McGill students earn podium finish in leading global case competition
McGill Desautels continues its hot streak in the case competition arena with another podium result, placing 2nd overall in the prestigious 2023 Copenhagen Business School Invitational Case competition. 12 schools flew to Copenhagen and were challenged to help Vestas, a leading company in wind power plant solutions, leverage its position to create new businesses in hydrogen technologies and develop a strategy for 2030.
Delve Spring 2023 digital magazine
What will the firm of the future—and the future of work—look like? In the face of societal and generational change, will organizational hierarchies fall flat?
McGill Personal Financial Essentials course can help Canadians understand their options at tax time
Tax season is here. In Canada, the RRSP contribution deadline was March 1, and while putting money into a RRSP account can help reduce their tax bill for the year, it’s not the ideal option for everyone. The McGill Personal Financial Essentials course helps people in such situations understand which financial instruments are best suited to their own circumstances. It’s a free online course that is delivered in six modules, and open to all.
Majority of companies in 4-day work week study make shorter week permanent
The results are in, and the four-day work week isn’t only good for workers – companies like it too. In a six-month UK study, 61 employers trialed a 4-day work week that asked employees to perform the same work in less time, and at the end of the trial period, 92% of participating employers chose to make the shorter week permanent. “This is in line with previous study we’ve seen before,” said Prof.
Ace Squad wins 2023 Desautels Case Cup Competition
On February 3, first-year McGill Desautels MBAs participated in the annual Desautels Case Cup competition. Judged by alumni, this year’s case focused on MassChallenge, a program created by John Harthorne and Akhil Nigam that provides support and funding for startup companies.
Desautels alum record label achieves critical successes
For Jim West (BA’79) and Justin West (BCom’04), the music industry is a family affair. From a young age, Justin accompanied his father to industry conferences, and during his teenage years, he spent the summers working for his father’s record label: Justin Time Records. The younger West graduated from Desautels with a degree in accounting, but ultimately followed in his father’s footsteps. In 2006, he launched a label called Secret City Records.
To be maximally effective, managers should consider Mintzberg’s organizational structure types
According to Professor Henry Mintzberg, there are four types of organizations: autocracy, meritocracy, bureaucracy, and adhocracy. Each type has its own strengths and weaknesses. Many small businesses are autocracies and revolve around the vision of their founder. This gives them a limited management hierarchy and can help enable dynamism.
Companies must decarbonize supply chains to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and this can create risk for investors
As part of their effort to reduce emissions, large companies like McDonald’s have announced cuts to emissions from their own operations and power supply. These are known as Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, respectively. But large firms often do less to address emissions generated by the products they sell, which are known as Scope 3 emissions. McDonald’s is planning to install LED lights and power its restaurants with renewable energy.
Experiential Learning: McGill Desautels gives rise to discovery
In 2021, thanks to the generosity of alumnus Don Lewtas, we saw the launch of the Lewtas Office of Experiential Learning. Since the office’s inception, the team at the Lewtas Office, led by Leigh Korey, PhD, has been hard at work creating powerful hands-on learning opportunities that play a vital role in the student journey.
43rd Desautels Management Achievement Awards celebrates industry “disruptors”
On Friday, February 3, the Desautels Faculty of Management hosted the 43rd edition of the Desautels Management Achievement Awards, a student-run initiative which brings the global Desautels community together to celebrate the achievements of industry leaders who have demonstrated a career of great achievement and commitment of responsible business.
Global competition gets students to take on challenge of investing sustainably
The 2022 McGill International Portfolio Challenge (MIPC), in its 6th year, asked undergraduate students from around the world to devise innovative portfolio strategies that could achieve high returns while still ensuring a sustainable future.
Okimaw Community & HR Solutions works with First Nations leaders to implement effective human resources
First Nations’ band managers typically play dual roles, serving as both finance and human-resources manager, but finances are often their primary focus, says Miranda Kennedy, the Vice President of Human Resources at Okimaw Community & HR Solutions, a company that works with First Nations and related organizations. “Rarely is anyone in the band office equipped to manage employee grievances, workplace safety or updating policies and procedures,” Kennedy told Prof.
Bombardier’s business is flourishing within narrower niche of business jets
A series of missteps led Bombardier to the brink of bankruptcy in 2015. The Government of Quebec bailed out the Montreal-based manufacturer, but its stock cratered as it restructured its business. Fast-forward to 2023, and the aerospace company is once again on the rise. The company foresees increased revenues due to robust demand for business jets and its stock price is up 50 per cent from a year ago. “Ten years ago, Bombardier was Canada’s biggest and most global company,” said Prof.
Dean Yolande Chan seeks to foster inclusivity, to generate future successes
The Dean of the Desautels Faculty of Management wants to give out keys to doors that were once locked. “The hope and dream is to create opportunities for others,” Yolande Chan told Bill Brownstein in an interview for the Montreal Gazette. “As a Black dean, I’m not about exclusion. I’m about inclusion. We want to be representative of the markets we serve as businesses.
Philanthropist and visionary Marcel Desautels passes away at age 88
Marcel Desautels, LLD’07 (CM, O Ont, OM) generously donated both his resources and his time to furthering business education at McGill. The business leader and philanthropist passed away on January 31 at the age of 88. Desautels invested over $38 million in students, programs, research and facilities at the Desautels Faculty of Management.
