Faculty of Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS)
Prof Nick Binedell, Dean
Telephone number: 011 771 4000
Fax number: 086 638 0543
E-mail address: info@gibs.co.za
Message by the Dean
The purpose of the Gordon Institute of Business
Science (GIBS) is to significantly improve the
competitive performance of individuals and
organisations through business education in
dynamic markets. Business education and national
competitiveness go hand in hand, and GIBS aims to
improve the way businesses and business people
perform and contribute to the South African economy
and society at large.
It is this view that drives research at GIBS and,
due to the nature of the students and Faculty, the
research has to be relevant and have meaning to
business leaders. This demand has become more
pronounced with the recent global financial crisis and
the continued growth of dynamic markets. We are
witnessing an economic changing of the guard with
growing dynamic markets, and stagnant and struggling
developed markets. This requires new ideas and new
competencies for general managers and traditional
western business models have to be materially
adapted or, in some cases, discarded. The research
agenda at GIBS is driven by the need to understand
this new environment, while remaining relevant and
accessible to a broader audience than academics.
In 2009, GIBS launched the Centre for Business
Analysis and Research to coordinate teaching and
research activities in areas such as sustainable
development, serving the needs of those at the
economic base of the pyramid, information technology,
black economic empowerment and transformation, and
the transfer of innovation across emerging markets.
In 2010, GIBS established the Centre for Dynamic
Markets (CDM) to be a world leader in teaching,
research and knowledge dissemination with respect
to the companies, political economy, institutions and
other factors that make up these dynamic markets.
The CDM incorporates the African Business Network,
Asian Business Network and the Centre for Japanese
Studies.
GIBS’s research outputs have remained constant and
its staff has had a strong presence at international
academic conferences and in international business
journals. Most internationally recognised business
schools are also encouraged to publish substantial,
peer-reviewed international case studies for teaching
purposes and GIBS has increased its output in this
regard. Its case studies are published jointly with the
Richard Ivey Business School of the University of
Western Ontario and are disseminated through the
European Case Clearing House and Harvard Business
Publishing, among others.
GIBS has three NRF-rated researchers and provides
ongoing support for its staff to publish. Its staff
members hold regular development sessions and many
enjoy collaborative relationships with international
scholars, which leads to good-quality international
publications. In addition, more than 230 GIBS MBA
students graduated in 2010 and several of their
research reports are expected to lead to publication.
For 2011, the focus will be on increasing the research
pipeline of staff members and focusing on positioning
GIBS to be recognised as the foremost business
school for general managers in dynamic markets.
Prof Nick Binedell
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