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Johann Neem: “Abolish the Business Major”

John Fea   |  August 17, 2019

It is hard to argue with Western Washington University historian Johann Neem on this point.  The business major is an “anti-intellectual” degree program that should have “no place in colleges.” Why? Neem develops his thoughts in his new book What’s...

Can a Cake Business Personify Christian Values?

John Fea   |  June 8, 2018

Lawrence B. Glickman teaches American history at Cornell University.  In this very interesting piece at Boston Review, he wonders why the Supreme Court continues to treat businesses as people.  And why does the Court continue to favor the rights of businesses...

Do Business Schools Belong in Universities?

John Fea   |  February 20, 2018

For Miami (OH) University historian professor Steven Conn, the answer is clearly “no.” Over at The Chronicle of Higher Education, Conn makes his case. Here is a taste: It is hard to shake the conclusion that business schools have largely failed —...

The Problem With Majoring in Business

John Fea   |  September 29, 2017

To be fair, Chris Gehrz‘s post at The Pietist Schoolman is actually titled “The (Potential) Problems with Majoring in Business.”  Gerhz responds to a Chronicle of Higher Education list of the most popular majors at the nation’s 40 largest public universities.  As...

Harvard Finance Professor: We Need the Humanities

John Fea   |  June 13, 2017

Harvard’s Mihir Desai argues that we “all lose” when Wall Street is divorced from the humanities. Here is a taste of Carrie Sheffield’s piece on Desai at Salon: Mihir Desai, a Harvard finance professor, has a striking discovery he’s keen to share:...

The Vocation of the Business Leader

John Fea   |  August 8, 2016

Is Donald Trump a successful businessman?  Not according to Catholic social teaching. As Anthony Arnett notes at dotCommonweal, the Vatican’s Vocation of the Business Leader requires that all business activity be oriented toward the common good.  Pope Francis has called business...

Business Majors Need Liberal Arts to Advance in Their Careers

John Fea   |  June 29, 2016

Over at The Atlantic, Yoni Appelbaum (see our interview with him in Episode 3 The Way of Improvement Leads Home podcast) explains why business majors need the liberal arts. Here is a taste: American undergraduates are flocking to business programs, and...

Why Historical Thinking Matters

John Fea   |  May 28, 2016

If you still need to be convinced why the study of history is absolutely essential to American democracy, check out Mark Oppenheim‘s interview with Jim Grossman. Oppenheim runs m/Oppenheim Associates.  He has a 30-year organizational consulting and search track record that...

Historical Thinking in the World of Business

John Fea   |  March 7, 2014

Chris McNickle is a historian and the former global head of institutional business for Fidelity Worldwide Investment.  In a wonderful essay in Perspectives on History, McNickle discusses how historical thinking is a valuable asset for those in the business world....

So What CAN You Do With a History Major?–Part 44

John Fea   |  May 29, 2013

More and more leaders in the business world are seeing the value of the humanities.  Check out Tony Golsby’s Smith’s recent post,”Want Innovative Thinking? Hire from the Humanities,” at the blog of the Harvard Business Review.  He identifies several things...

Brooks: “What Data Can’t Do”

John Fea   |  February 20, 2013

As a humanist I really like this David Brooks column.  He reminds us that in the business world data only goes so far.  Data does not have social capacities.  It does not understand context.  It cannot address “big problems.” And...

Business Professor: Major in the Liberal Arts

John Fea   |  February 18, 2013

Hamilton Nolan’s post at The Gawker is a little too uncharitable toward undergraduate business majors for my taste, but it does make sense.  Here is a taste: Over in Israel, the land of truth, Haaretz reports that Shmuel Ellis—a business...

Why We Need Liberal Arts in the Business World

John Fea   |  February 8, 2013

Chad Dickerson, the CEO of Etsy, has a degree in literature from a liberal arts college.  He thinks that a liberal arts education is more valuable than a math or science education.  (I am assuming that Dickinson is confusing “liberal...

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