McArthur Hall Dedication
Conference Brings Global Perspective to Cape Town
Sixth Annual Cyberposium an SRO Success
Myra Hart Named to Professorship
Alumni Ticker: A Random Sampling of HBS Graduates in the News
Proposed Chair Would Honor African-American Business Power
Spangler Center Groundbreaking
The Canadian flag flew over "Baker beach" under a cloudless, deep blue sky on the afternoon of April 7 for the official dedication of a new Executive Education facility named for the School's seventh Dean, John H. McArthur. Friends and colleagues of the Canadian-born leader gathered at the entrance of the six-story, 96,000-square-foot brick building to pay tribute to McArthur, his wife, Natty, and their family, who arrived in a procession led by a bagpiper from the Boston Police Department.
"This is a special day for Harvard Business School," noted HBS Dean Kim B. Clark, who shared the podium with Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Professor W. Earl Sasser, senior associate dean and chair, Executive Education. "All of you here today," Clark continued, "faculty and staff who have worked with John, his family, colleagues, and friends, reflect the accomplishments of this extraordinary man."
Clark highlighted McArthur's four-decade association with the School. He spoke of McArthur's arrival in 1957 as a young MBA student from Vancouver, his scholarship in the Doctoral Program, and his subsequent achievements as a faculty member and administrator and as Dean from 1980 to 1995. McArthur, Clark noted, initiated major changes in faculty development, committed unprecedented resources to research and the curriculum, and positioned HBS academic programs on the leading edge of business education during the years he led the School.
"But this is just the formal record," Clark observed. "The real measure of John's impact on HBS is not in the formal record. It is in his spirit, character, and the depth of his personal relationships. That is why we honor him today."
In his remarks, Mayor Menino spoke about the close relationship McArthur
forged with the city of Boston during his tenure as Dean. He expressed
his personal appreciation for McArthur's friendship, which began when
Menino was a city councilor, and applauded McArthur's influence on the
stewardship of the city's hospitals and in establishing a relationship
between the HBS community and the local public schools. "Throughout my
career," said Menino, "I've always been able to rely on John's help and
exceptionally good judgment."
Earl Sasser next expressed his thanks to Menino and the city of Boston for cooperation in the building's construction and praised the accomplishments of the architects and artisans who worked on McArthur Hall. He called the building a "celebration of John's career" and spoke enthusiastically of McArthur's dedication to HBS and to educational excellence.
McArthur then took the podium, thanking Clark, Menino, and Sasser for their tributes and expressing his and Natty's deep appreciation to the HBS community. "Over these four decades," he said, "we have been welcomed, helped, encouraged, befriended, and mentored by the legions of great people who have made up the extended HBS family. The opportunities we have been given have transformed our lives. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking us in."
Following the dedication ceremony, many who had gathered adjourned to
Aldrich Hall, where Professor F. Warren McFarlan, senior associate dean,
director of External Relations, offered an academic session titled
"Information Technology in the Early 21st Century - A Case Study in
Industrial Transformation." Evening festivities included a reception,
dinner, and tours of McArthur Hall, which is located near Kresge Hall,
overlooking the Charles River. The building was conceived by educators
and architects as the quintessential environment for the School's
intensive team approach to executive education. Its 170 single-occupancy
bedrooms are arranged in twenty living groups, each with a common
lounge, kitchenette, social center, and conference area with
state-of-the-art technological capabilities.
Conference Brings Global Perspective to Cape Town
If there were ever any doubts that HBS graduates would travel to the ends of the earth to reestablish their ties to the School, those doubts can now be put to rest. Although the venue required at least a ten-hour flight for most attendees, the 1999 Global Alumni Conference was a huge hit, in part because of its stellar location: Cape Town, South Africa. More than four hundred delegates came from dozens of countries, with close to half bringing partners or family members for whom a special program of events had been set up. The lively March 21-23 conference gave attendees an inside look at the most developed region of Africa, broad and relevant insights into the challenges facing developing economies, a chance to meet and mingle with HBS faculty and fellow alumni, and an opportunity to explore the spectacular sights of Africa.
Conference delegates were first greeted on Sunday evening at Leeuwenhof, the majestic estate of Western Cape Premier Gerald Morkel. With the splendor of Table Mountain above and the beauty of Table Bay below, Morkel welcomed his guests to Cape Town, which he described as "a region of great economic hope." Sounding one of the themes that would be echoed by many others over the next two days, Morkel stated, "An African renaissance will be a pipe dream if we fail to realize that we are a part of the global village." Michael A. Thompson (85th AMP), who organized the conference with cochair Ewald J.H. Wessels (MBA '71), and HBS Alumni Association Board president Charles F. Milner, Jr. (MBA '65), also gave welcoming remarks.
The conference program, titled "Managing Development: The African Renaissance," officially began the next morning at Cape Town's Nico Milan Theatre. HBS professor F. Warren McFarlan, senior associate dean, director of External Relations, and one of the driving forces behind the School's Global Alumni Conferences, began by praising the conference cochairs' hard work and dedication in organizing the event. In his remarks to the capacity crowd, he quipped that Ewald Wessels had become a full-time, unpaid employee at HBS - "a model we're looking to replicate." Professor Richard H.K. Vietor, faculty chair of the event, expressed the hope that the School's activities in sub-Saharan Africa, such as the conference, new Executive Education initiatives, and continued research, will "in a small way help encourage the new spurt of growth that South Africa is leading in the region."
Economist Jeffrey D. Sachs, director of the Harvard Institute for
International Development, delivered the first keynote address, a
captivating presentation titled "Developing Nations in the World
Economy," which laid out several of the key issues that were discussed
over the next two days. Sachs stressed that "Africa's development
challenge is the world's greatest economic challenge." After touching on
some of the region's persistent problems - AIDS and malaria, intense
poverty, and economies overreliant on commodities exports - Sachs
analyzed the area's long-term economic situation. He then asserted that
the root of Africa's problems were inherent in its geography and
climate. Using various maps illustrating the world's major climate
zones, coastal regions, latitude, and GDP, Sachs showed that regions
with temperate climates that have access to water and are in higher
latitudes tend to be more developed than those in lower latitudes with
tropical climates and minimal water access. Sachs explained that
tropical climates are not good for producing food and are breeding
grounds for infectious diseases.
The bottom line: "Climate does affect in a fundamental way the basic picture of global development," said Sachs. Thus, the "harsh physical environment" of most of the countries in Africa "provides a tremendously difficult backdrop for economic development." In making suggestions for addressing some of Africa's challenges, Sachs noted that the fates of the temperate and tropical zones are intrinsically linked, that information technology will be a tremendous help in overcoming many difficulties, and that the reliance on natural resources must end.
Later that afternoon, F. Van Zyl Slabbert delivered a thoughtful and
entertaining talk on "Prospects for Stability in Sub-Saharan Africa."
Slabbert, one of the architects of the first democratic elections in
South Africa in 1994, is a former leader of the opposition in the old
South African Parliament who now chairs the Open Society Foundation for
South Africa. He noted that his country's aim is to have a stable,
democratic government like those found in the United States and Europe,
but he presented the tradeoffs that must be made before such a goal can
be achieved. For instance, he pointed out the fine line between human
rights and law and order, noting,"It is not a choice between good and
evil. It is a choice between good and good."
The first plenary session on the following day was a high-powered panel discussion titled "South Africa's Macroeconomic Management" led by Richard Vietor. Trevor Manuel, South Africa's minister of finance, who created the country's postapartheid economic blueprint, discussed both the progress made in the five years since the first democratic elections were held and the challenges to come. Chris Stals, governor of the South African Reserve Bank, spoke about monetary strategy, while Jos Gerson, chief economist for Merrill Lynch South Africa, noted that "there is only so much a macroeconomic policy can do. The central task is to create a stable environment."
The final keynote speaker was Dean Kim B. Clark, who presented an update on the School that included a dynamic, interactive tour of the HBS intranet. Clark outlined what he sees as the four aspects of leadership: strong values and high standards, a global perspective, an entrepreneurial spirit, and literacy in information technology. "We teach with the express purpose of changing people's lives," said Clark, adding that his goal is to make the School a "living model of the highest standards of integrity, respect for others, and personal responsibility." Clark's intranet tour included a visit to HBS Publishing, where he scrolled through an online case; a stop at the course platform to show how students get their assignments; and a look at the Career Services and Alumni Web sites.
The two-day conference also consisted of twelve panel discussions, each moderated by an HBS faculty member. Panelists included three South African Cabinet ministers, numerous regional business leaders, and several American financiers. HBS professor André F. Perold, for instance, led a discussion on investing in South Africa, with panelists John S. Chalsty (MBA '57), chairman of Donaldson, Lufkin & Jenrette; C. Bruce Johnstone (MBA '66), managing director of Fidelity Investments; and Richard C.M. Laubscher (105th AMP), managing director of Nedcor, South Africa's second-largest banking group.
HBS professor Linda A. Hill's session, titled "Unbundling and Black
Empowerment," featured an impressive panel of advocates for black
economic progress. Vusi Khanyile, chairman of Thebe Investment
Corporation, a holding company formed to provide a business base for
black South African businesspeople, noted that "the growth of our
business has been the growth of our dream." Panelist Marinus Daling,
chairman of Sanlam, a financial services group and a pioneer in black
economic empowerment, asserted that "we need to create a place where
everyone can contribute to society." The third member of the panel was
Lot Ndlovu (AMP:ISMP 154), president of the Black Management Forum.
HBS professor John A. Deighton's session on "Marketing in the Age of Interactivity" featured three panelists who are working to bring new technologies to Africa. As founder and CEO of Adesemi, Monique Maddy (MBA '93) spoke about her goal to deliver wireless communication - through a system of voicemail, pagers, and pay phones - to underdeveloped areas of the globe. Panelist John L. Mack of Worldspace Africa explained how his company is developing digital audio broadcasting technology to bring satellite radio to all corners of Africa. Koos Bekker, managing director of Naspers, a leading media and communications group in South Africa, discussed his firm's Internet and pay television ventures. Other panels addressed a wide range of topics, including environmental management, industrial policy, minerals management, and venture capital.
In addition to the academic content of the conference, delegates were invited to a Cape Malay street festival, a dinner at the bucolic Nederburg Wine Estates, and excursions to several local businesses. Many attendees spent a few extra days before or after the conference exploring the region. While some took in the local sights - Robben Island, where President Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, Table Mountain, wine estates, or botanical gardens, to name a few - others ventured farther with visits to South Africa's Kruger National Park, Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, or other game reserves on the continent.
Reflecting on their experiences at the conference, alumni were enthusiastic. Edward F. ("Ted") Fischer (71st PMD) found the journey from his home in Rhode Island to Cape Town completely worthwhile. In addition to enjoying the beauty of Cape Town and taking a safari with his wife, Lisa, Fischer, a corporate vice president at Duro Industries, noted that the content of the program was particularly relevant. "We are expanding our business into emerging markets, and the conference program provided a lot of useful information," said Fischer, who, two weeks after the conference, had already heard from several of the contacts he made in Cape Town.
Echoing Fischer's sentiments, Charles B. Hartwell (MBA '91) also praised the event. "South Africa's future is going to determine the future of all of southern and much of eastern Africa," he noted. Having lived in Africa for several years, Hartwell is familiar with the difficulties of the region. "I came away from the conference a bit more optimistic than I thought," he said. "The School's apparent commitment to the continent seems real and could make a tremendous difference."
by Susan Young
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Sixth Annual Cyberposium an SRO Success
The sixth annual HBS Cyberposium, held on February 19 and 20, drew many
of the high-tech industry's best-known entrepreneurs and business
leaders, as well as more than thirteen hundred participants from HBS and
other business schools and colleges around the world. The event was a sold-out,
standing-room-only, jam-packed marathon of discussion panels, keynote
addresses, product demos, and networking opportunities.
Sponsored by the student-led High Tech and New Media Club, this year's Cyberposium, titled "Digital Junctions," focused on the ways the Internet is linking business and technology. Simulcast on the Web, the conference began with an evening keynote address by Guy Kawasaki, founder of Garage.com, who spoke about the challenges of identifying and building sustainable Internet and high-tech businesses.
The conference opened the next morning in Burden Auditorium with a talk by Carly Fiorina, group president of the global service provider business at Lucent Technologies. Her address was followed by "Attackers vs. Defenders: The New Media Wars," a panel featuring leaders of major Internet-related companies - such as @Home, AOL, Amazon.com, and Time Warner - in an intense and sometimes heated discussion of cyber-competition, rivalries, and alliances among traditional media companies and high-tech startups.
Twelve afternoon breakout sessions allowed participants to delve into a host of topics, including online marketing and education, "virtual" communities, and equalizing access and opportunities on the Internet. At the day's end, a networking session gave students, alumni, and representatives from participating companies the chance to discuss high-tech career opportunities.
Conference cochairs Susie Hwang (MBA '99) and Mark Freyman (MBA '99) managed a volunteer team of more than 140 MBA students drawn from HBS and thirty leading U.S. and international business schools to make the Cyberposium once again a notable success. For more information, visit the conference Web site at www.cyberposium.com.
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Myra Hart Named to Professorship
Myra M. Hart, an expert in entrepreneurship, has been named MBA Class of 1961 Professor of Management Practice. She holds the MBA Class of 1961 Professorship concurrently with William J. Poorvu, who has been its incumbent since 1989. A member of the HBS faculty since 1995, she earned her MBA (1981) and DBA (1995) degrees from the School.
Hart teaches two MBA electives, Starting New Ventures and Women Building Business. With Professor Marco Iansiti, she received the 1997-98 Apgar Award for Innovation in Teaching for the Starting New Ventures course, which she and Iansiti designed together. Hart also serves as faculty director of the Marjorie Alfus/Committee of 200 initiative at HBS that was created to encourage the inclusion of more female protagonists in business cases. She is faculty coordinator of the Entrepreneurship Unit's field studies program, as well.
Hart has developed two Executive Education programs, which were offered for the first time in 1997: The Entrepreneur's Tool Kit and Women Leading Business. These short programs update entrepreneurs and senior executives on the latest management research being developed at the School.
Hart's interest in entrepreneurship is firmly rooted in practice. She was one of four founding officers of Staples, the office supplies superstore. She subsequently served as the company's vice president of operations and group vice president of growth and development. Prior to joining Staples, Hart was director of marketing for Star Market Company. At HBS, she holds the title "Professor of Management Practice," a designation that enables nontenured appointees with extensive backgrounds in the practice of management to contribute their distinctive talents to the School's teaching and research projects.
The MBA Class of 1961 Professorship was created by that class in honor of its 25th Reunion. The chair may be awarded to a business practitioner of significant achievement, an adjunct faculty member, or a visiting faculty member from another institution.
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