Cynthia Simmons, PhD

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Cynthia Simmons, PhD Associate Dean Academic,
Planning and Priorities Haskayne School of
Business
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Area of Specialization Managerial
Accounting Birthplace Raymondville, Texas Time
in Canada 21 years Number of Children 1 Number
of Grandchildren 1 Number of Dogs 2
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(No Transcript)
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Topic for Today Business Faculties in the Next
Decade
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Role of Business Faculties
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• I believe that Business Schools play a critical
  role in our society.
• They train individuals to run our commercial
  sector ideally in a manner that is both
  efficient and effective and in line with the
  broader goals and morals of our society.
• They also carry out research on the nature of
  commercial activity what is and is needed for
  the creation and exchange of wealth.
• These are not esoteric activities having minimal
  impact on the lives of the broader population,
  rather they are critical to our daily existence
  and can and do define who we are as a people.

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From Haskayne Mission We create and
communicate knowledge of critical significance
while contributing to the development of our
students as leaders of moral character with
professional ability equal to the best in the
field.
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From Memorial Mission To prepare (individuals)
to compete, succeed, and become leaders in an
economy driven by innovative thinking,
entrepreneurial excellence, and in-depth
knowledge of the global business environment.
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• Challenges Facing Business Schools in the Near
  Future
• Demographics Baby Boomers Retiring
• Financial Recession, Drop in Commodity Prices
• Changing Technologies Instant Global
  Communication

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• Challenge - Demographics Baby Boomers Retiring
• Response by Faculty
• Ongoing recruiting of young energetic PhD
  qualified staff
• The increased use of professionally qualified
  individuals
• Focus on retention positive work environment,
  competitive salaries, increased use of
  Fellowships and Chairs
• Support for individuals to complete their PhD

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• Challenge - Demographics Baby Boomers Retiring
• Opportunity for Students
• Increased availability of jobs for skilled
  professionals
• Increased access to leadership positions
• Increased political influence
• For Schools this means more focus on
• Developing leaders
• Mastery of discipline based knowledge
• Mastery of organizational understanding
• Social and Environmental Responsibility

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Insights from visit to MUN Impact of
Demographic shift is of deep and immediate
concern - but it relates to the drop in overall
(and especially rural) population. What is the
right size for the Faculty? Who will our students
be?
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• Challenge - Financial Recession, Drop in
  Commodity Prices, General uncertainty of
  revenues
• Response by Faculty
• Have a clear and accurate understanding of your
  financial position at all times
• Live within your means
• But spend what you have in a manner designed to
  enhance quality and reputation
• Work hard to get more

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• Challenge - Financial Recession, Drop in
  Commodity Prices
• Opportunity for Students
• Time to enhance academic/business skills
• Time to focus on community
• Create new businesses and new business models
• For Schools this means more focus on
• Mastery of discipline based knowledge applied
  to innovative situations
• Developing leaders (co-op, student/business
  leader interaction)
• Support for entrepreneurship (we dont know the
  next big thing)

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Insights from visit to MUN Impact of Global
Financial Downturn less significant here. May
create positive advantage. Slow down of
development - not reversal. Keeping the best and
brightest home. Attracting more of those from
elsewhere seeking educational retrenchment.
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• Challenge - Changing Technology Instant Global
  Communication
• Response by Faculty
• Have available advanced technologies for
  teaching, learning and research
• Include in curriculum information on global
  trends and their impact on local economy
• Joint programs with other institutions
  internationally
• Support for faculty sabbaticals and research
  partnerships

Increased interaction with institutions/business
around Canada and the World.
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• Challenge - Changing Technology Instant Global
  Communication
• Opportunity for Students
• Increased speed of knowledge diffusion
• Increased transparency
• The world is their oyster
• For Schools this means more focus on
• Student exchange
• Attracting students from away
• Bringing the world into the classroom
• Taking the classroom to the world
• Producing/knowing cutting edge research
  findings and bringing that into our teaching

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Insights from visit to MUN Already there. Use
of technology strong, believer/leader in distance
education, program offerings across the
globe. Challenge will be not to spread
yourselves to thin.
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Business Faculties in the Next Decade (How will
we look in 10 years)
The same but different. We will still teach
Accounting, Marketing, Labour Relations,
Entrepreneurship, Finance, etc., in classrooms
with personal interaction between teacher and
student. We will still divide our time between
teaching, research, and service. We will still
have to fight for money. We will still have to
sell the value of our work and contribution to
the broader society But
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Business Faculties in the Next Decade (How will
we look in 10 years)

• But
• Newer more diverse faces teaching.
• More diverse faces learning.
• A stronger relationship and interaction with the
  outside community.
• An increased focus on the application of high
  level skills to innovative arenas.
• A more rapid diffusion of research findings into
  practice
• A more global focus.

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Questions?