Center for Responsible Leadership and Governance Becomes Center for Global Leadership

The Center for Responsible Leadership and Governance, which was founded in the fall of 2001, has been reconstituted as the Center for Global Leadership (CGL) to support VSB’s goal of becoming a premier global business school with a strong commitment to globalization and responsible global leadership. CGL will advance the principles of ethical and responsible global leadership for the betterment of business and society. Specifically, CGL will do the following:

• Contribute to the development of the unique international strategy of VSB, emphasizing integrated international business studies and responsible global leadership;
• Serve as a source of new ideas and innovations for VSB’s international curricular and extra curricular initiatives and programs to advance international business and responsible global leadership;
• Act as a catalyst for faculty research and innovation in international business and responsible global leadership;
• Attract global leaders to become part of the VSB and Villanova community;
• Reach out to and work with the rest of the university community and other public, private and nonprofit organizations on international programs and initiatives.

Jonathan Doh, who was inaugurated as the Rammrath Chair in International Business last spring, has agreed to lead this refocused center.

VSB Team Wins First Place at International Business Competition

A team of four VSB students—all international business co-majors—took first place at the second annual International Business University Competition held in Los Angeles in November of 2007. The team, made up of Brian Cotroneo, Sarah Cognetti, Meet Doshi, and Victoria Kent, was sponsored by the Center for Global Leadership and competed against teams from many of the top international business programs in the nation. The competition, sponsored by Loyola Marymount University and the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, is held as part of the chamber's World Trade Week events, and involves developing a global market entry strategy for a specific company—in this case, Dole Foods. Daniel Wright, Assistant Professor of Management & Operations, and center director Jonathan Doh served as advisors and coaches for the team in their preparation for the competition.

Jonathan Doh Inaugurated as Rammrath Chair

The Villanova School of Business (VSB) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Herbert G. Rammrath Endowed Chair in International Business. Professor Jonathan Doh, a faculty member in VSB’s management department and founding director of the Villanova Center for Responsible Leadership and Governance, is the inaugural chairholder.

Center Sponsors Business Student Trip to Nicaragua with Catholic Relief Services

With support from the center, nine undergraduate students, along with Professor James Klingler and MBA Fellow Jackie Johns, traveled to Nicaragua during spring break to gain a greater understanding of sustainable development in today’s business world. The trip was made possible due to a unique partnership between Catholic Relief Services and Villanova University, and by support from the center and the Villanova School of Business. The trip provided students with the opportunity to observe and participate in various CRS projects— including those in cooperative development and eco-tourism—  in the country. This trip was an optional experience in center director Jonathan Doh’s Global Corporate Responsibility class.

Center Releases 2006-2007 Annual Report

The center has released its strategic planning report for the 2006-2007 academic year. Click here to read the report.

Center Holds Spring Advisory Council Meeting

The center held its bi-annual advisory council meeting on May 4. The meeting included a discussion of VSB’s new Business Law and Corporate Governance minor, the introduction of new members to the council and the transition of those whose terms have concluded, and the presentation of the Research Excellence Awards, sponsored by CRLG and Merck. We also heard from student groups that received support from CRLG, including a team of students that participated in the Business Ethics Fortnight case competition, and a group of students who traveled to Nicaragua as part of a service learning trip associated with a global corporate responsibility course.

Center Supports Student Participation in Business Ethics Fortnight

For the fourth year, the center supported a VSB student team competing in the Business Ethics Fortnight case competition held at Loyola Marymount University (LMU) on April 19-21, 2007. In this competition, student teams prepare a presentation that explains the legal, financial, and ethical dimensions of a business problem and recommend a solution. The presentations were evaluated by a panel of judges comprised of university faculty members and professionals from the local business community, including representatives from Bank of America, Toyota, FedEx Kinkos, IBM, and Boeing. The VSB team presented a case on Bank of America's strategy to extend credit cards to immigrant communities. For more information on the VU Business Ethics Fortnight team, contact Professor Jeremy Kees.

Research Excellence Award Recipients Announced

Dr. Narda Quigley, coordinator of the Research Excellence Program, announced the recipients of the 2006-2007 Research Excellence Awards sponsored by the Center for Responsible Leadership and Governance and funded by Merck.

The center rewards high quality research papers in the areas of responsible leadership and governance by providing research excellence awards to authors who submit papers that are selected for inclusion in the working paper series.

The center received an exceptional number of high quality submissions; after rigorous, double-blind peer review, two papers were selected to receive the center's highest award ($1000 honorarium and presentation at the May 4 Research Excellence Awards luncheon):

• "Does the market respond to institutional endorsement of social responsibility? The case of additions and deletions to the Calvert Social Index," by Jonathan P. Doh, Shawn D. Howton, and Shelly W. Howton
• "A simulation of moral behavior within marketing exchange relationships," by Ronald Paul Hill and Alison Watkins

An additional four papers were selected to receive honorable mention awards ($500 honorarium and short presentation at the May 4 CRLG Advisory Council meeting):

• Using stakeholder assessments for performance management and predicting career success in professional services firms," by Stephen A. Stumpf
• The impact of positive and negative affect on auditors' technical and ethical judgments," by James L. Bierstaker and Anna Maria Cianci
• "Does governance structure impact the outcome of shareholder proposals to remove takeover defenses?" by Shawn D. Howton, Shelly W. Howton, and Victoria B. McWilliams
• "Setting balanced scorecard targets and weights in a collaborative setting using two-party negotiation models," by Hemantha S.B. Herath, Wayne G. Bremser, and Jacob G. Birnberg

To read summaries of these research reports, click here.

Center Hosts Ethics and Governance Forum

On March 14, the Center for Responsible Leadership and Governance hosted "Ethics and Governance: Recent Developments, Best Practices and Future Trends."

The forum discussion presented insights into recent developments in the ethics and governance practices and activities of corporations, financial institutions, and professional services firms, profiled best ethics and governance practices among these organizations, offered perspectives regarding future trends in legislative, regulatory, and company practices, and provided advice and recommendations regarding careers in ethics, governance, compliance and related areas.

The panel featured the insights of Glenn Booraem (Principal and Fund Controller, The Vanguard Group), Michael Malloy (Audit Partner, Deloitte & Touche), Christine James (Senior Vice President and COO, Evergreen Investments), and Eric Pillmore (Senior Vice President for Corporate Governance, Tyco).

Center for Responsible Leadership and Governance Announces New Advisory Council Appointments

The Center for Responsible Leadership and Governance has announced the appointment of four new advisory council members: Ronald Paul Hill, Senior Associate Dean of Intellectual Strategy and Richard J. and Barbara Naclerio Endowed Chair at the Villanova School of Business; Christine James, Senior Vice President, Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer for Evergreen’s Short Term and Municipal Fixed Income Investment groups; Michael Malloy, Audit Partner with Deloitte Touche LLP in the Northeast Region; and Wayne Withrow, Executive Vice President of SEI Investments.

“It brings us great pleasure to announce our four newly appointed council members,” states Jonathan Doh, Director of the Center for Responsible Leadership and Governance. “We look forward to their guidance and strategic expertise to help steer the work of the center.”