B-School Deans, Others Offer 2019 Predictions

Fuqua Dean William Boulding. Justin Cook photo

PESSIMISM BALANCED WITH A LITTLE OPTIMISM

One school offered a bummer of a prediction. In its quarterly survey of chief financial officers, Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business found a pervasive pessimism about the country’s economic outlook. The survey findings show about half of CFOs predict a recession by the end of 2019. “The end is near for the near-decade-long burst of global economic growth,” said John Graham, a Fuqua finance professor and director of the survey. “The U.S. outlook has declined, and moreover, the outlook is even worse in many other parts of the world, which will lead to softer demand for U.S. goods.”

Fuqua Dean Bill Boulding, however, had a more hopeful outlook. Not surprisingly, he focused his prognostication on the positive impacts of tech.

“I predict business school graduates are going to become even more important in the tech sector in 2019,” Boulding tells P&Q. “Tech innovation is happening so rapidly that it’s essential that the people leading that innovation be thinking not just about the direct possibility and opportunity due to the innovation but the also the broader societal implications. Just because we can do something, does not always mean we should. Innovation can unlock extraordinary possibilities and has given us so much — but there are also ethical implications to be considered. We cannot outsource the role of human judgment to technology nor can we afford to allow technology to disconnect us from our humanity.

“Business school graduates are uniquely positioned to help lead technology innovation. Students from some business school programs learn deep technical competencies alongside leadership and communication skills. That can be a powerful combination in developing leaders in technology who are able to understand, analyze and adapt for the long-game, while executing at the fast pace demanded in tech. (Full disclosure: I’m a little biased here since we have a Management Science and Technology Management track in our full-time MBA program and a one-year degree in data analytics which would fall into this category).

“It’s no secret that tech companies have become a top employer of business school graduates — Duke included — and I expect that to continue in 2019. That also makes me very hopeful for the future of tech innovation and the value that’s already being demonstrated by business school hires.”

IT’S ALL ABOUT WHAT TECH CAN DO IN 2019

Tech is clearly on everyone’s minds as the new year gets underway. Prashant Malaviya, Georgetown University McDonough School of Business senior associate dean for MBA programs, says the possibilities are limitless, in education and the overall business landscape. Schools can best take advantage of this with expanded experiential offerings, he adds.

“Technology allows business schools to reimagine the future of leadership and management education that aligns with changes in the future of work,” Malaviya says. “We should expect to see an increase in demand from employers seeking graduates who are prepared to pursue technology-focused careers.

“Also, students are interested in academic exposure to the evolving fields of business and impact. Business schools should anticipate expanding both rigorous coursework and experiential learning opportunities to foster ethical leadership and leverage business as a force for good.”

DON’T MISS B-SCHOOL DEANS SHARE 2019 NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS and B-SCHOOLS PREDICT WHAT AWAITS IN 2018