"The IDM program is one of the best programs we have seen that train professionals to deal specifically with distribution/logistic areas."
Michael E. Montgomery
Catepillar, Inc./Parts & Service Support Center
The department hosted a number of major international conferences last year including the "Joining Information Infrastructure and Technology Management for Global Enterprise" - an international conference.
The most recent, held at the Allerton Park Conference Center in May, was the 14th Paul D. Converse Symposium. Department head Kent Monroe says "A list of award recipients, who are the main speakers, and respondents, reads like a Who's Who in marketing research." Paul Converse, recognized as the founder of marketing research, spent a large part of his productive career at Illinois, hence the affiliation of the conference with the Department of Business Administration at Illinois. This conference is held approximately every four years. The Converse awards, given for outstanding contributions to the advancement of the Science of Marketing, are recognized as the most prestigious in the field. Recipients are selected by a national jury. A 1992 winner said "THIS IS THE MARKETING EQUIVALENT OF THE NOBEL PRIZE."
The six winners in 1996 are: David L. Aaker, Gilbert A. Churchill, Jr., George Day, John R. Hauser, Glen L. Urban, and Yoram Wind. Because Illinois has the distinction of hosting this event, faculty in the college are not eligible to receive the award.
THE REDESIGN AND RESTRUCTURING of the doctoral program continues to be a major thrust in the department. A major objective is to downsize the program. Although the academic market place has become extremely tight, several students completing the doctorate this past year have down well. Organizational Behavior placed one student at Wharton and one at the University of Texas, Marketing placed one student at DePaul, one at arizona State, and one at the University of Hawaii. In International Business, one student went to the University of California, Riverside, and a second to Cornell University.
Arthur Andersen & Co., LLP funded two one-day ethics conferences organized by the department: "Research Ethics," for faculty and graduate students and "Business Ethics," for undergraduates and MBA students.
| Joseph Porac, professor of business administration, is the new director of the Office for Business Innovation and Entrepreneurship. As part of the process of developing a strategic plan, Porac is examining our present program and others around the nation. |
New activities this fall include the funding of two doctoral dissertation awards, to Theresa Nelson and Dara Szyliowicz, both in business administration, and funding to build a database on initial public offerings.
 Dean Howard Thomas with Mary Lou and Leonard Hoeft, who have helped underwrite the launch of the new program. |
Last year the Program in Technology and Management was successfully launched. Interest on the part of students has been overwhelming. From the many applicants a full complement of 30 outstanding students (15 from Commerce and 15 from Engineering) were selected and have enrolled for the current academic year. This program has attracted considerable outside funding from alumni donors and corporations. (See article in spring issue of InSight.) |