UC Business School

We finished our study tour with a week in Jakarta where we met with H.E. Kevin Burnett, New Zealand Ambassador to Indonesia, Amanda Hay, First Secretary, and Cecilia Shand, Trade Commissioner. We also met Sechan Risyad, the Co-Founder of boutique marketing agency Staple Studio, visited Unilever Indonesia and Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), and concluded with a sharing session with students from Universitas Prasetiya Mulya who had done an impressive amount of research on our project topic and were able to share very useful insights. Below are some key takeaways from second year Finance and Operations and Supply Chain Management student, Patrick Beggs: “Our time in Jakarta offered invaluable insights into the opportunities for New Zealand businesses to expand into Indonesia. Discussions with New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Unilever, and the CEO of Staple Studio deepened our understanding of Indonesia’s economic landscape, particularly its pivotal role in ASEAN, contributing one-third of the region’s economy. With a growing middle class, rising consumer demand, and 99% tariff-free access for New Zealand exports, Indonesia presents a compelling market. The government’s proactive approach to attracting foreign investment, combined with initiatives to eradicate poverty, improve human capital, and foster economic self-sufficiency, highlights the country’s growth potential. However, businesses must navigate challenges such as non-tariff barriers and a complex business environment. Success in this dynamic environment requires localised strategies and a deep understanding of the market. Despite these challenges, Indonesia’s focus on economic transformation makes it a promising opportunity for businesses seeking sustainable growth in Southeast Asia.” There is no better way to get to know people than spending an intensive three weeks overseas with them and I walk away from this experience feeling incredibly positive about the future. Thank you to each and every one of the 15 talented students who took part for your curiosity, engagement and positive attitudes throughout. Keep an eye out for Amie Gould, Clara Holmes, Flora Schmidt, Francine Manrique, George Kain, George Watson, Gisele Falconer, Jacqui Kingi, Dineli Saparamadu, Lily Woodbridge, Matthew Kennedy, Patrick Beggs, Riley Greaves, Sakiko Saka and Shaneli Saparamadu. And another big thank you to everyone who gave up their precious time to meet and support us throughout. We are very grateful and don’t take it for granted! It was also such a pleasure to co-lead the tour with the little sister Siti Karina. Thank you! University of Canterbury, UC Business School, Paul Ballantine, Robbie McDougall, Siti Karina, Charu Uppal MBA, CFRE, Naluri Bella Wati

🚀 Exciting Leadership Opportunity in the UC Business School! Are you ready to lead and inspire in one of New Zealand’s premier business schools? 🌟 We’re seeking a dynamic Head of Department for Management, Marketing and Tourism to join our thriving academic community at Te Kura Umanga | UC Business School in Ōtautahi | Christchurch. This is more than just a role - it's a chance to: ✅ Shape the future of a high-performing department. ✅ Collaborate with world-class scholars in an AACSB, EQUIS, and AMBA accredited Business School. ✅ Develop your leadership skills in a supportive and collegial environment. At UC, we’re committed to empowering our people to make a difference. With incredible professional development opportunities, a vibrant campus, and a lifestyle that balances work and the beauty of New Zealand, this is your chance to advance your career in a unique and impactful way. 📅 Applications close: Monday, 10 February 2025 🔗 Learn more and apply: https://lnkd.in/gZfUsxMb Join us in shaping the future of business education and research! #Leadership #AcademicExcellence #UCBusinessSchool #CareerOpportunity #Christchurch

🎉 Congratulations to Oliver Boyd, Mary McConnell, and Bradley Ward, the 2024 recipients of the Gough Family Foundation MBA Leaders Scholarship. These rising leaders are making a significant impact across industries—from retirement housing to environmental planning and urban design. Esteemed mentors Mark Verbiest, Gillian Simpson, and Don Miskell will support their journey. This bespoke leadership scholarship aligns perfectly with the UC MBA's vision of developing leaders who drive meaningful impact in their communities and beyond. A huge thanks to the Gough Family Foundation, in particular Ben Gough and Pen Gough, for empowering future leaders to create lasting change across New Zealand. 🌟 Read more about the scholars and their mentors here: https://lnkd.in/gdtabTFg #Leadership #UCMBA

A huge first day for the A-CSEAR conference 2024! We were treated to a plenary talk by Dr John Reid on the rise of surveillance technologies, and emerging Indigenous-led business and economic models harnessing these capabilities for better social and environmental outcomes. We also heard from our panel of experts Prof Jane Andrew, Heidi Rosser, Dr. Farzana Aman Tanima and Alessandro Ghio on the roles of accounting to enable thriving communities. Our thanks to you all for sharing your time and knowledge with us. 🙏 We celebrated the achievements of Prof Jane Andrew and Prof Charl de Villiers as they were inducted into the #ACSEAR hall of fame. Thank you for all you do to support and inspire your fellow scholars, and your pursuit of research that really makes a difference. Congratulations to our best paper award winners – Erin Twyford, Dr Kylie Kingston, Kinley Wangchuk and Mohini Vidwans 👏– we celebrate your important contributions to the field of social and environmental accounting research. One more day to go! #ACSEAR 🎉

Celebrating the Success of Commerce Connect 2024   On Tuesday, 26th November, UC Business School hosted a Professional Development Day for Secondary Commerce Teachers, a highlight of our Outreach and Engagement efforts led by Catherine T.. A huge thank you to our incredible industry speakers, Michael Flatman and Graeme Sumner, for sharing your invaluable insights.   We were also privileged to have Jude Barnes from the Ministry of Education join us. Her engaging discussions on NCEA implementation were timely, thought-provoking, and incredibly insightful.   Our academic experts, including Elsamari Botha, Julia YH Wu, Stephen Hickson, Steve Agnew, Neil Crombie, Heba Ahmed, Natasja Steenkamp, Chris Akroyd, and Hashika Rathnasiri brought their passion and expertise to enrich the day further.   Behind the scenes, a massive thanks to our fantastic team: Kellie-Ann Abraham and Amanda Washington, who ensured everything ran smoothly, with support from Shani Meyer and Tania Brixton. Attendees received a goodie bag, which included a Sharenanigans Board Game by the brilliant Alli Kennedy—a perfect way to end the day!   Thank you to everyone who made this event a success! 🙌

🌟 Unlocking Leadership Potential Through Negotiation 🌟 Negotiation is at the heart of effective leadership. Did you know that up to 50% of leaders’ time is spent negotiating? From managing teams to securing partnerships, the ability to negotiate can make or break outcomes. Last week, UC Business School's Executive Education hosted our Negotiations Skills course, led by the exceptional Patrick E.J. ROTTIERS. The session was a tremendous success, bringing together professionals from diverse industries to refine their skills, gain strategic insights, and practice real-world negotiation scenarios. Find out more about this and other short courses for you and your organisation at https://lnkd.in/d9BixNQq #professionaldevelopment #leadership #newZealand #negotiations

Yesterday, we wrapped up the final session of our Generative AI Bootcamp, marking the completion of the third course in this exciting series. 💡 From learning about the different AI tools available, to prompting better, to integrating GenAI in key business processes, these sessions truly pushed the boundaries of what’s possible with GenAI in business. 📢 And the verdict? Participants are already asking for more! We’ve seen firsthand how this knowledge sparks innovation, and we’re thrilled to keep the momentum going. ➡️ What’s next? ✅ Come back in 2025: This series will return bigger and better next year, with even more opportunities to dive into AI-powered transformation. https://lnkd.in/grdRGaZ5 ✅ Bespoke team sessions: Can’t wait until next year? We can create a tailored workshop for your team to equip them with the GenAI skills they need today. 📩 Let’s keep this conversation going—reach out to ExecEd@canterbury.ac.nz to learn more or discuss how we can bring this knowledge directly to your team. Here’s to the future of work, powered by AI! 🚀 #GenerativeAI #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveEducation #CanterburyMBA #FutureOfWork #AIWorkflows

What an incredible event! 🎉 Our recent Thought Leadersip event, Navigating Change: Transformative Trends Reshaping New Zealand’s Workplace, brought together a powerhouse of thought leaders, innovators, and changemakers to explore the forces reshaping the future of work in Aotearoa. 🌏✨ We were privileged to hear from: 🎤 Tracey Cotter-Martin, Associate Director Optimisation and Innovation at Datacom, who shared how connected techologies are transforming workplaces and practical ways to adapt. 🎤 Murray W. Strong, whose insights on how boards should navigate change were invaluable. 🎤 Carl Davidson, who brought data-driven clarity and talked about the impact of New Zealand's changing demograpy on the workplace. 🎤 And our own Elsamari Botha, whose expertise in digital transformation and Generative AI opened our eyes to new possibilities. We were also delighted to have Paul Ballantine, Executive Dean of the UC Business School, share an update on the exciting developments at the Business School. A massive thank you to our speakers, attendees, and everyone who contributed to the success of this event, including Brannigans. Here is a link to the recording (https://lnkd.in/gxYHKaJa) and find our other Thought Leadership Series recordings here: https://lnkd.in/geVUA--V 👉 What’s the biggest workplace trend you’re seeing in your industry? Let’s keep the conversation going in the comments! #FutureOfWork #AILeadership #WorkplaceTrends #NavigatingChange

Big News This Week!   We’re thrilled to announce that UC has been ranked 12th in the world for Tourism and Hospitality Management by the prestigious ShanghaiRanking’s Global Ranking of Academic Subjects (GRAS) 2024!   This impressive achievement showcases the exceptional research and teaching within our Management, Marketing, and Tourism department at the UC Business School. Being recognised among the world’s top universities is a testament to the dedication and hard work of our faculty and students, who continuously raise the bar for academic excellence.   Special recognition goes to Michael Hall, Girish Prayag, Dr. Richard S. Aquino, and Ning (Chris) Chen, as well as their PhD students, whose contributions are at the heart of this success.   Thank you to ShanghaiRanking Consultancy for this esteemed recognition, and congratulations to all involved 👏   #UC #Tourism #HospitalityManagement #ShanghaiRanking #UCBusinessSchool #AcademicExcellence 

🚀 Unlocking Potential with Generative AI! 🚀 We recently wrapped up an amazing Level 2 session of our Generative AI Bootcamp at UC, where participants were automating tasks and becoming better at using various GenAI tools to stay ahead in the AI-driven world. The skills gained here are helping them streamline operations, making day-to-day work faster and smarter. Here’s a quick tip we shared with the group: For more precise results, try using ‘role prompting’—frame your request by specifying a role like "As a project manager" or "As a data analyst." Make that even better by including a goal, audience, and success metrics. It’s a small tweak that can have a big impact on AI’s responses! What’s your top tip for effective AI prompting? 💡 Drop it in the comments—let’s learn from each other! Level 3 of the bootcamp is on the 19th of November (more info here https://lnkd.in/grdRGaZ5). And if you’re looking to take your team’s AI skills to the next level, reach out to execed@canterbury.ac.nz! We’d love to explore creating a bespoke training experience for your organization. #GenerativeAI #Leadership #FutureOfWork #AIBootcamp #PromptEngineering David Dempsey Elsamari Botha