Hala A. Abdelgaffar defends doctoral thesis „Responsible Management Education: Practices, Challenges, and Prospects“

Hala A. Abdelgaffar summarizes the following in his doctoral dissertation:
  
„This dissertation explores practices, challenges, and expected outcomes of responsible management education (RME) adoption. The central research question focuses on how RME is integrated into business school activities and practices. To solve this root question, three sub-questions were posed. Given the centrality of social-relational processes in the conceptualization of RME, a multiple case study methodology was employed to examine the perception of academics as the primary stakeholders. With sparing empirical studies conducted on RME in Egypt, the author decides to explore RME in this target population.
    
The first question concerns the readiness of public business schools to adopt RME and perceived challenges. Results indicated that RME is regarded as key to realizing business school social role.
The second question probes perceived importance of RME and the motives for its implementation. RME is considered a top priority by most academics, but internal and external stakeholder motives impact decision to adopt RME. A positive enabling factor is faculty support of RME. The third question covers challenges to RME adoption. Building on results of the systematic literature review, empirical findings reveal local intrinsic and extrinsic challenges, as well as, functional, procedural, and academic barriers.
    
Reflexivity on review and empirical study findings contribute to a multi-dimensional RME adoption model. This research contributes to, RME and sustainability literature and offers practical advice on RME adoption.“
   
Click here to read the doctoral dissertation.

Supervisors:

Professor Olav Aarna, Ph.D., D. Sc. (Eng.) Professor of Management, Estonian Business School, Estonia.
Mari Kooskora, Ph.D., Associate professor and Head of Business Ethics Centre, Estonian Business School, Estonia.
 
Opponents:
Professor Anders Ragnar Örtenblad, Ph.D., Professor of Work Life Science, University of Agder, Norway.
Nikodemus Solitander, Ph.D., Sinituote Postdoctoral Researcher of Supply Chain Management and Social Responsibility, Hanken School of Economics, Helsinki, Finland.

See the defence on 3 May at 13:00-15:00 via live broadcast on EBS YouTube channel here.