As the world increasingly turns to electric mobility (e-mobility) for transportation – educational and training organizations have a crucial role to play. This challenge has been the recent focus of the William Davidson Institute’s Energy team in its partnership with the State of Chihuahua in Mexico, a region with an economy heavily linked to the automotive industry. The WDI Energy team presented a new report to partners in Ciudad Juárez in developing its own EV training programs.
WDI is excited to announce the call for applications for the 2024 Global Health Commercialization Competition. This innovative competition serves as a dynamic platform for U-M faculty visionaries based on the Ann Arbor, Flint, and Dearborn campuses, who wish to contribute their scientific and technological solutions to the most pressing global health challenges of our time.
From Ann Arbor, USA to Kumasi, Ghana: It takes many hands to bring a product from concept to market. Follow the journey of an effective, low-cost hand and wrist rehabilitation device, created through innovative design and 3D printing.
The Institute proudly announces the fifth cohort of Davidson Field Scholars. These four MBA students commit to at least two WDI-sponsored projects, all of which are focused on unlocking business growth while propelling social progress.
In 2022, WDI delivered a strategic “Roadmap to E-Mobility for the State of Chihuahua” that highlights key opportunities across the EV value chain and the key elements of the emerging global e-mobility ecosystem. Now WDI will help in bringing the roadmap to life in the heavily industrialized state of Mexico.
WDI Publishing is announcing the winners in its first-ever Energy Innovation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Global Case Writing Competition. Administered by WDI Publishing, the contest sought out new voices and expertise in the form of business case studies focused on energy solutions in emerging markets.
With support from the U.S. Mission Mexico Public Diplomacy Section, WDI will implement an academic partnership focused on vehicle electrification training, research and innovation to support higher education institutions in Chihuahua, Mexico. Through the partnership, a select group of faculty in engineering disciplines from the state of Chihuahua will acquire or deepen technical skills related to vehicle electrification technology.
The 2023 Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Global Case Writing Competition, managed by WDI Publishing, has generated 26 cases from seven countries. Now in its third year, the contest is supported by the University of Michigan's Ross School of Business. The partnership will be renewed with a fourth competition in 2024.
Entrepreneurs are business catalysts and education is the spark. With support from the Ford Motor Co. Fund, our Education team developed the “Starting a Business: Your Entrepreneurial Journey” course to turn this energy into action. Representing nine countries, 88 students in this spring’s program learned how to identify a need in the market, pitch a business plan, acquire funding, price a product and find a place for it in the market.
The William Davidson Institute and the Center for Global Health Equity (CGHE) at the University of Michigan hosted the Global Health Commercialization Competition, an effort to commercialize promising technology and innovations for low- and middle-income countries.
Medicines Malaria Venture is developing a long-acting injectable medication to protect children at risk of malaria. When the nonprofit needed clear data on what was most important to clinicians, WDI's Healthcare team suggested a well-tested business practice.
WDI has released a new report, developed alongside Chihuahua’s Secretaría de Innovación y Desarrollo Económico, that delves into opportunities in the electric vehicle value chain and the key elements of the emerging global e-mobility ecosystem.
Around the globe, we are witnessing actions from government, industry, academia and other players whose roles are crucial in enabling the transition to e-mobility. Our research is investigating the challenges and opportunities of this global shift in LMICs.
William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan has launched the Energy Innovation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Global Case Writing Competition. Administered by WDI Publishing, this new contest is seeking innovative and expert business case studies that advance solutions to energy scarcity and sustainability. The first-place winner will receive $3,000, second-place $2,000, and third-place $1,000.
The University of Michigan students most dedicated to WDI's mission to equip economic decision-makers in emerging markets with the tools for success have earned special recognition as Davidson Field Scholars. WDI again is proud to welcome its next cohort of these important student contributors.
As the mobility sector moves toward electrification, a massive shakeup among traditional auto players is underway. Our Energy team blogs about a new project with government & industry leaders in Chihuahua, Mexico to forge a roadmap for a strong e-mobility ecosystem.
The William Davidson Institute and the State of Chihuahua in Mexico will join together to research and develop a comprehensive strategic roadmap for the automotive manufacturing hub to transition to a competitive electric mobility (e-mobility) ecosystem. The partnership will explore the key elements of the emerging e-mobility ecosystem and the players necessary to make it possible.
The competition is sponsored jointly by WDI Publishing and the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. For 2022, a total of 52 cases were submitted to the competition, representing authors from over 40 universities across 12 different countries. Last year’s inaugural competition drew 30 submissions received by WDI Publishing, part of the William Davidson Institute (WDI) at the University of Michigan.
WDI is supporting a new project funded by the U.S. State Department and implemented by the Center for International Private Enterprise in collaboration with a consortium of partners. The project seeks to unleash the growth potential of Bahraini entrepreneurs and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises through mentorship.
In a recent study, WDI Healthcare Vice President Pascale Leroueil and co-authors present a method for estimating the impact of vaccine technologies on vaccination coverage rates. They designed the method to help decision makers better assess the most value for their money, with the goal of improving vaccine coverage for vulnerable communities.
WDI has supported global connections for more than 1,700 students in more than 60 countries since the Institute was founded thirty years ago, and this year was no different. Twenty graduate students pursuing their MBA at Ross participated in WDI-supported projects in 2022, helping advance the work of WDI partner organizations in Ghana, India, Uganda and Ukraine.
In continuing its successful track record of collaborating with universities in emerging market countries to provide world-class executive education programs, William Davidson Institute is partnering with the FPT School of Business & Technology to provide management training in Vietnam.
The Africa Medical Equipment Facility, launched by IFC, is connecting lenders and medical professionals to improve the availability of medical equipment across the continent. It aims to provide security and support for both sides of the interaction. The IFC engaged WDI to deliver AMEF training courses to both client financial institutions and healthcare focused SMEs in Cote d’Ivoire.
The William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan (WDI) hosted the virtual panel "From R&D to the Patient: Changing the Role of Business in Global Health" on Feb. 25. Moderated by WDI Vice President, Healthcare Pascale Leroueil, the discussion was recorded and is now available to watch and share.
Three student alums of international virtual exchanges managed by the William Davidson Institute have been invited to join an inaugural fellowship launched by the Stevens Initiative, the supporting partner of the programs. The Stevens Initiative selected at total five fellows from the U.S. and nine fellows from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region for the inaugural 2022 Stevens Initiative Alumni Fellowship cohort.
When leaders at the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan (WDI) and the African Institute of Management (IAM) in Senegal set out to build a supply chain program for local students, they knew they needed to include case studies about that local region in their curriculum.
For nearly three decades, the William Davidson Institute has supported and enhanced the global emerging market experiences of students at the University of Michigan. Through our programs, courses and projects, students contribute their knowledge and energy toward solving the challenges of enterprises and organizations across multiple sectors in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). In doing so, participating students gain insights, leadership and cross-cultural skills that will shape their professional careers. Our current opportunities include:
“Team Building for Results” is a new, seven-week online team-building program created WDI’s Education team. WDI recently completed a pilot program for 91 college-aged social entrepreneurs from six countries participating in the Ford Motor Company Fund’s global College Community Challenge (Ford C3) initiative.
We've taken pride in playing an important role in connecting businesses operating in low- and middle-income countries with the ideas and experiences of the University of Michigan community. We're excited to again be playing the role of connector by hosting three essential and insightful events in November, notes Institute President Paul Clyde.
WDI is pleased to host Kevin Lobo, Chair and CEO of Stryker, as the keynote speaker for the Ralph J. Gerson Distinguished Lecture. Lobo's talk, set for Nov. 10, focuses on "Challenges and Opportunities for Healthcare Companies in Emerging Markets."
On Nov. 5, WDI and U-M's Ross School of Business, in collaboration with the US-Mexico Foundation (USMF), will host a virtual roundtable to discuss critical issues such as energy and supply chain integration for the auto industry. The event will bring together diplomats, industry leaders and academia on trends and opportunities for players in both countries.
WDI, in collaboration with Economic Development of Juárez and the US-Mexico Foundation (USMF), convened a week-long visit for 15 senior leaders in business, technology, academia and government from the State of Chihuahua, Mexico - a critical hub in the North American automotive industry.
Global medical device firm, Becton, Dickinson and Company, has trained medical laboratory staff across Africa under public-private Labs for Life project for years. But when the pandemic shut down in-person instruction, WDI helped by connecting learners over their mobile phones.
As we start a new academic year, WDI President Paul Clyde reminds us that "rising to meet the profound challenges of uncertainty is in our DNA," at the Institute. It's also our mindset in responding to the pandemic's impact wherever we work, around the world.
WDI supports U-M student initiatives in a number of ways, from sponsored courses, to specialized projects to coordinated internships. However, to become a field scholar, students must complete two courses or programs, in coordination with their graduate programs.
Learn more about the Winners of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Case Writing Competition - a challenge with the goal of eliciting and sharing case studies that would encourage critical thinking around effective DEI measures in business.
U-Michigan Prof Jose Alfaro has pioneered new ways to harness sustainable energy from "biowaste." Alfaro is rolling it out as a new business that will serve other small businesses such as farming cooperatives, with the help of the WDI.
Lawrence Chen, a former Davidson Field Scholar who earned his MBA from the Ross Business School at the University of Michigan in 2020, shares his experiences developing the International Investment Fund (IIF). In this blog, he explains how he and fellow students evaluated India-based businesses for investment.
WDI's Performance Measurement & Improvement team is leading the research for the Gender-Smart Enterprise Assistance Research Coalition (G-SEARCh) which includes six impact investors. The group came together with a shared goal of supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in emerging markets to incorporate gender across their respective business models.
WDI Publishing and the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, and its Sanger Leadership Center are joining together to address this important movement by launching the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Global Case Writing Competition.
"Responsible leadership," or the mindset of addressing societal challenges, is relevant for all businesses – no matter the size, sector, or growth stage. Nor is it exclusive to those identifying as social enterprises or multinational corporations, writes WDI's Kristin Babbie Kelterborn.
WDI collaborated with global partners and faculty and students from across the U-M campus on dozens of projects around the world. Read our 2019 Year in Review.
NextBillion is dedicated to promoting strategies that open opportunities and improve quality of life for the world’s four billion low-income producers and consumers. By stimulating discussion, raising awareness, and providing platforms for sharing ideas, NextBillion is a growing community of practitioners, academics, entrepreneurs, and business leaders who are promoting market solutions to poverty. Managed solely by WDI, NextBillion features in-depth analysis and opinion from wide variety of global contributors, an editor-curated newsfeed, an events calendar and a career center with the latest job opportunities across the development through enterprise space.