The More Things Change There are a lot of changes happening in and around Thunderbird these days. But one important thing remains the same: leaders who want to thrive need the tools to navigate global business, and that’s exactly what Thunderbird delivers. Since 1946, Thunderbird has been synonymous with leadership in international business education. This focus on global business made perfect sense in a post-World War II world. And it makes perfect sense today, as we prepare global leaders who will be tasked with shaping a new era, the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It is as important now as ever before that global business leaders possess the knowledge, skills, and passion for diversity that will prepare them for global complexities. Global business defines our past. And global business will be a beacon as we head into an uncertain future.
LEADERSHIP IN A POST-WORLD WAR II WORLD Why is global business so important? A member of Thunderbird’s original faculty and one of our School’s founders and Thunderbird’s second president, Dr. William Lytle Schurz, perhaps said it best: “Borders frequented by trade seldom need soldiers.” Thunderbird was founded soon after World War II ended. Its mission was to help business leaders navigate a new global economy – a new world order based on international trade and
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cooperation. Countries that had been enemies were determined to rebuild, normalizing political and business relations between them. Following World War II, business and political leaders understood that we live in a world that is multicultural, rich in beauty, and complex. Thunderbird’s founders realized that managing amid such complexity requires, in addition to business savvy, a global mindset and the ability to lead with cultural intelligence. A focus on global business, Thunderbird-style, made perfect sense for that era.
LEADERSHIP DESIGNED FOR OUR FUTURE Fast forward 74 years. A new wave of worldwide change is once again upon us, a paradigm shift that is making our focus on global business more important than ever. We are in the early stages of a technological revolution that will fundamentally alter the way we live, work, and relate to one another. Automation, machine learning, mobile and quantum computing, and artificial intelligence are no longer futuristic concepts. They are our reality. These fundamental technological changes, the Fourth Industrial Revolution, present us with previously unimaginable opportunities to solve our greatest environmental challenges and to secure the future health and prosperity of our global society. Yet, at the same time, we are facing a backlash against globalization, a backlash against the free flow of human
and financial capital, goods and services, ideas, cultures, and languages. It will take a special breed of global business leader to ride this new wave, to mitigate the challenges and realize the opportunities, to navigate the complexities of an era of rapid transformation and to maximize its benefits in ways that are equitable and lasting.
KEY TO THE FUTURE: UNDERSTANDING GLOBAL BUSINESS At Thunderbird, we help shape business leaders who understand the language of today and the protocols and tools required to excel in a rapidly changing world. “Thunderbird’s mission continues to be one of educating and influencing global leaders who can advance inclusive and sustainable prosperity,” said Dean Khagram. “We need leaders across sectors to foster a rise of new business models, leaders who are dedicated to making the world a better, more peaceful place.” Tomorrow’s leaders are not unlike the global leaders envisioned in 1946 by Thunderbird’s founders. Now, as then, we need leaders who have a firm understanding of the power of possibility. Leaders who embrace lifelong learning, flexibility, and agility. We need leaders who are unafraid and forward-focused. Our shared future depends on it. That’s why a focus on global business, Thunderbird-style, still makes perfect sense.
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