Next Generation Management students celebrate business innovations for global good

Next Generation Management students celebrate business innovations for global good

Next Generation Management (NGM) is a unique module offered at postgraduate level at DCU Business School. The module develops the competencies required for successful management careers. It is a student led module lasting two semesters, with students choosing many of their own learning activities. 

This year, as part of a redesigned curriculum and our commitment to upholding the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), Next Generation Management students joined with more than 100 universities worldwide, as part of the AIM2Flourish programme, to showcase student-led research into “Business as an Agent of World Benefit”. As part of this initiative, students researched profitable businesses who actively contribute towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs). 

A vital feature of the Next Generation Management module is that students are encouraged to undertake self-directed learning into responsible and sustainable business practices and identify solutions towards building global sustainability. Facilitated by Dr Roisin Lyons (Assistant Professor of Entrepreneurship), Gavin Brown (Assistant Professor of Business & Society), Gerry Conyngham (Assistant Professor Statistics & Q.M.), Dr Rajaa Clouse (Programme Director), Dr Sarah Fraser (Assistant Professor of Marketing), and Niamh Larkin (Teaching Assistant), students left the virtual classroom to interview a business leader, write a case study about a positive and profitable business, and publish it on the AIM2Flourish.com platform. All cases are submitted, shared, and published to inspire other individuals and raise awareness of the businesses incorporating the UNSDGs. Students experienced “Do Good, Do Well” leadership first-hand through conversations with business leaders and reviewing thousands of other student-led cases from businesses worldwide. We are excited to share that three of our student-led case studies have been chosen to join the 77 international finalists representing exemplar case studies—selected from the 585 published in the last year. These inspiring case studies recognise the positive impact business can contribute to society while promoting economic prosperity:

• Changing the Hotel Industry for the Better Featuring Hotel Doolin in Ireland (Eire) written by Megan Doyle, Jasmine James, Ciaran Clarke and Dong Yiming under the direction of Gavin Brown and Roisin Lyons.
• The Red Sea Development Company: On Top of the World featuring The Red Sea Development Company in Saudi Arabia written by Majjd Alqahtani, Haneen Alsahan and Aljohara Alsheikh under the direction of Roisin Lyons and Gavin Brown.
• Tony’s Chocolonely: Cocoa-llectively Abolishing Slavery featuring Tony’s Chocolonely in Ireland written by Siobhán Jordan, Ivan Dominguez, Gavin Tyrrell and Yitong Yin under the direction of Gavin Brown and Roisin Lyons.

Megan Buchter & the Fowler Center Team of AIM2Flourish noted: 

 “Our finalist stories this year are authored by students from 31 universities under the guidance of 35 professors. The businesses represented span 20 countries across the globe. Congratulations to all of our students, professors, and business leaders who are part of the AIM2Flourish community. Together, you truly represent a commitment to Business as an Agent of World Benefit.” 

Professor Caroline McMullan, Professor of Business & Society, congratulated the NGM team and the students on their success and stated:

 “This is an excellent achievement for our students, in both Dublin and Riyadh. We are proud to educate and develop responsible business leaders as part of the Next Generation Management module. Our students appreciate the relationship between business and society and the need to align our activities with the UNSDGs”

Read the students’ submissions 

Tony’s Chocolonely (Finalists): https://aim2flourish.com/innovations/tonys-chocolonely-cocoa-llectively-abolishing-slavery

The Red Sea Development (Finalists):  

https://aim2flourish.com/innovations/the-red-sea-development-company-on-top-of-the-world

Hotel Doolin(Finalists):

 https://aim2flourish.com/innovations/hotel-doolin-changing-the-hotel-industry-for-the-better-2

An Post: https://aim2flourish.com/innovations/an-post-creating-a-zero-emissions-postal-service

The Lego Group:

https://aim2flourish.com/innovations/play-for-fun-and-play-to-learn

STC Pay:

https://aim2flourish.com/innovations/digital-wallet-solutions-for-ksa-consumers

Zid Holding Group: 

https://aim2flourish.com/innovations/negotiating-the-digital-divide-for-retailers

Clenli Direct: 

https://aim2flourish.com/innovations/a-safe-and-sustainable-way-of-cleaning

Top 100- 100 in 1 store: 

https://aim2flourish.com/innovations/supporting-productive-small-family-enterprise

About Next Generation Management

The four themes of Next Generation Management are:

1. Personal and career development – managing oneself, managing others, and managing the business and strategy
2. Business and Society – business in society, global thinking, social entrepreneurship, business ethics, and corporate social responsibility
3. Research – qualitative and quantitative methods, library and information management, research planning, research ethics,
4. Digital – digital and mobile marketing and e-Commerce, digital communications, digital strategies

Particular emphasis is placed on: creating, sharing and applying knowledge; reflective and critical thinking; collaborating with people; and dealing with complexity.

A distinctive component of the NGM module is the ‘POD’ process.  Students propose their own Personal Opportunities for Development (PODs) related to their personal development plan and also to one or more of the four module themes. For each POD, students are required to write a reflection on their learning while also providing conclusive evidence of their new knowledge, insight, or skill. Over two semesters students build a portfolio of PODs and reflections balanced across each of the four themes.

Read more about Next Generation Management at https://business.dcu.ie/postgraduate-ngm/  and AIM2Flourish https://aim2flourish.com/