Pathfinders in Business and Management

A long time ago, when I completed my master's thesis at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands, I was bursting with ambition to continue my academic journey. However, a crushing setback awaited me. Despite my hard work, my own thesis supervisor refused to recommend me for the highly competitive international doctoral scholarship at the renowned European University Institute in Florence (Italy) that I desperately wanted and needed. His reasons seemed petty and small-minded, especially since in those days the  local doctoral program was in shambles with less than 10% of candidates finishing their thesis on time. In that moment, I felt the harsh sting of rejection and had to confront the reality that sometimes, other people's limitations can try to box us in. My supervisor could not see past his own emotional biases to recognize my potential. But after the initial discouragement, a newfound determination took hold. I realized his opinion did not define my capabilities or my ...

It's easy to get caught up in the daily grind of work, school, activities and social life. But have you thought about where you want to be in 5 or 10 years? What kind of career interests you? When can you say your life is great or successful? Is there something else you'd rather be studying? What areas are you neglecting? How can you balance fun with achieving your goals? I've found a framework called Strategize Your Life (SYL) that can help you gain clarity and develop a plan for your future. SYL uses strategic thinking tools that top business leaders use to map out corporate strategies. You can apply the same principles to chart your own life course. Remember that the future is where you will spend most of the rest of your life, it is worth giving it a thought. Created with Bing Image Creator What is SYL?

Emma and Rafael were nervous about their upcoming extended essay, the biggest assignment of the term. Where to even start with the research and writing? Emma came across Dr. Bilal's Bamboo Method on Twitter https://bit.ly/bamboodrbilal . Bamboo is a type of grass, that first develops strong roots. In this period you can not see the plant grow. Once it has established its root system, it starts to grow exponentially , meaning its rate of growth will be ever increasing. Created with Bing Image creator 30 Dec 2023 At first, Emma’s daily commitments seemed daunting alongside schoolwork and activities. But she was willing to try anything to avoid last-minute panicking. Each afternoon for 25 minutes, Emma wrote notes on her topic without pressure to complete full thoughts. At first, her mind wandered but the process became instinctive. Rafael joined in when Emma explained her system. Together they rewarded effort over perfection with short breaks between focused sprints. As weeks passed,...

In 1992, I embarked on a long trip deep into the Costa Rican jungle to visit an indigenous Bribri community. This tribe was described by the Costa Rican anthropologist Dr. Maria Eugenia Bozzoli de Wille who studied their customs around marriage and death. The Bribri are also the only tribe in Central America who beat the Spanish occupiers, and hence afterwards the settlers left them mostly in peace. Tributary of the Sixaola River

I am looking back at my almost 40 years of career in education with happy bewilderment. In the 1980s I started unglamorously from a position as a cleaner at the Leyden University Hospital, and the high point of my career as a university executive as Vice-Chancellor (Rector) of the Papua New Guinea University of Technology for 2 terms from 2012 to 2018, a total of 6 years. In between for 10 years I was a professor of environmental economics and policy in Costa Rica, and for over 4 years director of research funding at Maastricht University, one of the top-10 young universities in the Times Higher Education Ranking. In the 1990s, as a doctoral candidate studying abroad at the European University Institute in Florence (Italy), I was eager to learn from professors at top institutions from all over the world. I had just won one of only two competitive national doctoral scholarships for historians. My own thesis supervisor seemed knowledgeable at first, but it soon became clear he struggle...

Introduction Creating positive change in the world often starts from learning how to make an impact, and then taking action. Several successful entrepreneurs discovered approaches for driving social progress through initiatives that addressed pressing needs in innovative ways.  Their projects not only solved problems but also revealed valuable lessons that continue furthering humanity. Their success is not measured in terms of profit but rather in terms of how many people are impacted. Examples of successful social impact projects Blake Mycoskie and TOMS Shoes When Blake Mycoskie witnessed children without shoes in Argentina, he sought a way to help through his business. He founded TOMS Shoes, pledging to donate a pair of shoes for every pair sold. Mycoskie learned the importance of creating shared stakeholder benefit. In addition to providing footwear for millions worldwide, TOMS generated profit as a sustainable social enterprise model. Mycoskie realized empowering communities ne...