Will we one day inhabit virtual worlds? From the buzz around Second Life in the early 2000s to Mark Zuckerberg’s much-hyped quest for the Metaverse, there seems to be a clear pattern. After being touted as revolutionary, virtual worlds fail to meet expectations and fade into obscurity. Yet the dream of an immersive, independent, and interconnected virtual social universe still has the potential to transform the economy, reshape society, and profoundly affect the future of humanity....

It all began when the world’s first business school, the European School of Commerce Paris (ESCP), was established in 1819. Criticism notwithstanding, business schools have since continued their path in higher education without facing existential metamorphoses. Covid-19, however, has accelerated business schools’ digital transformation, calling into question the concept of business school itself.Business schools are in a new competitive landscape and profound structural changes see...

Artificial intelligence is shaking up economies around the world as well as society at large and is predicted to be either the best or worst thing to happen to humanity. This book looks at what exactly artificial intelligence is, how it can be classified, how it differentiates from other concepts such as machine learning, big data, blockchain, or the Internet-of-Things, and how it has evolved and might evolve over time.Providing a clear and unbiased picture of artificial intelligen...

The digital transformation of higher education has the same reputation as the higher education sector itself: rigid and reluctant to change. Covid-19 has radically changed this rigidity, with thousands of Universities compelled to go 100 percent online in just a few days. Threatened by edtech start-ups, big tech corporations increasingly interested in academia, as well as venture capitalists attracted by the sector's high profit margins, Universities need to change their way of doing busin...

This book analyses higher education's digital transformation and potential disruption from a holistic point of view, providing a balanced and critical account from a variety of interdisciplinary viewpoints. It looks at case studies on educational and emerging technology, their impact, the potential risk of digitalization disrupting higher education, and also offers a glimpse into what the future of digitalization will likely bring. Researchers and practitioners from countries including New...

Today's economy is fueled by knowledge. Every leader knows this to be true, yet few have systematic methods for converting organizational knowledge into economic value. This book argues that communities of practice--groups of individuals formed around common interests and expertise--provide the ideal vehicle for driving knowledge-management strategies and building lasting competitive advantage. Written by leading experts in the field, Cultivating Communities of Practice is the first book t...

Clear, actionable steps for you to build new values, experiences, and perspectives into your organizational culture, infusing it with the diversity, inclusion, and belonging employees need to feel accepted, be their best selves, and do their best work.Bypass the faulty processes and communication styles that make change impossible in so many other organizations; access these practical tools and ideas for increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in your com...

The human resources function is at the forefront of a company's efforts with respect to two of the key elements of organizational design—people and organizational structure. While human resources practices differ around the world, it would seem to be universally true that in order for companies to successfully achieve their strategic goals and objectives they must strive to attract, motivate, and retain those employees who are best qualified to carry out the necessary activities of the com...

"Business Schools Face Test of Faith." "Is It Time to Retrain B-Schools?" As these headlines make clear, business education is at a major crossroads.For decades, MBA graduates from top-tier schools set the standard for cutting-edge business knowledge and skills. Now the business world has changed, say the authors of Rethinking the MBA, and MBA programs must change with it. Increasingly, managers and recruiters are questioning conventional business education.Their concerns? ...

Work Your Career shows PhD students how to use the unique opportunities of doctoral programs to build successful career outcomes. The authors encourage students to consider both academic and non-academic career options from the outset, and to prepare for both concurrently. The book presents a systematic mentoring program full of practical advice for social sciences and humanities PhD students in Canada.

How campus communities of every kind can transform themselves from good to greatBecoming Great Universities highlights ten core challenges that all colleges and universities face and offers practical steps that everyone on campus—from presidents to first-year undergraduates—can take to enhance student life and learning.This incisive book, written in a friendly and engaging style, draws on conversations with presidents, deans, and staff at hundreds ...

A former chancellor and a lineup of stellar educators offer plans and ideas for making education work better for everyone.College is too expensive for too many. Politicians call for more financial support, but approve less. Underpaid, overworked adjuncts teach vastly more than the star faculty members who drew students to campus. Departments and administrations focus more on protecting their territories than on pedagogy or even management. Technology is extolled an...