The Biz

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theBIZAshcroft International Business School Magazine|issue 1

reach for the SKIESWhere art and enterprise meet | page 2

10020202

www.anglia.ac.uk/aibs

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WelcomeWelcome to the first 2010 edition of our news bulletin and a belatedHappy New Year to all. A particularly warm welcome is extended toall our recently joined colleagues and new students who join us thissemester.

There are lots of good and exciting stories to be shared in this edition,many interesting projects and innovations and some great stories ofstaff and student success. I won’t go on as you read this about howbusy things are – a tremendous amount of hard work is going on –well done. I also know there are lots of other great things going onso please keep the stories coming in to Christine Durrant.

It has really crept up on me recently as to how busy we are and howmuch we have grown over the last 4 years as a School We havemore than doubled in size in terms of revenue and student numbers,with particularly significant expansion in terms of internationalstudents on our campuses and also with our collaborative partners inthe UK and overseas. We now have over 6000 students studying onour programmes on campus and off-campus – the largest faculty inour University.

I hope you find the blending of our staff and student stories anengaging and interesting read. For obvious reasons the ‘home’campus for our students tends to be their reference point for what isgoing on in the School and wider University – but as you can seethings are busy all over. One of our biggest campus locations is nowTrinidad where we have been working with our local partner theSchool of Accounting and Management for many years. We haverecently launched our MBA out there and a cohort of doctoralstudents has just started.

It will not have gone unnoticed to our Cambridge students the re-development work going on on-campus and in just over 18 monthswe should have a new purpose built building for AshcroftInternational Business School. Once again the School has received agenerous donation from Lord Ashcroft, our Chancellor, to support thefacility.

We face some challengingtimes in the university sectorover the next two years – thiswill impact us all – staff andstudents. However, I do hopewe can take confidence fromthe kind of success stories youread here and where we havecome from over the last fewyears. I look forward to fillingour future editions of thisnewsletter with new successand achievement stories – soplease keep them coming in.

Martin ReynoldsProfessor Vice Chancellorand Dean

Editorial

Welcome to the first newly combined issue of AIBS magazine‘The Biz’ which is aimed at keeping both students and staff up-to-date with news and events in our School. Thank you to thoseof you who submitted articles for this issue, please keep thestories coming. We would particularly like to receive some goodnews stories from students and also from our partner institutionsboth in the UK and overseas.

Contact us:

The next issue of ‘The Biz’ is due out in May 2010 and weinvite you to submit copy for this to Christine Durrant [email protected]. Topics of interest could includethose related to: Good news stories, Personal and academicachievements, Events, Research, International visits and Diarydates, etc.

…… or anything else you think may be of interest to your fellowstudents and/or colleagues. We would also welcome yourfeedback on the magazine, particularly on ways of improving it.

Contents1. Welcome2. Reach for the Skies3. Beyond the Codes4. What Happens Next?5. The ‘Beermat Entrepreneur’6. Building a Business that Packs a Punch7. Exclusive Film Show8. National Student Survey 20109. Students organise groundbreaking International Forum

Event10. Business @ Ashcroft Pub Quiz11. Student Representation

Take part in FLUX 20102009 Graduation Prize Winners

12. CIPD Prize Winners13. Inaugural Annual Lecture of Ashcroft Enterprise Society14. Seasonal Events15. Discover Postgraduate Study at Anglia Ruskin16. AIBS student teams win through to semi-finals of the

IBM UBC17. Graduating in 2010?18. Institute of International Management Practice19. New Global Academic Standard launched in Malaysia20. KBU – ARU graduates continue the tradition of

excellence21. 10th IFSAM World Congress22. Doing Business in China: is the importance of guanxi

diminishing?23. 9th European Conference on Research Methodologies24. New Members of Staff

Congratulations!25. First ever Sunrise Walk is a hit26. Anglia Ruskin Alumnus leads food campaign27. An Educational Milestone

People and planet really matter28. 2009 Essex Business Excellence Awards

Diary DatesProfessor Martin Reynolds

EVENTS

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Reach for the Skies

Where art and enterprise meet in aseries of incredible journeys.

An exhibition and workshop on creativity, innovation, riskand enterprise.

Ruskin Gallery 16th-25th March, 2010.

As part of the actions being coordinated by the AshcroftInternational Business School to embed enterprise andentrepreneurship across Anglia Ruskin University, a series ofworkshops will be taking place in the Ruskin Gallery. Acollaborative event between the Ashcroft International BusinessSchool, Cambridge School of Art and the Ruskin Gallery, Reachfor the Skies is a unique workshop which explores enterprise,innovation and creativity through the inspirational journeys ofChris Dobrowolski.

Chris Dobrowolski is a driven man. An artist and entrepreneur,his work has focused on a series of incredible journeys invehicles “knocked up in his garden shed” .

From home made boats and cars, to sledges and planes, Chris’incredible journeys have taken him to far flung parts of theworld from Colchester to Japan, and even Hull to Antarctica!

• What drives him to take incredible risksin the name of art?

• Why is he considered so enterprising?• How do art and enterprise connect?• Why do business leaders from all over the world come

and listen to Chris’ incredible story?

Chris’ most famous work, an aeroplane from his exhibitiontitled Skyscape/Escape, will be brought into the Ruskin Galleryto form the centrepiece of the workshops. This represents aunique opportunity for all staff and students of Anglia RuskinUniversity to see Chris’ plane, to listen to his incredible storyand to be inspired to think about about their own context forenterprise and innovation.

Workshops will be running at the following times:

Wednesday 17th March – 14:00-16:00Wednesday 17th March – 17:00-19:00Wednesday 24th March – 14:00-16:00Wednesday 24th March – 17:00-19:00Thursday 25th March – 14:00-16:00

Spaces for the workshops are strictly limited and must bebooked in advance. If you would like to reserve a place orwould like more information on the workshops, please [email protected].

Skyscape Escape. Aeroplane (H.M.14), built from teachests newspaper and an old car engine.

Beyond the Codes:How Corporate GovernanceReally WorksAshcroft International Business School | Chelmsford Campus

Tuesday 23rd February 2010 | SAW 105 | 10.00 -14.00with buffet lunch | booking essential

ALL WELCOME To reserve your placeE: [email protected]

Talks by

Tom Bonham-Carter Adviser to FTSE companies on board-governance relationships;previously Chief Executive of Barclays Global Investors in HongKong; with Barclays Stockbrokers and BZW Fund Managers

David Charters 20 years as a Director of SG Warburg Securities, Managing Directorat Deutsche Bank and then as an independent practitioner; fiveyears in the UK Foreign Office which he joined from CambridgeUniversity. Author of the ‘Dave Hart – Banker’ series of successfulnovels.

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What Happens Next?

Corporate Governance

one year after the crisis”

The first of a series of AshcroftPublic Lectures, all dealing withthe broad subject of corporategovernance, was held at theAshcroft International BusinessSchool on Tuesday, 3 November.

Stephen Bloomfield, Director of Corporate Governance Unit,invited high-profile authorities to give their expert views oncontemporary events of relevance to all the business courses

we teach and the event was attended by students of corporategovernance Anglia Ruskin and other universities, as well asmembers of staff and invited guests.

The speakers and their topics included:

• Philip Dunne MP, Chairman All-Party ParliamentaryWorking Group On Corporate Governance – ‘TheParliamentary View’

• Philip Augar, author of ‘Chasing Alpha’ and ‘TheDeath of Gentlemanly Capitalism’ - ‘Global solutionsfor a global problem. Has the world really learned thelessons from the banking crisis of 2008-9?’

• Maxim Maramygin and Irina Tkachenko, Ural StateUniversity, Ekaterinberg - ‘The Russian View”

• Jonathan Smith, Senior Lecturer, AIBS - “CorporateGovernance: A Crisis of Mis-Leadership’

If you would like more information on this event, or futureevents contact:

E: [email protected]: 0845 196 6834

EVENTS

Stephen Bloomfield with Maxim Maramygin and Irina Tkachenko of Ural State University, Ekaterinberg

The ‘Beermat

Entrepreneur’ –

Aspirations in Business

Mike Southon, who has a longhistory of successfulentrepreneurship and has becomeknown as ‘The BeermatEntrepreneur’, used the allegory of the Beatles

successful career in music to illustrate his talk to sixth formerstaking part in the Aspirations in Business event, a jointinitiative between Essex County Council and the Institute ofDirectors and sponsored by the Ashcroft InternationalBusiness School.

He invited students to think why they might want to start abusiness and considered the reasons given; making a lot ofmoney, being your own boss and perhaps driving a fast car.He went on to give the reasons successful entrepreneurs havegiven and these included;

Making money; making a difference to the world; having fun;freedom; independence from the restrictions of employment;and the opportunity to create wealth.

He advised that there is always a critical moment inentrepreneurship and it is important to be aware of this and totake advantage of the opportunity. Budding entrepreneursneed to be inspired by their idea, make a connection with thepeople they are trying to engage in a transaction and tobring something back to their local area; exactly what TheBeatles did when taking popular American music, puttingtheir own interpretation on it, often improving it and thenintroducing it to the Liverpool scene.

It is important to find a foil for your own personality,someone with the opposite qualities. An extrovert willbe the likely salesman of the team and needs anintrovert to control the finances, for instance.Mike recommends that a successfulbusiness is likely to need three peopleon a team to cover the areas ofdelivery, sales andfinance andadvised thatthey gettogether to workon their successful

‘Elevator Pitch’ considering the 5Ps:

1. Pain – where’s the pain or problem you are trying to solve2. Premise – what to do to solve the Pain4. Proof – testimonials invaluable3. People – who to aim to supply5. Purpose – why do entrepreneurs do it?

Mike strongly recommended finding a mentor andemphasised the importance of loving the business.

Finally he advised three things to make entrepreneurssuccessful:

1. Be local2. Be reliable3. Be nice, easy to deal with

He finished with the advice that there is a difference betweenmoney and wealth – wealth is what you have left if yourmoney disappears!

www.beermat.biz/mike_southon.php

EVENTS

EV

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Building a Business that

Packs a Punch

Cambridge

Businesswomen’s

Network meeting

On 23rd June 2009, RobertJones presented a session on“Building a business that packsa punch” to the CambridgeBusinesswomen’s Network(CBN) at Newnham College in Cambridge. The workshopincluded ways to beat the recession, rethink and thenrebuild a business on sound strategic principles. Thebusinesswomen engaged in lively dialogue and left themeeting full of ideas on how to develop and grow theirenterprises.

The Cambridge Businesswomen’s Network aims to offerregional women in business the opportunity to meet, forgecontacts and extend their skills. The monthly events areopen to women from all sectors of the businesscommunity including the professions, the public sector,large corporations and small businesses and are a greatnetworking opportunity.

The CBN meeting at Newnham College in Cambridge wasorganized by Dr Berenice Mann of Cambridge-basedProactive Research Organisation.

http://www.cbn.org.uk/

T: 0845 196 2549E: [email protected]

EVENTS

Exclusive Film Show and

Discussion with Producer

Link between innovation entrepreneurshipand the fate of nations

On the 3 December 2009 anexclusive film show anddiscussion with producer on:Innovation and the Fate of Nationsconnected 100 students,academic and the businesscommunity.This film provided the audience with a deeper understandingof innovation within the field of entrepreneurship. The waythis understanding was addressed by the media opened up anew landscape for innovative entrepreneurship education.

Given the present financial crisis, the issue of innovationbecomes salient as it may be the only form of sustainableeconomic development. Affluent Western nations must findnew ways of earning their places in the world, and onlygenuine innovation will do. This film sought to raiseconsciousness of the role of creativity and innovation in therise and fall of nations, and answer the question of how themany crises we face may engender innovative responses. Thisis just one reason for choosing three nations at different pointsof descent and ascent of their national affairs, Britain, theUSA and Singapore. Attendees of this event consisted ofindividuals from very diverse backgrounds including:

Professor Charles Hampden Turner

Prof. Hampden-Turner is a British management philosopherand Senior Research Associate at the Judge Business Schoolat the University of Cambridge since 1990. He is the creatorof Dilemma Theory, and co-founder and Director of Researchand Development at the Trompenaars-Hampden-Turner

Group, in Amsterdam. He received his Master’s and Doctoratedegrees from the Graduate School of Business, HarvardUniversity. He has taught at Harvard University, BrandeisUniversity and the University of Toronto. A recipient ofGuggenheim, Rockefeller and Ford Foundation Fellowships heis also a past winner of the Douglas McGregor MemorialAward. He has consulted to Shell, BP, Motorola, ICI, TRW,British Airways, the BBC, Advanced Micro Devices, Philips,BZW, Coopers and Lybrand, British Aerospace, BellSouth, andHanover Insurance, amongst others.

Professor Alan Barrell

Prof. Barrell has spent 30 years in senior executive positionsin technology-based companies, including chief executiveroles at Baxter Healthcare, Domino Printing Sciences andWillett International. He has spent time at various boardpositions in early stage companies including chairmanship ofthe Cambridge Gateway Fund, founder shareholder of LibraryHouse Ltd. He is Entrepreneur in Residence at the Universityof Cambridge Entrepreneurship Centre. His work in theseareas recently led him to becoming one of the first recipientsof The Queen’s Award for Enterprise Promotion. Most recently,he has been appointed as International Advisor to YouthBusiness China (YBC).

The most exciting part of this event was the face-to-facediscussion with the producer at the end of the Film Show.Many questions were raised and issues addressed. Forinstance, there was a debate on whether the successfulwestern economic clusters like Cambridge and Silicon Valleycan be applied in Singapore through the application ofregional innovation clusters found by the local government.The event was followed by an hour of networking session withfood and Champagne Cocktails provided by Anglia RuskinEntrepreneurs.

For more information about the EXCLUSIVE FILM SHOW,please contact the Anglia Ruskin Entrepreneurs Team:

Henry LiT: 07889 841 399David KarseladzeT: 07503 509 209

E: [email protected]: www.cambridgeentrepreneurs.org.uk

EVENTS

“The success of this event means ARUE is planning to host a series of similar events beginning February 2010 on innovativeentrepreneurship and social entrepreneurship related topics with world-class speakers.”

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National

Student Survey 2010

This years National StudentSurvey (NSS) is underway atAnglia Ruskin!

Since 2005 when the survey began, the results of the NSShave driven Universities and Students’ Unions to becomechampions for change. Here at Anglia Ruskin, it is nodifferent!

Our Vice Chancellor, Mike Thorne has placed the NSS at thetop of the list of priorities – And so has your Faculty! Forexample, the 2009 survey highlighted that ICT and theLibrary resources was the highest area of satisfaction for ourfaculty. But it also highlighted the dissatisfaction over thingssuch as clarity of feedback which is an issue that our facultyis now taking forward.

For final year students, the NSS is your chance to be heard.You can rate issues such as feedback on your assignments,Personal Development and your experience of Learning andTeaching whilst at Anglia Ruskin University. By doing so, staffcan clearly see not only what your experience has been, butalso areas that can be improved in the coming year!

We in the Students’ Union also use the results of the NSS tohelp to facilitate change within the University. For example,after the results of the NSS were published in August, wesubmitted a report to the University at several committeeswhere our stance on your voice was received well byprominent members of staff.

223,363 students filled out the NSS in 2009 (62% of thetotal eligible). This year, the Students’ Union has encouragedfaculties to have set targets for response rates for 2010. Thesuccess of the 2010 NSS relies on you, the students.Although we as a Union have made it our priority, it is downto our final year students across all faculties to fill out thesurvey and honestly rate your University.

This year’s Students’ Union campaign tagline is “How wasyour Journey?” The theme of the campaign is the LondonUnderground which gives us the opportunity to create a visualand dynamic campaign for everyone to engage with. Throughthis, we will be taking “NSS Road Shows” to our campuses.We are also offering competition winners tickets to Paris onthe Eurostar and a mixture of other exciting giveaways! Lookout for the free coffee! We will be touring our campusesthroughout March and dates will be posted on our websitewww.angliastudent.com

The Ashcroft International Business School takes the NSSvery seriously. Results from the 2009 survey have sparkedaction plans which will bring about positive change in yourfaculty.

For more information on the NSS visitwww.thestudentsurvey.comAnd for more information on where your Faculty has scoredon the survey get in touch with your Student Representative.

Emma McLendonAcademic Affairs OfficerAnglia Ruskin Students’ Union

STUDENT NEWS

STUDENT NEWSStudents organise

groundbreaking

International Forum Event

Students from Anglia Ruskin University and CambridgeUniversity put on a great show of talent on 7 November in theMumford Theatre, by bringing together world-class speakersto inspire and motivate 160 international students from UK,France, Helsinki Finland, China, Russia, India and Germany.

The third in the series of International Forum events (the firsttwo were held in China – in Beijing in 2007 and at XiamenUniversity, Fujian Province, in March 2009) featured one ofthe founders of the Women’s Telecommunications Network,Candace Johnson, a great serial entrepreneur and supporterof social enterprises worldwide. Professor Charles Hampden-Turner of Nanyang University Singapore, whose new bookTeaching Entrepreneurship was recently published byCambridge University Press, Tai-Ping Fan, guru on traditionalChinese medicine and Professor from the PharmacologyDepartment Cambridge University, and Professor of StrategyCharles Lumbers from the European Business School in Nice,were all key contributors too. Sandra Hollis, Vice President ofthe International Office, updated the audience on AngliaRuskin’s strategy and vision for its international relations.

Pictured (l-r) are: Dr Tai-Ping Fan, Candace Johnson,Professor Charles Hampden-Turner, the Vice Chancellor,Professor Alan Barrell, Professor Charles Lumbers and SandraHollis

The day was concerned with creating the vision required toenable the next generation to help peoples of the world into ‘AWorld Without Borders’ mindset and action mode. Theconcepts of student leadership and learning by developingwere at the heart of messages delivered all day, as studentmoderators introduced the speakers and conducted a questionand answer session with a panel at the end of the day.

The students gave very positive and enthusiastic feedback.

Plans are already in place for the next Education WithoutBorders International Forum, to be held in Hong Kong in June2010, with Anglia Ruskin assisting in collaboration with theHong Kong Polytechnic University. The links formed will beexcellent building blocks for more international growth anddevelopment for Anglia Ruskin, growing our worldwidepresence and reputation.

The Forum attracted a number of key academics andentrepreneurs from Helsinki, and work is under way for AngliaRuskin and Laurea University of Applied Sciences in Helsinkito work together as Helsinki seeks to organise its ownInternational Forum in 2010.

Anglia Ruskin was delighted to host and sponsor this mostsuccessful International Forum event. Sandra Hollis said ‘TheForum achieved a great deal for the participants and equally,as hosts we were very excited by the event itself and the newinternational links formed, which will help our internationalstrategy to accelerate and extend ever more widely’.

For more information, please contact Professor Alan Barrell [email protected] or telephone 01223 416466

Pictured (l-r) are: Dr Tai-Ping Fan, Candace Johnson, Professor Charles Hampden-Turner, the Vice Chancellor,Professor Alan Barrell, Professor Charles Lumbers and Sandra Hollis

Teng Guan Khoo, AIBS PhD candidate and Jun Yang fromCambridge University Education without Borders OrganisingCommittee officiating at the event

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Business @ Ashcroft

Pub Quiz

After many initial meetings tocreate it, decide on a name andelect the committee members, theChelmsford Department of AIBSnow has a fully-fledged, activestudent society called ‘Business@ Ashcroft’. Supported by theStudents’ Union, the society ranits first ever event on 30thNovember – a pub quiz and rafflein the Students’ Union Bar.

The President of the society, Unathi Sicwebu along with thesecretary, Jessica Zifodya and the Treasurer, Rajit Ramasamy,planned the event, with the help of some fellow businessstudents, John Webb and I.

Approximately 4 weeks before the event, the committee and Ienthusiastically went on the campaign trail: we put up posters

everywhere we could think of, gave out flyers at everyavailable opportunity, and promoted the quiz to students inlectures. The work paid off, as we ended up with 8participating teams, comprising of Business School staff andstudents (and a few of the SU bar staff as well!).

In addition to the usual general knowledge and TV quizrounds, the quiz also had a couple of business-themedrounds; one of which was entitled ‘Marathon Challenge’ andrequired each team to take risks with monopoly money.

Teams had to gamble on the outcome of the numbers of theroll of two dice which gave the quiz an interesting elementand caused some teams to become ‘broke’, hampering theirefforts to become the quiz’s overall winner!

Prizes were awarded to the top three scoring teams: first placewent to ‘The Deanos’ who won £50, second place (‘TheTasmanian Devils’) won bottles of wine, and the team whocame in third place (‘Very Dangerous Liaisons’) was awardedboxes of Malteasers for their efforts. Raffle prizes were alsoon offer so those who may not have won the quiz still had achance to leave with something!

Looking around at the laughing faces, it seemed that everyoneenjoyed themselves and that this first event was a success. Itbrought both students and staff together in fun, informalsetting and enabled them to get to know each other a littlebetter.

Business @ Ashcroft student society looks forward to runningfurther events and would invite students to let me, or thecommittee know, which kind of events they would like to seefrom the society in the future.

E: [email protected]: 0845 196 6851

STUDENT NEWS

STUDEN11

STUDENT NEWSStudent Representation

What is a Student

Representative?

A Student Rep is arepresentative for your course.You are essentially speaking foryour peers and represent themat meetings. Your job is to givefeedback to the University aboutwhat is good about your courseand if there are any issues.

Why should you become involved?This role is a great way to meet new people, to developtransferable skills that employers like to see and to make adifference. It looks great on the CV and at the end of theyear you receive a certificate signed by the Vice Chancellorand the SU President for all your efforts.

We are still recruiting student representatives for some ofour pathways in Cambridge, if you are interested in findingout more please contact Allison Beaumont, StudentExperience Coordinator, Cambridge

E: [email protected]

Take Part in

FLUX 2010

Last year we took a group of sixAIBS students to Plymouth, totake part in the national FLUXcompetition. What is FLUX? In anutshell, teams of six spend 36hours solving real businessproblems with help from expertsfrom some of the UK’s mostdynamic companies, in anApprentice meets Dragon’s Den-style competition.

What do you win? The title of FLUX National Champions2010 and £500 cash each. Plus you boost youremployability, meet top-class recruiters, enhance your CV,improve interview skills, meet new people and have agreat time!

This year the competition takes place on 29th-31st March2010 in the vibrant city of Nottingham. If you would liketo take part please contact Allison Beaumont, StudentExperience Coordinator, Cambridge

E:[email protected]

2009 Graduation Prize Winners

Linda Hollingworth from the CMI presented Andrew Kirkland with the award for best performance whilst on a work placement.Alan Radford from Bird Luckin presented Danielle Adams and Matthew Rothery with prizes for best overall achievement.Matthew and Danielle also won best dissertation and received their prizes from Gwen Cockman from National Express East Anglia.Many congratulations to Andrew, Danielle and Matthew for their considerable achievements.

NT NEWS12

STUDENT NEWSCIPD Prize Winners

Three proud winners at AngliaRuskin University were presentedwith awards to the value of £100and a certificate recording theirachievements on Thursday, 14September at the Central EssexGroup Meeting of the CharteredInstitute of Personnel andDevelopment (CIPD).

Sam Mott, Chair of the Essex, Ipswich and East LondonBranch presented the Ron Shepherd awards to Rachel Towns(left) and Paul Sims for their achievements on the CIPD'sprofessional development scheme.

Emily Webster (right) received the Christine Payne Award forher management research report. Emily's managementresearch report has also been entered into the CIPD's nationalcompetition for the best management research report and wewish her every success.

E: [email protected]: 0845 196 6852

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Inaugural Annual

Lecture of the Ashcroft

Enterprise Society

Rob Cameron, CEO, The

Fair-trade organisation

The Ashcroft Enterprise Society hasbeen established by the studentson the BA (Hons) Enterprise andEntrepreneurial Managementpathway(www.anglia.ac.uk/enterprise).I am very happy to report that in just its second year this hasalready found its market, having recruited to capacity witharound 1 in 3 making us their first choice and with 1 in 3failing to obtain a place. Now with 37 students on the pathway,the Enterprise Society, which was launched in May 2009, isgetting its activities underway with a bit of a bang.

The aim of the Society is to promote enterprise andentrepreneurship within AIBS, Anglia Ruskin University andacross Cambridge, building upon the already excellent linksestablished with the two highly successful CambridgeUniversity societies, CUTEC and Cambridge Entrepreneurs.This coming semester the Society will be running a host ofactivities, including monthly presentations by leadingentrepreneurs drawing upon our 'Entrepreneur in Residence'network and wider afield. Each year a 'big name' will bebrought in to deliver the annual lecture. The annual lectureseries kicked off in impressive style on the 12 October 2009with a presentation by the CEO of Fair Trade.

Fair Trade is the biggest Social Enterprise in the world, and RobCameron, the CEO is currently working to reconfigure theirglobal strategic orientation. Not an easy task when you considerthat he has to do this in consultation with over 300 countrymanagers. It was a great coup for the students to have RobCameron deliver this inaugural annual lecture and I would liketo thank those who came along to support the event.

If you would like any further details on the Ashcroft EnterpriseSociety or the BA (Hons) Enterprise and EntrepreneurialManagement, please contact Professor Lester Lloyd-Reason,

E: [email protected]: 0845 196 2479

STUDENT NEWS

Launching the Society, WalterHerriot, formerly ManagingDirector of St John’s InnovationCentre, Cambridge, said...

“This fantastic initiativeencapsulates everything that is soexciting about this highlyinnovative academic programme.”

“We will seek to build upon thevery close links we haveestablished with students atCambridge University to create acity-wide enterprise societycapable of having maximumimpact within the studentcommunity of both universities.”

Acting President of the Society,James Coburn, a student on theBA (Hons) Enterprise andEntrepreneurial Management

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First Taste of Christmas

for International Students

On 3rd December I was kindlyinvited to attend the internationalstudents’ Christmas dinner.Organised by the International Student Support team, theevent gave international students the chance to experience atraditional British Christmas dinner with all the trimmings.For some who were only visiting the University for onesemester, it was also an opportunity for them to say goodbyeto their friends and for us to wish them well.

The event was very well-attended: around 30 excited studentscame along, including many from the Business School, alllooking forward to what the evening had in store for them.

As the students shared stories of their home countries’Christmas traditions, it became apparent to me that Christmascrackers were very much a British custom. When thestudents were first confronted with the crackers they alllooked rather bewildered by them! However, once thetradition had been explained, they happily pulled the crackers(although were a little wary when I told them they would go‘bang’) and cheerfully wore their paper crowns – although Iam not sure that anyone found the jokes particularly funny!

The students all seemed to enjoy the traditional Christmas

food and were particularly intrigued by the gravy, stuffing andthe Christmas pudding and brandy butter which were all onoffer.

Finally, all students who attended the meal were entered intoa free prize draw for the chance to win a ‘present’. This wasa complete surprise to the students and was the perfect wayto end a very pleasant and enjoyable evening.

Hannah Myatt, Student Experience Coordinator, ChelmsfordE: [email protected]

Seasonal Party in

Cambridge

On Tuesday 22nd December 2009, we held a party for AIBSstudents staying in Cambridge over the Christmas vacation.We provided seasonal food, drink, games and a film.Throughout the afternoon just over twenty students droppedin and stayed to chat with members of our faculty staff. Eachstudent was given a card and a small gift from under the tree.The event was a nice way to end the semester and we hopeto do the same for our students next year.

Allison Beaumont, Student Experience Coordinator, CambridgeE: [email protected]

STUDENT NEWS

DISCOVER POSTGRADUATESTUDY ATANGLIA RUSKIN

POSTGRADUATE INFORMATION EVENINGFOR CURRENT UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

WED 24 FEB 2010 | 4.00PM - 7.30PMAT OUR CAMBRIDGE & CHELMSFORD CAMPUSES

PRE-REGISTER FOR A PROGRAMME GUIDE AND TO BE INWITH A CHANCE TO WIN £50 IN HIGH STREET VOUCHERS.EMAIL: [email protected] 15

DISCOVERPOSTGRADUATE STUDY

ATANGLIA RUSKIN

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Six AIBS

student teams win

through to the

semi-finals of

the IBM UBC

In September this year I entered11 student teams into the IBMUniversities Business Challenge(UBC).

For the past six weeks, our teams have been competing innational heats, each comprising eight University teams. Everyweek the UBC organisers have sent out new challengeswithin an overall business simulation and the teams haveresponded with their new strategies supported by detailedfinancial and quantitative modelling.

I am delighted to report that 6 of our 11 teams have wonthrough to the semi-finals which will take place next year.

Our teams are participating in semi-finals as follows:- 25 FebRoyal Bank of Scotland, London 01 Mar Proctor & Gamble,Weybridge 02 Mar SERCO, Defence Academy, Shrivenham04 Mar CITI, Canary Wharf 05 Mar CITI, Canary Wharf

I will accompany and support each team at the variousevents. Last year one team got through to the semis, and thengot through to the grand final. The previous year two teamsgot through to the semis and one of these went on to win thegrand final. Good luck to this year’s participants!

E: [email protected]: 0845 196 2549

STUDENT NEWS

Robert Jones, Programme Leader, Executive MBA, with one of the semi-final teams for the next round of the IBM UBC competition.

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Graduating in 2010?

The time to start looking

for a job is NOW!

The team in the EmploymentBureau at ARU work withemployers to present graduateswith the education, skills andpotential to fill their vacancies.In 2009 the EB consultants placed graduates in employmentin a wide range of businesses from investment administrationand multimedia design to marketing and quantity surveying.And, despite challenging economic times, there are jobsavailable. At this time the Employment Bureau is workingwith many local employers who are planning on continuedrecruitment growth in 2010. That said, the current economydoes present challenges for new graduates. So here are ourtop tips for securing job interviews:-

Register with the Employment Bureau now!

You should also visit other recruitment agencies now toregister with them too. Don't limit your chances by completingonly the on-line applications to agencies: you will increaseyour chances of securing interviews by visiting the agencies inperson and building a strong relationship with the recruitmentconsultants. Recruitment agencies with national, regionaland global networks will present a greater diversity ofvacancies to you. Manpower, Reed, Adecco and Hays areexamples of major global recruiters and all have offices inChelmsford and Cambridge.

1 Prepare several versions of your CV

Your CV will always be a work in progress, needing to beadapted as you acquire more work experience, qualificationsand skills. Each CV you send out should be tailored to meetthe most important requirements of a vacancy, the culture ofthe organisation and the key attributes sought by theemployer.

2 Be realistic about starting salaries and be preparedto travel

The average salary offered to new graduates placed by the EBin 2009 was £17,000. Remember that renumeration is onlyone factor you should consider – opportunities for training,professional qualifications, travel, promotion and a broadrange of skills acquisition are equally as valuable in the earlystages of your career. If you limit yourself to a daily commuteof no more than half an hour from home, you are severelyconstricting your opportunities.

3 Research the employer organisation

There are a myriad of sources of information available to youabout any organisation you are targeting as a potentialemployer. Read, digest and synthesise this information andthe language an organisation uses to reflect their style in yourCV and application letters.

4 Work experience is important

It is often the deciding factor an HR Manager uses whenselecting between applicants for an interview offer. If youhave no work experience, or only very limited exposure to theworkplace, then get some organised between now andgraduation. Contact companies directly to ask aboutopportunities for work shadowing or work experience.

5 Start networking!

Without realising it many of you will already have valuablenetworks of friends, family, associates who could be the linkin the chain to you securing a job. Ask family members, yourfriends' parents, lecturers or colleagues at work if they knowanyone working in the field you are aiming for.

Finding your first permanent job is a personal research projectyou need to start working on today!

You can contact the EB team to book an appointment toregister on:-

T: 0845 196 3616 ChelmsfordT: 0845 196 2505 Cambridge

If you have any particular issues you would like to discussregarding your search for employment, please email SarahWhite in the Employment Bureau: [email protected]

Employment Bureau

STUDENT NEWS

18

INTERNATIONAL

Institute for International

Management Practice(IIMP) in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Institute for InternationalManagement Practice (IIMP) isthe recently formed ResearchInstitute of Ashcroft InternationalBusiness School.

A key and differentiating feature of IIMP is that it will exist notonly in the UK but also via a series of ‘Hubs’ with key partners,located around the world. Such a configuration will allow us tobegin to achieve our stated aims of engaging with businessesand organisations to create new knowledge and insights intointernational management practice, helping understand theirimpact upon organisational performance and innovation and oneconomic and cultural development at national and trans-national levels.

We are delighted to announce that the first non-UK Hub ofIIMP has been launched. The hub will operate within Trinidadand Tobago and the wider Caribbean in co-operation with ourlong established partner in the region, the School of Accountingand Management (SAM).

The Hub, to be known as IIMP: Caribbean was formallylaunched on 6th December 2009 through a signing ceremonywhich was part of the School of Accounting and Management’sannual graduation ceremony, held in Port of Spain, Trinidad.The event, which was attended by Professor Michael Thorneour Vice Chancellor, as well as Trevor Bolton and Lynn Snapefrom AIBS saw almost 500 local students graduate with AngliaRuskin University undergraduate degrees in business – thelargest number ever.

The early plans for IIMP: Caribbean, are to appoint a Head tolead our research efforts, to agree and establish our researchand publication strategies, to progress and support the 8doctoral students we have already recruited, to work with localbusiness organisations and their representatives to cement ourgoals of being ‘practice based’ and relevant to local andinternational business needs, to identify and appoint a localAdvisory Panel, to begin to plan for our first ResearchConference in October 2010, and much more. We have beenworking towards the launch for some time and would anticipateour first research outcomes will be published early in 2010.

The launch was well received by the local community andreceived coverage in press and broadcast media. On the dayfollowing the graduation, the Vice Chancellor hosted a dinnerattended by many leading figures in business and the publicsector at which we are able to explain our plans and ideas. Weare pleased to confirm that there is much local interest in theopportunities that IIMP: Caribbean can bring.

The School of Accounting and Management (‘SAM’) is thelongest established and largest private tertiary educationprovider in Trinidad and Tobago. This year, it celebrates its 25thanniversary and we were delighted that our Vice Chancellorwas able to attend the annual graduation ceremony, to host acelebratory dinner and to ensure that Anglia Ruskin was a fullpart of their celebrations.

Anglia Ruskin University has been working in partnership withSAM since 2001. Some 1450 students are studying via SAMfor Anglia Ruskin undergraduate degrees in business subjectsand a further 250 for MBA degrees. We would anticipate thatthe launch of IIMP: Caribbean, we help strengthen, developand extend our partnership.

Current and emerging research themes include: ‘Success andsuccession in Indo-Caribbean SME’s’, developing so-calledniche-tourism opportunities, including agro, eco andsustainable tourism, public sector performance and reform,judicial review and HRM and project management.

For further information contact:E: [email protected]: 0845 196 6847

Photograph taken at School of Accounting and Management graduation ceremony and launch of Institute for InternationalManagement Practice: Caribbean, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 6th December 2009. Dr Trevor Bolton (AIBS), Dr AsafPirali (Founder and President, School of Accounting and Management, Trinidad and Tobago), Lynn Snape (AIBS), ProfessorMichael Thorne, Vice Chancellor, Anglia Ruskin University.

19

New Global Academic

Standard Launched in

Malaysia

Global Marketer Programme set toraise Global Standards inMarketing Practice

Kuala Lumpur, 2 December - Global Marketing Network (GMN)today launched a new global academic standard for themarketing fraternity, called The Global Marketer Programme.Developed with Ashcroft International Business School (AIBS)at Anglia Ruskin University, and BPP Learning Media to helpraise standards in global marketing practice, it was launched byHis Excellency the British High Commissioner to Malaysia, WBBoyd McCleary with GMN Malaysia Honorary President, DatukMarimuthu Nadason. Also present were distinguished guestsfrom academia and practice, Global Marketing Network, AngliaRuskin University, and BPP Learning Media.

With The Global Marketer Programme, marketing and businessprofessionals worldwide can for the first time now achieve anacademic award at Masters level from Anglia Ruskin University,one of the UK’s largest and most progressive universities. At thesame time, they can also ensure that they meet all theacademic criteria required for acceptance as a ProfessionalMember of Global Marketing Network, the worldwidemembership association for marketing and businessprofessionals.

At the event, Darrell Kofkin, Chief Executive of GMN said,"Myself and Professor Martin Reynolds, Dean and Pro ViceChancellor of AIBS at Anglia Ruskin University, set out in 2007with a single vision and purpose to develop a world classmarketing qualification for the marketing professional, asdemanded by business, worldwide. The Global MarketerProgramme is designed to prepare participants thoroughly for arewarding career in marketing and ensure they can make aprofitable contribution to business, wherever they work in theworld.

"Over the past two years GMN and AIBS at Anglia RuskinUniversity in the UK have undertaken a worldwide consultationexercise with senior marketing and business thought-leadersfrom academia and practice, recruiters and employers, tounderstand what they require from today’s marketingprofessionals. This has resulted in the development of theGlobal Marketer Programme - a full, validated, practice-ledqualification leading to an MSc Global Marketing Practice. ThisProgramme will enable marketing professionals to play animportant role at the heart of any organisation, regardless ofwhich country they are in."

The Global Marketer Programme consists of a GraduateDiploma Global Marketing Practice, a 120-credit qualificationequivalent to the final year of an Undergraduate Degree,specifically designed for participants with little or nounderstanding of core marketing principles who are currentlypursuing a career in marketing. The MSc Global MarketingPractice, aimed at participants who have demonstrated anunderstanding of core marketing principles and who areoperating at strategic level or aspiring to do so, is the pinnacleof the programme and is a flagship 180-credit Mastersqualification.

Kofkin continues. “The combination of GMN’s commitment tocontinuing professional development and AIBS commitment topractice-based learning will help Malaysian marketingprofessionals to enhance and excel in their career. The GlobalMarketer Programme is designed to give an edge to thosecontributing to a new paradigm shift in the Marketing disciplineand to help people lead the necessary change in the wayorganisations position themselves and perform, amid globalchallenges.”

Also speaking at the launch was Edmund Hewson, ManagingDirector of BPP Learning Media, the appointed publisher anddistance learning partner for The Global Marketer Programme.Hewson said, “As is clear from the success that GMN has hadin energising practitioners and academics, a genuinely ‘bornglobal’ voice for practising marketers has been long overdue.Our vision for the programme is that it will be the benchmarkqualification of choice for global marketing practitioners and, asimportantly, that it will attract high volumes of committedstudents from all over the world, as members of the world’sleading marketing membership organisation.”

GMN Malaysia expressed its gratitude for the decision to launchthis world-class new qualification in Malaysia and confirmedthat it would be working to encourage marketing professionalsto take the qualification at the earliest opportunity, not only toimprove their own knowledge and capabilities but also tofurther the interests of the entire marketing profession.

INTERNATIONAL

L to R: Roger Palmer, Edmund Hewson, Sven Hollenson, David Haigh, Nicole Edglington, Darrell Kofkin, Kellie Vincent,Anthony Ramon, Paul Weeks, Christos Skoutas

20

KBU – Anglia Ruskin

Graduates Continue the

Tradition of Excellence

The hard work and achievementof 224 graduates and diplomatsfrom KBU International Collegehave been recognized at KBUInternational College – AngliaRuskin University’s GraduationCeremony, held on 24 October2009 at the Main Hall, KBU,Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Twelve high-calibre students were awarded the First ClassHonours degrees in two business programmes from theAshcroft International Business School:

BA (Hons) Accounting and Finance

Chai Jia Yeen, Chang LiLing, Chang LiPing, Chiang Ai Leng,Loo Yee Ling, Ng Chee Meng, Tan Chien Ming, Ting ChewChoong, Wong Hui Loo, Wong Wai Ling

BA (Hons) Business Management

Lois Cheng Mei Ern, Yu Yin Young

Officiated by the Chairman of KBU Board of Governors, TanSri Dato’ (Dr) Teo Soo Cheng and the Deputy Vice-Chancellorof Anglia Ruskin University, UK, Professor Alan Sibbald, theceremony called to recognize the dedication, perseveranceand commitment of all the graduates in their chosen fields ofstudy. The ceremony was also attended by KBU ChiefExecutive, Prof Dato’ (Dr) Teo Chiang Liang.

KBU has earnestly positioned itself as the premier tertiaryeducation provider in Malaysia, embracing the vision ofproviding the highest standard of tertiary education in a localand international context. The College has gone to greatlengths to nurture students to become what they are today –highly skilled and competent individuals who are poised totake on future challenges with full conviction and confidence.The students/graduates’ accomplishments and achievementsepitomise the fine quality of education and training that theyhave received from KBU and Anglia Ruskin.

KBU has enjoyed a far-reaching collaboration with AngliaRuskin University, a UK university renowned for itscommitment to academic quality. This longstandingpartnership (since 1993) between the two institutions hasallowed many students (both local and international) to usetheir qualifications as a springboard for exciting and rewardingcareers.

INTERNATIONALA memorable occasion for KBU diplomats and graduates

KBU Board of Governors, Chairman, Tan Sri Dato’ (Dr) TeoSoo Cheng exchanging mementos with Anglia RuskinUniversity, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof Alan Sibbald

21

RESEARCH

10th IFSAM World

Congress

International Federation of

Scholarly Associations of

Management

8-10 July 2010 at theConservatoire National des Arts etMétiers PARIS, France

Justice and Sustainability in the Global Economy

Since the 15th century, colonization has been an importantissue in the world, with de-colonization being a key event of the20th century. The consequences of colonization andsubsequent de-colonization have been enormous in economic,social and political terms. In particular, de-colonization hasopened the door to today’s globalization. The theme of “Justiceand Sustainability in the Global Economy” fits with the missionof IFSAM, the ‘United Nations of the Academies ofManagement’. This theme is of particular significance todeveloping countries, especially those in Africa, one of the keyareas of development interest for IFSAM. Our theme also raisesthe question of the significance and contribution of managerialactivities and management in relation to justice andsustainability, especially after the financial crisis.

Track S25-Global MisLeadership. Chairs – John Raymentand Jonathan Smith

Global Leadership refers to the need for leaders to act in a waythat reflects the global environment in which their organizationsoperate and considers all aspects of the leadership role.Injustice and unsustainable practices can be thought of asfailure to achieve high quality global leadership – hence theterm global MisLeadership. Four strands of MisLeadership areidentified – leadership which is missing, misguidedmisinformed, Machiavellian.

Contributions are now being sought for this track of theconference. The following are some possible areas that may becovered but we want to encourage your ideas:

• History of MisLeadership: Historical development of both leadershipand MisLeadership: Roles of royal dynasties, religions, politics,nations, corporations and other power groups

• Overviews of Global Leadership: Scope, boundaries, framework• Linkages between global leadership/MisLeadership and the mainconference themes of justice and sustainability in the globaleconomy

• Role of Education, particularly business education, in the globaleconomy: Moving toward a new business paradigm; Proposals fornew foundations, attitudes, vision and values relevant to the globaleconomy

• Justice and Sustainability in the Workplace: The need for leaders tocreate resonance in the workplace by recognizing all the needs oftheir workers, including spiritual

• Case Studies examining specific examples of MisLeadership: Actionsand reactions of industries, governments and pressure groups.

John Rayment, Principal Lecturer, Globally Fit Leadership andJonathan Smith, Senior Lecturer, Leadership are both trackchairs for this conference. For further details seehttp://www.ifsam2010.org

If you are interested in presenting a paper in this track pleasesubmit a one page summary of your proposal to:E: [email protected]: 0845 196 2069

22

RESEARCH‘Doing Business in

China: Is the

importance of guanxi

diminishing?’

Dr Jonathan Wilson, a seniorlecturer in the AshcroftInternational Business Schoolhas had an article accepted forpublication in the internationallyrated journal European BusinessReview.The paper, written with Dr Ross Brennan, of the Universityof Middlesex, is the second time both researchers havehad a paper accepted for publication in EuropeanBusiness Review within 18 months.

The paper entitled ‘Doing Business in China: Is theimportance of guanxi diminishing?’ argues that as Chinacontinues with market liberalisation, there are indicationsthat the strategic importance of guanxi (personalconnections) is set to decline. The researchers reviewedarticles on guanxi and established that although guanxi isstill widely considered important, some experts are arguingthat this importance is diminishing. In their study, theauthors also conducted interviews with those involved inestablishing or managing a UK-Chinese joint venture togage their opinions on guanxi.

Their findings suggest that to simply describe guanxi asbeing ‘important’ is too simplistic. Guanxi and Chinesecultural values are now widely publicised in the West. Thishas ultimately led to ‘guanxi learning’. Dr Wilson explains,‘During the early 1990s, researchers were in agreementon the importance attached to guanxi. However, for firmsinterested in investing in China, there are now a largenumber of books and places to go to for advice on foreigndirect investment. This means that guanxi, although stillimportant, is in general better understood in the West. Inaddition, some researchers argue that China’s legalreforms may result in less emphasis on guanxi, whileChina’s ‘going outward policy’ has meant that manyChinese firms have had to combine guanxi with Westernmanagement practice. For more information.

E: [email protected]: 0845 196 2249

23

RESEARCH9th European Conference

on Research

Methodologies for

Business and

Management Studies

24-25 June 2010 at the IEBusiness School, Madrid, Spain

Call for Papers Mini Track onCritical Theory ResearchTrack Chair: Dr Andrew Armitage,Anglia Ruskin University

Critical Theory Research (CTR) isan emergent perspective havingphilosophical foundations withinthe Critical Management Studiesand challenges traditional modesof conducting research within themodernist project.

As such, Critical Theory Research is a response toorganisational domination and advocates for emancipatory,ethical and creative research practices that upholds thedignity and individual values of those who take part in aresearch undertaking or projects whether be the researcher orthe researched. It is proposed that this mini track will explorealternative approaches of undertaking research that upholdthe tenets of Critical Theory and will attract example actionresearch, gender studies, critical ethnographies,postmodernist perspectives, post-structuralism andorganisational power relations. Papers for this mini track cantherefore consist of both empirical studies andtheoretical/positional papers that explore how Critical ‘TheoryResearch has and can contribute towards more authenticresearch practices both in terms of process and ethicalconsiderations.

Topics include, but are not limited to:Critical perspectives in quantitative, qualitative research andmixed methods research: Approaches, problems andsolutions; Critical Research: Emancipatory, Participatory anddemocratic organisational practices; Ethics and criticalresearch; Critical research, Reflexivity and self; Doing criticalresearch: Methodological and methods of enquiry – insightsand perspectives.

For further details see: http://www.academic-conferences.org/ecrm2010/ecrm10-home.htm

If you are interested in presenting a paper in this track pleasecontact Dr Andrew Armitage:

E: [email protected]

24

STAFFNew Members of Staff

We are pleased to welcome thefollowing new colleagues to theBusiness School:

CHELMSFORD

Jill BaldwinSenior Lecturer in Work Based Learning in Chelmsford

Hannah MyattStudent Experience Coordinator for the ChelmsfordDepartment

Hermann RappSenior Lecturer in Management Practice

Sylvia WillmerBusiness Operations Manager

CAMBRIDGE

Duncan AllanResources Administrator

Genevieve Batteyjoined us a temp in the Faculty Office

Marion CobbyBusiness Operations Manager

Michael DuignanBusiness Project Administrator

Prof Charles Hampden-TurnerVisiting Professor

Petra KovacsovaAdministrator

Katerina NemcovaProject Manager of Business Knowledge Transfer

Akiko OkudaAdministrator

Stacey StokesAdministrator BA (Hons) Enterprise and EntrepreneurialManagement, Cambridge

Phillipa TowlsonBusiness Administration Manager, Cross-campus

Congratulations!

John Mullen, Principal LecturerHRM and Taxation, Learningand Teaching Adviser, has beenawarded the degree of Master ofLaws (LLM) in employment lawby the University of East Anglia,Norwich.

The purpose of doing the degree was to inform John’steaching of Employment Law, Employee relations andManaging Diversity at Undergraduate and postgraduatelevels. It involved part time study for two years attendingfortnightly seminars and producing 12 pieces ofcoursework and a dissertation. Principle tutors were GarethThomas, Dean of the Norwich Law School and ProfessorIan Smith, leading authorities and jointly authors of Smithand Wood's Employment Law - a standard text.

Following on from a specialisation in Equal Opportunitiesand Discrimination law, John is now proposing to do aPhD in the area of Managing Diversity - which heconsiders to be a step beyond the law, but so far tooclosely tied to Equal Opportunities; John’s hope is to atleast loosen this link.

E: [email protected]: 0845 196

25

First ever

Sunrise Walk is a Hit

The first ever, ladies only, SunriseWalk for Farleigh Hospice tookplace recently and what a fantasticsuccess it was!

Hermione McIntosh, Human Resources Senior Lecturer(second from the left), was one of a grand total of 636 localladies who were adorned in bright pink Sunrise Walk T-Shirts,turned up to begin either the full 19km route, or the shorterhalf route, between 4.44am (sunrise) and 7.00am. Betweenthem they pledged a wonderful £62,000 in sponsorshipmoney.

The weather came up trumps, remaining reasonably nice andcool until around 10.00, but giving everyone the opportunity toenjoy full sunshine whilst sitting on the grass and enjoying their‘congratulations’ breakfast after the walk. With a range ofparticipants, with children as young as 4 taking part, to ladiesin their 60’s and 70’s, it truly was a fun family day (wellmorning!) for all to enjoy.

STAFF

26

NEWSAnglia Ruskin Alumnus

Leads Food Campaign

Geoffrey Dovey is Chief Executiveof DPP Ltd (Dovey PremiumProducts), a third generationfamily company in Dorset. Geoffgraduated from ARU’s predecessorCambridgeshire College of Artsand Technology (CCAT) with a BAin Economics and History in1980.

After 10 years working as a surveyor, Geoff returned to thefold and joined his family’s business in 1992. DPP Ltdsupplies its own-branded chicken range to Asian restaurantsthroughout the UK http://www.dppltd.co.uk

Geoff took over the family firm and became CEO three yearsafter completing his MBA at Bournemouth University. As aresult of the MBA, Geoff implemented wide-ranging changesthroughout the company – a hard enough task for anybusiness, let alone while delicately handling the sensitivitiesand issues which came with managing a family firm. He alsocompleted a counselling course to help him cope better withthe family dimension of his role. He was a founder trustee ofThe Institute for Family Business and does occasional talksand articles concerning family businesses and what keepsthem vibrant.

Geoff has been a friend of Robert Jones since his Cambridgedays in the late 1970s. He has regular meetings and phonecalls with Robert, often discussing the complexities of runningand transforming a family enterprise, and the value of offeringethically sound products and services.

Early in his business career, Geoff became concerned withadditives in food, especially in chicken, and started acampaign to ensure the integrity of our food. "Consumersshould know what they are buying and eating and theinterests of minorities should be respected", says Geoff. Thiswas his theme when he was interviewed at 7:23am on theBBC Radio 4 Today Programme on Friday 23rd October2009.http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00n7fzp/Today_23_10_2009/

By coincidence, on the same day, Executive MBA studentsfrom Cambridge and Chelmsford were taking a CorporateSocial Responsibility elective module in Cambridge. In afurther coincidence, Leandro Silva, one of the CambridgeMBA cohort following this CSR module, is one of Geoff’s mainsuppliers of ethically sourced meat in Brazil. Leandro works inthe UK and Brazil and is studying for his MBA part-time inCambridge.

The BBC Panorama programme in May 2003, aided by Geoff,revealed widespread adulteration of chicken meat. Anupdated programme was broadcast earlier this year. Morerecently, the food critic Jay Rayner published an article in TheObserver on Sunday 18th October “My big beef abouttakeaway chicken”, featuring Geoff’s campaign.http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/18/jay-rayner-adulterated-chicken

E: Robert Jones, Course Leader Executive MBAT: 0845 196 2549

27

NEWSAn Educational Milestone

Students move into their new,state-of-the-art, £10 millionUniversity Centre PeterboroughWith its curved walls, bold colours and contemporary feel,the University Centre Peterborough (UCP) now provides themissing link in the educational facilities Peterborough has tooffer with its 92-seat lecture theatre, 14 teaching rooms,computer laboratories and several student social services.

The first brick for the university centre, in Park Crescent,which now forms the main hub of the site, was laid inOctober 2008, with the city’s university students joining A-level students at the Peterborough Regional College (PRC)campus in Park Crescent. But now, one year on, studentshave their own specially-built centre to call their ownuniversity.

Executive director of UCP Linda Jones said: “When I startedon the UCP project two years ago it was to create a vision forthe university and this is the first step in creating that vision.

“There is a massive demand for a university in Peterborough,the number of people with level four or university leveleducation is 10 per cent lower than the national average.

“It is not just about producing graduates, the presence of auniversity is a key driver of economic prosperity and it willcreate jobs and inward spend in Peterborough.

“Over the next decade we will be working alongsideOpportunity Peterborough and Peterborough City Council toboost student numbers and fulfil our vision and create acampus in the city centre.”

UCP is a joint venture company between PeterboroughRegional College (PRC) and Anglia Ruskin University andrepresents the first step in Peterborough’s ambition tobecome a university city.

It offers HNC/D, foundation and postgraduate courses inmore than 30 different subjects including archaeology,construction, history, sociology, the performing arts,business, law, engineering and computing.

Chairman of the UCP board and director of Perkins EnginesAllan Arnott said “The University Centre will meet the needsof many students progressing from schools and colleges aswell as those seeking continued personal development, all ina full and part-time studying environment.

“The centre will make a major contribution to the economy ofPeterborough and play a large part in its future growth.”More about UCP - www.anglia.ac.uk/peterborough

People and

Planet Really Matter

At the series of workshopsfacilitated by Oasis recently we explored the questionconcerning the requirements for a workplace of tomorrow ifpeople and planet really matter. Given the huge range ofurgent global issues now facing our planet - issues from globalwarming, reducing natural resources, drastically reduced plantand animal life, to AIDS and HIV and numerous armedconflicts - and given the power and size of manyorganisations, and the huge number of SMEs, I think I’d go astage further than this question and emphasise that peopleand planet simply have to feature prominently in ourorganisations of the future if we are to survive. I wonder whatit really is that currently holds us back from a major emphasison people and planet now? How might these issues beaddressed? What might be the consequences if there is not areal commitment to these issues now?

One of the major tensions at the moment seems to bebetween financial viability and bringing a more ethics, valuesbased approach into the workplace. Again looking at thefundamental issues underpinning this tension I wonder whythis really exists. How can this tension can be worked with?

One of the difficulties I think is that we are dealing here withissues of rapidly changing super complexity where we do noteven know the right questions to ask let alone what theanswers are. In this environment of super-complexity noorganisation, leader or academic is going to be able to findsolutions on their own. We have to think differently, we neednew approaches to decision making and need to work togetherand collaborate much more in a serious dialogue about theseissues to develop an appropriate contemporary mission for theorganisation. This dialogue has to be non-judgemental andconsist of a genuine open exploration where all members aretreated with equal status. I believe this collaborative dialogueneeds to adopt a holistic approach, where all aspects of thesystem are taken into account. A holistic approach is also onethat considers all aspects of people’s mind, body and spirit.The most contentious, least understood and most oftenavoided aspect in this holistic approach within organisations isthis spiritual dimension. Because of this it’s an area thatfascinates me and it’s an area where there is a growinginterest and focus internationally.

I believe that organisations developing a contemporarymission, improving decision making, adopting holisticapproaches and thinking in new ways are key areas for theworkplace of tomorrow and it is these areas that a colleagueand I in the Ashcroft International Business School areexploring at the moment. They are fundamental steps todeveloping workplaces that are fully effective at all levelworkplaces where people and planet really do matter.

Jonathan SmithT: 0845 196 2069E: [email protected]

28

We are looking for people to get involved in thenewsletter. We would welcome your feedback onthis issue and letters/comments for futurepublication. You may even wish to test your wingsas a writer. If so, please contact:

Christine DurrantT: 0845 196 6882E: [email protected]

NEWS DATES2009 Essex Business

Excellence Awards

The Essex Business ExcellenceAwards are organised by the Essex Chronicle Media Group inassociation with joint main sponsors Bird Luckin CharteredAccountants and Wollastons Solicitors. 2009 marks thetwelfth year of the programme.

The awards are designed to recognise excellence, innovation,best practice and corporate and social responsibility inbusinesses right across the county.

Any business with a presence in the county, either in thepublic or private sector, is eligible to enter and there is nolimit on the number of entries that can be submitted.

The Ashcroft International Business School sponsored andjudged the Innovation category which is for companies thathave recognised a gap in the market by creating anddeveloping a new product, process or design that hasimproved the commercial prospects and performance of thecompany. It is not so much the size of the solution but morethe innovation that has been brought to bear.

The 2009 winner of this category was Servowatch SystemsLimited of Tollesbury, Essex, a leader in the provision ofmarine systems integration for some 25 years.

Diary Dates

23 February Beyond the Codes – How

the REAL Corporate

Governance Works

25 February IBM UBC Competition

16-25 March Reach for the Skies,

Exhibition and

Workshop, Cambridge

29-31 March FLUX 2010 Competition

14 April International Corporate

Geovernance

Conference, Chelmsford

15 June HR Forum, Chelmsford

17 June AIBS 2nd Research

Conference

24-25 June 9th ECRM Conference,

Madrid

8-10 July IFSAM Conference, Paris

Professor Martin Reynolds, Dean presented the companywith their award at an event held at Braxted Park, nrWitham, Essex on Friday, 18 September 2009.