collaboration.
- Shared Purpose and Inclusive Engagement: The discussions underscored the importance of a shared purpose and inclusive engagement. Questions such as “How do I, we, all of us stay relevant?” and “What sustains people?” drove conversations about maintaining drive and motivation in a world constantly competing for our attention and energy. Emphasizing shared values and purpose across institutions and sectors is seen as key to sparking new ways of thinking and acting. Inclusivity was also highlighted, with a focus on involving diverse perspectives from various stakeholders, including business schools, accreditation bodies, and associations from different regions.
The sessions advocated for reimagining management education to include a “whole person” approach, focusing on relational skills like empathy and a growth mindset. Incorporating multidisciplinary courses and leveraging technology were seen as vital for developing well-rounded perspectives and addressing real-world challenges. The potential for undergraduate management education to evolve beyond a mere precursor to MBA programs was also discussed.
The discussions also reflected a growing recognition of the need for ongoing dialogue, collaboration, and action across diverse networks and communities. By embracing belonging, systems thinking, shared purpose, and interdisciplinarity, business education can better prepare future leaders to navigate and address the complexities of global responsibility and sustainability.
A Journey Towards Collective Impact
It is clear that asking “What’s in it for me?” needs to make way for: “What’s in it for all of us?” Similarly the GRLI’s call for a shift from the ‘I’, to the ‘We’, to the ‘All of Us’ as pathway to fostering deeper collaboration needs to travel beyond the GRLI itself. By adopting a living systems approach the GRLI can act as a catalyst that helps with ‘connecting more of the system to itself’.
How might this journey play out? It appears to involve a few elements:
- Continuous Distillation of Emergent Questions: Regularly identifying and refining the critical questions or inquiries that need to be focussed on.
- Creating Contextual Resonance Across the Ecosystem: Ensuring that initiatives are relevant and impactful within diverse contexts.
- Cross-Pollinating Ideas and Learning Loops: Facilitating the exchange of ideas and lessons learned to evolve both the inquiry and the process.
- Acting Towards Collective Societal Impact: Transcending boundaries and egos to engage deeply with global challenges.
As we confront the intertwined challenges of our time, the role of business- and management education becomes more critical than ever. By embracing a shift from individualistic thinking to a collective mindset, from well-being to belonging, and from silos to systems, we can pave the way for a truly transformative approach. The journey toward global responsibility is not one that any institution or individual can undertake alone. It requires a unified effort, where each of us—within and beyond the GRLI—commits to asking the hard questions, fostering collaboration, and driving meaningful change. Together, by connecting more of the system to itself, we can cultivate the relational innovation needed to address the perma-crisis and ensure a sustainable, thriving future for all.
