CBE Holds Graduate Distinguished Lecture Series

Prof. Christopher Shook from Auburn University in the United States and Dr. Yehya Al Marzouqi of Tawazun in the UAE were the featured speakers at the UAEU CBE Graduate Distinguished Lecture Series on Monday, 7 December 2015, at the UAEU-Tawazun Center of Industrial Leadership in Sky Tower on Reem Island in Abu Dhabi.  CBE Dean Geralyn McClure Franklin hosted the event.

Prof. Christopher presented on “Entrepreneurship:  The Key to Corporate Performance.”  Dr. Yehya discussed “Entrepreneurship and Innovation.”  Many students and alumni from the CBE’s three graduate programs (Doctorate of Business Administration (DBA), Master of Business Administration (MBA), and Master of Professional Accounting (MPA) as well as faculty and staff were in attendance.  Attendees had an opportunity to interact with presenters which resulted in interesting ideas for advancing entrepreneurial initiatives in the UAE.

Prof. Christopher Shook is the Russell Professor of Management at Auburn University in the United States.   Previously, he was Chair of the Management Department at Auburn, and he held positions at The University of Texas at Arlington and Northern Illinois University. Prof. Chris’ research interests include methodological issues in strategic management and entrepreneurship research along with opportunity exploration and exploitation. His research has appeared in the Strategic Management Journal, Academy of Management Journal, Journal of Management, Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, and Organizational Research Methods.  Chris served as Senior Associate Editor of the Journal of Management from 2008-2011 and served as President of the Southern Management Association. 

Dr Yehya Al Marzouqi is Executive Director of the Project Management Office at Tawazun.  He joined Tawazun in 2009, after working in ADCO for over 16 years. Dr. Yehya worked previously in the Resources Centre of a major bank in the United States. At Tawazun, he has led various people development initiatives including Leadership Development and Succession Planning Programs.  He was also instrumental in the design, development, and implementation of the MBA in Manufacturing Excellence at UAEU. Dr Yehya has served as a member and Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Tawteen Program and is serving as a member of the Executive Advisory Board of the College of Business and Economics at the UAEU and the executive committee for evaluation and assessment of the Ministry of Interior’s Quality Award.