WDI hosted an informational webinar about the program on December 5, 2024. Watch the recording to learn more about the program or visit climate-entrepreneurs.org.
A grant from the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative will enable the Climate Entrepreneurship Exchange to give undergraduate students global collaboration and learning opportunities—without them having to leave their home communities.
Ann Arbor, November 19, 2024—Today, the Stevens Initiative announced the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan is one of nine schools, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations to receive funding to run virtual exchange programs that connect young people in the United States and the Middle East and North Africa. The programs will help reach 8,000 young people along with the new J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative Grantees, supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.
“I’m proud to celebrate the addition of nine new grantees to our 2024 J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative portfolio today. Over the last year, we have taken great strides to bridge cultural divides and prepare rising generations of global leaders,” said Christine Shiau, Executive Director of the Stevens Initiative. “Everything we do is centered around making transformative global experiences accessible to young people, and that would be impossible without the partnership of these incredible organizations and educational institutions.”
Through virtual exchange, participants build a better understanding of the world around them and develop critical thinking and cultural fluency skills needed to be successful in an ever changing world. It is a powerful tool to reimagine what global learning looks like, how it can be conducted, and how many people participate.
Climate Entrepreneurship Exchange will connect undergraduate students across four universities in Michigan and three in North Africa to build the business skills for creating a climate startup concept, while helping students generate confidence to make an investment pitch.
Beginning in February 2025, the eight-week, no-cost online certificate program will connect undergraduate students across Michigan, Egypt, Libya, and Morocco. The program will be offered in four cohorts, through June 2026 reaching 1,100 undergraduate students. The curriculum provides an in-depth exploration of climate change, highlighting its urgency and the entrepreneurial opportunities it presents.
Participating U.S. universities and institutions include The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor and Dearborn campuses; Wayne State University, Michigan State University, and Eastern Michigan University. Participating universities and educational institutions in MENA include American University in Cairo, Egypt; ESCA School of Management, Casablanca, Morocco; and Benghazi Youth for Technology & Entrepreneurship (BYTE), in Benghazi, Libya.
“Climate change is the defining challenge of our times and it affects us all. Businesses play a critical role in tackling it,” said Amy Gillett, Vice President, Education at WDI. “The Climate Entrepreneurship Exchange is a unique opportunity for enterprising students to develop innovative business solutions that can drive real change.”
The key modules of the program include an overview of climate change, design thinking, transforming an idea into a viable business, marketing an enterprise, procuring financing, and developing an effective pitch.
WDI will implement the program in four cohorts:
The virtual exchange will assemble students in small teams to identify a local issue in Egypt, Libya, or Morocco and create a climate-related business concept to address it. During the eight-week program, students will collaborate in a cross-cultural team, work together to complete team assignments and learn to develop innovative climate business solutions. The program culminates in a virtual pitch competition.
Members of the top two winning teams from across the four cohorts will be invited for a study trip. North Africa-based winners will travel to Michigan for a weeklong immersion in the U.S. entrepreneurial ecosystem, while Michigan-based winners will embark on an unforgettable journey to Morocco, learning from regional entrepreneurship experts and exploring local culture.
WDI is a leader in virtual exchange programs that build workplace skills, create international linkages, and promote economic growth in low- and middle-income countries. In addition to implementing two previous Stevens Initiative programs, M²GATE (2017–2018) and Business & Culture (2019–2023), WDI has also conducted several other virtual exchange programs in areas including team building, starting a business, leadership and communication skills. The Stevens Initiative recently named Gillett as a Global Champion of virtual exchange for her leadership in creating and implementing these programs.
About WDI
At the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan, unlocking the power of business to provide lasting economic and social prosperity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is in our DNA. We gather the data, develop new models, test concepts and collaborate with partners to find real solutions that lead to new opportunities.
About Stevens Initiative
The Stevens Initiative, a program of the Aspen Institute, is an international leader in virtual exchange, which brings young people from diverse places together for dialogue and discovery through everyday technology. Created in 2015 as a lasting tribute to Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, the Initiative is building a better tomorrow by championing global citizenship, empowering future leaders, and advancing the field of virtual exchange. Learn more: stevensinitiative.org.
About ECA
The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) builds relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through academic, cultural, sports, professional and private exchanges, as well as public-private partnerships and mentoring programs. These exchange programs improve foreign relations and strengthen the national security of the United States, support U.S. international leadership, and provide a broad range of domestic benefits by helping break down barriers that often divide us. Visit eca.state.gov.
About the Aspen Institute
The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most important challenges facing the United States and the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners. For more information, visit aspeninstitute.org.
Despite some cooling of electric vehicle sales in the U.S. market, emerging markets around the world are creating their own hot spots on the electrification journey. Whether it’s new educational initiatives to prepare future EV business leaders and automotive workers to new policies and investments designed to create new EV innovation and manufacturing hubs, there’s a lot to learn from a new generation of leaders and innovators across geographies. The William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan (WDI) invites you to a learning webinar featuring EV leaders in Costa Rica, Mexico and the Philippines. Each with a different market perspective, this public WDI discussion will reveal how emerging actors and new collaborations are energizing the EV value chain.
Octavio Jimenez
Founder and Current Executive Director of the CEA Institute and Motoschool in Costa Rica since 1999. Graduate in Educational Administration and Master’s in Business Administration in Costa Rica.
Cynthia López
Executive Director of Desarrollo Económico de Ciudad Juárez, a non-profit organization formed by the leaders of the top-performing companies in the region, aiming to enhance the quality of life for its residents and boost the economy of the Juárez-El Paso region. Cynthia is also a leader in the sustainable urban mobility movement in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico.
Audie Vergara
Executive Director of Apl.de.Ap Foundation International (APLFI), leading efforts to strengthen middle-class communities in the Philippines through workforce development and education aimed at advancing skills in electronics, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and electric vehicles.
Diana E. Páez
Senior Director, Energy & Mobility at WDI, helping energy and mobility businesses and stakeholders in low and middle-income countries take advantage of business opportunities and adapt to changes brought about by the energy transition. To do so, she leverages more than a decade of global development experience working with partners across government, private sector, academia, and civil society.
With submissions from South Africa to Colombia and from Ireland to India, WDI Publishing proudly announces the winners of its 2024 HealthTech and the 2024 Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Global Case Writing Competitions.
The two competitions generated a combined total of 43 total case submissions, representing 37 different universities and higher learning organizations in nine different countries. This was the first year for the HealthTech Global Case Writing Competition, but the fourth year of the DEI Case Writing Competition, which is sponsored by U-M’s Ross School of Business and the William Davidson Institute. The HealthTech contest sought out academic cases around novel technology appropriate for a low- and middle-income country that contributes to improving, maintaining or monitoring the health of a given population. The DEI competition is designed to identify and publish new, relevant academic case studies that focus on DEI in business and/or feature diverse protagonists as business leaders.
“We are thrilled to see the enthusiasm for the contests continue to grow, in terms of both the number of submitted cases and the quality of those cases, according to our finalist judges,” said Sandra Draheim, Manager of WDI Publishing.
A division of the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan, WDI Publishing produces and distributes high-quality, cutting-edge business cases and other teaching materials for business schools around the globe. Case studies provide real-world lessons at the core of many business schools, and serve as an opportunity for students to apply the business concepts to their current or future careers.
All of the winning cases are available on wdi-publishing.com.
Below is a list of the winning authors, their cases, and finalist judges for each case writing competition:
Global Firm and Local Labor: Delivering Paid Parental Leave
Authors: Ahmmad Brown, Assistant Professor of Instruction, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, USA; Ritu Tripathi, Assistant Professor of Instruction, Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy, USA
TriBrown Services is a fictional leading industrial technology company headquartered in the United States, with operations in 70-plus countries. After serving as an affiliate of larger companies for almost four decades, TriBrown established itself as an independent entity in 2017 and embarked on a major strategic restructuring. This included development of a people strategy that was inseparable from TriBrown’s DEI goals, a primary one being increased representation of women in all echelons of the organization. Protagonist Maya Marshall is hired as Vice President of DEI in 2018 and very soon her role is expanded to include People in the title. One key focus for her is to integrate the DEI initiatives with the organizational culture and build the internal talent pipeline for women to rise to leadership positions. A primary pain point that Marshall sets out to address is attrition among women team members due to child-bearing and caring roles in families.
The case focuses on the conflicting forces that Marshall must grapple with as she confronts unanticipated obstacles while trying to drive cultural transformation within the multinational company.
Sheroes Hangout: Empowering India’s Acid Attack Survivors to Face the Future
Authors: David Wernick, Professor, Florida International University, USA; Johanna Clancy, Lecturer in Business Enterprise, University of Galway, Ireland; Priya Grover, Associate Professor, Symbiosis Centre for Management Studies, Noida, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India; Nidhi Phutela, Director, Symbiosis Center for Management Studies, Noida, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Pune, India; Jannik Pesch, PhD Student, Florida International University, USA
This case focuses on Sheroes Hangout, a social enterprise chain of cafés in India, initiated by the founders’ grassroots campaign Stop Acid Attacks (SAA) under its nonprofit organization, Chhanv Foundation. The name Sheroes — a combination of “she” and “heroes” — was chosen to underscore the courage of acid attack survivors who went on to staff and manage the cafés. The first café, based in the city of Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, initially employed five acid survivors; by 2024 the foundation employed over 30 survivors in four cafés, making it the largest employer of acid attack survivors in India.
The case centers on Alok Dixit, one of three Sheroes Hangout founders. As he reflects on his decade at the helm of the Chhanv Foundation, he is determined to take Sheroes to the next level. The question is how to do so given constraints of time, talent, and financial resources.
Between Autonomy and Concession: A Female Entrepreneur’s Struggle in Latin America
Authors: Marisleidy Alba Cabañas, Professor, Fundación Universitaria Konrad Lorenz, Colombia; Luis Demetrio Gómez García, Professor, Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Peru
The case involves Liliana Gutiérrez de Piñeres, a Colombian entrepreneur who runs Lemaître, a management consulting firm specializing in regulatory compliance. Liliana faces discrimination from businessmen in her industry because she is a woman, and is tired of this situation. In 2022, the context of an international project in Chile—where she faced repeated slights from the client that appeared gender-based—catalyzed Liliana’s desire to leave the business. By the end of the case, she wonders whether to remain at the company’s helm as a female entrepreneur and face the challenges of a macho context, or put her husband in charge of the business, or sell the company altogether.
Finalist Judges, 2024 DEI Global Case Writing Competition: Latoya Booker, Director Inclusion Equity Institute at Grand Valley State University; Kenlana Ferguson, Psychologist and Director Equity, Learning & Culture at the Kalamazoo Community Foundation; Heather McBride Leef, Managing Director of Deloitte’s DEI Institute; John Lafkas, Senior Editor, Cases and Pedagogy, Harvard Business Publishing; Greg Merkley, Director Case Publishing at Northwestern’s Kellogg School
Authors: Steven Samford, Assistant Professor of Organizational Studies, University of Michigan – College of Literature Science and the Arts,
USA; Samantha Feldman, Student, University of Michigan – College of LS&A, USA
This case focuses on a widespread health concern to highlight the difficulties microenterprises in emerging economies encounter in the adoption of improved technologies. Specifically, it focuses on the common use of lead-oxide in ceramics production in Mexico, which has been identified by the government as a key health challenge for millions of Mexicans, both producers and users. Multiple international nonprofits and the Mexican government itself have made efforts to alleviate this problem, including helping develop a lead-free glaze to replace the long-used version. Uptake and diffusion have been mixed, though, highlighting the difficulties microenterprises have in dealing with the perpetuation of health and labor problems.
The case asks students to take on the role of a program director in an international non-profit that plans to deploy a pilot training program to help diffuse the use of the lead-free alternative in ceramics production.
HealthX Africa: Empathetic Leadership as an Asset in Telehealth
Authors:
Soni Jha, Assistant Professor, Strategic Management, Purdue University – Ft. Wayne, Indiana, USA; Ravi Ranjan, Assistant Professor, Africa Business School, Morocco; Rajneesh Narula, Director, Dunning Africa Centre, Henley Business School, South Africa
HealthX Africa is a telemedicine provider with a mission to provide a doctor for every Kenyan, wherever they are in the country, and at whatever time (day or night) they need to access healthcare services. HealthX focuses on primary healthcare services, using advances in information technologies to enhance the quality, accessibility, inclusiveness, and affordability of healthcare services in Kenya.
This case focuses on HealthX’s scaling issues when the adoption of telemedicine started to level off after the COVID-19 pandemic faded. Despite experiencing meteoric success from 2021-2023, HealthX now faces challenges.
HealthX’s chief medical officer—Radha Karnad — harnessed the power of empathetic leadership to differentiate HealthX from other telemedicine startups in Kenya.
Modern Health Tech and Ancient Ayurveda: A New Business Venture?
Authors:
Krantee Jamdaade, Associate Professor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University, India; Harshali Patil, Associate Professor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University, India; Avadhut Patwardhan, Assistant Professor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University, India; Anuja Agarwal, Adjunct Faculty, Somaiya Vidyavihar University, India
Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old medical system, employs individualized lifestyle interventions and natural treatments, therapies, and remedies to balance body, mind, and spirit with the surrounding world.
This case study exemplifies the innovative amalgamation of Ayurvedic healthcare principles with modern data science and technology. Students will follow the protagonist’s journey from research to entrepreneurship in developing a personalized wellness treadmill that would provide monitoring information to physicians, and enable users to quickly apply self-improvement.
Finalist Judges, 2024 Health Tech Global Case Writing Competition: Emma Hannay, former Chief Access Officer, FIND; Monique Mrazek, Senior Investment Officer, International Investment Corporation; Matthias Ruger, Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon, Global Surgery Foundation; Praveen Suthrum, Co-founder, NextServices and NovoLiver
Time: 8 AM EDT / 3 PM EAT / 5:30 PM IST
Date: Tuesday, April 16, 2024
Location: Zoom
Private sector innovation is a cornerstone of the efforts to bring clean cooking to the over 2.3 billion people worldwide who presently lack it.
The Clean Cooking Alliance (CCA) has supported over 25 clean cooking companies through its Venture Catalyst program, which helps firms attract investors, and grow their leadership and technical capacity to scale. Supported companies like BioLite, BURN Manufacturing, KOKO Networks and Sistema.bio have brought different product and business strategy innovations to the forefront. These include high-tech solutions like electric induction cookers, new fuels such as ethanol, targeted marketing, and business model solutions such as special purpose financing vehicles, carbon financing, and pay-as-you-go customer financing mechanisms.
The April 16 discussion, “Front Burner: How Business Model Innovation is Driving the Clean Cooking Industry,” will be hosted by the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan (WDI), and will feature panelists from CCA and these four trailblazing clean cooking companies with operations in multiple countries. Panelists will share their strategies for growing market size and scale, as well as barriers and enablers to implementing innovation. To learn more about the state of the clean cooking industry, click here for the CCA’s 2023 Annual Report.
WDI is supporting the learning objectives of the Clean Cooking Alliance Market Strengthening Program by developing innovative methods to measure the effectiveness of market strengthening interventions. The Institute is providing programmatic and data support, informing programmatic adaptations and pivots, and contributing to knowledge products targeting clean cooking enterprises, funders, policymakers and other stakeholders.
Time: 4 p.m., March 7
Location: Corner Commons, first floor of the Blau Building at the Ross School of Business
The William Davidson Institute and the Weiser Center for Europe and Eurasia are proud to present a discussion with Sophia Opatska, Vice Rector for Strategic Development at Ukrainian Catholic University. Opatska, an entrepreneur and an academic, leads University’s Lviv Business School. More than two years after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Opatska will explain how business leaders and business educators have persisted toward economic resilience in the face of war.
Through student programs, projects and university partnerships, WDI has worked in Ukraine for more than two decades. Before Russia’s invasion, the Institute sent multiple teams of U-M MBA students to Lviv Business School of Ukrainian Catholic University to assess and make recommendations to improve their consulting process for small- and medium-sized businesses in the country.
This event is open to the public. Attendees are encouraged to register and submit questions in advance. Light refreshments will be served.
University of Michigan students have been essential drivers for impact since the William Davidson Institute was founded more than 30 years ago. As an independent nonprofit with an education focus, students participate in each stage of WDI’s long-term partner projects, from data analysis to strategy development to implementation. Since 2019, U-M 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.
These students are dedicated to finding business-empowered approaches to many economic and social issues in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). They also demonstrate commitment to understanding and sharing business solutions with partners through consulting, analyzing, and managing complex dilemmas for organizations around the globe.
To earn the designation, scholars must complete two courses or programs through WDI. Many students work with WDI to complete their Multidisciplinary Action Project (MAP) as part of their MBA degree through U-M’s Ross School of Business. Students may also participate in a WDI-supported internship, independent study, or other specialty projects to become Davidson Field Scholars. Through these opportunities, partner organizations secure imperative guidance and students gain meaningful skills.
Learn more about this program on our Student Opportunities page.
Robin F. Baker is deeply committed to advancing health equity and improving the health and well-being of vulnerable communities. Before pursuing her MBA at Ross, Baker practiced as a licensed occupational therapist specializing in stroke rehabilitation. Baker is also the co-founder of GoTHERAPY, a nonprofit organization that has made significant strides in improving access to community-based physical rehabilitation services in West Africa.
Baker completed a WDI-sponsored MAP project with EMRI Green Health Services in India, evaluating the effectiveness of a real-time monitoring tool used for emergency response services. Baker plans to work with a WDI partner, the International Center for Rehabilitation, in Ghana, which was established by Dr. Abena Tannor. Baker will assist in the development of a hand and wrist rehabilitation device developed by Tannor, WDI and University of Michigan engineering students.
Baker holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Kinesiology from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and earned a Master’s of Science in Occupational Therapy from Howard University. After graduating from U-M, Baker plans to join a leadership development program specializing in healthcare operations.
Before joining the Ross School of Business, Alhan Fakhr earned his Bachelor of Arts in Politics, graduating with the inaugural class of New York University – Shanghai. Born and raised in Pakistan, Fakhr also attended college in China, and has lived and worked in the United States, the United Arab Emirates, the Czech Republic and Malaysia.
Fakhr has completed a Multidisciplinary Action Project (MAP) with One Acre Fund in Rwanda, working on expanding the organization’s digital fundraising strategy to include a higher volume of small donors.
Fakhr also spent the summer of 2024 in Kigali working on a growth strategy initiative for the Rwandan program and is involved in the International Investment Fund.
Davontae “Nate” Foxx-Drew is pursuing a dual-degree from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business and School Public Health. An alumnus of the University of California, Los Angeles with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and African American Studies, Foxx-Drew’s drive stems from a deep-seated interest in healthcare executive leadership, aiming to reshape healthcare delivery systems globally.
While at Ross, Foxx-Drew completed a WDI-sponsored Multidisciplinary Action Project in Ethiopia, targeting improving healthcare access in sub-Saharan Africa. Collaborating with International Clinical Laboratories and Cerba Lancet Africa, the objective was to enhance access to essential laboratory and diagnostic supplies. In 2024, Foxx-Drew plans to work with a WDI partner, the International Center for Rehabilitation, in Ghana, which was established by Dr. Abena Tannor. Foxx-Drew will assist in the development of a hand and wrist rehabilitation device developed by Tannor, WDI and University of Michigan engineering students.
Foxx-Drew has worked with various global entities, from strategizing HR initiatives for the University of California to optimizing healthcare solutions in Ethiopia.
After completing his studies, Foxx-Drew has accepted a full-time role at UnitedHealth Group, where he will join their Leadership Experience cohort. In this position, Foxx-Drew will work across the UHG enterprise in strategy, operations, and risk management, furthering his commitment to increasing access to care and demonstrating his leadership in healthcare and health equity. His post-graduate career at UnitedHealth Group aligns with his vision of designing robust, efficient, and inclusive healthcare delivery models.
Stephen Schiavone is completing the Weekend MBA at U-M’s Ross School of Business. Born and raised outside of New York City, Schiavone has always been involved with small businesses and the startup space. Schiavone is a graduate of a Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with dual majors in Business and Design, Innovation, and Society. Schiavone has been working as a technology consultant, as well as for the past six years. He has a passion for solving complex business and technology challenges with diverse teams.
Schiavone completed a WDI-sponsored MAP project with Poornatha in India. His team worked to extend their training program into business to consumer operations and added a consulting element.
After graduating from U-M, Schiavone plans to pursue a career in Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA), starting a Search Fund in Spring 2024
This spring, the William Davidson Institute supported 13 partner projects in nine countries involving more than 75 University of Michigan graduate students as part of their MBA degree program.
WDI organized a total of nine multidisciplinary action projects (MAPs) with partners in India, Ethiopia, Ghana, Rwanda, South Africa, Uganda and Vietnam. The MAP experience at U-M’s Ross School of Business is designed to help part-time, full-time and online students hone their analytical, project management and leadership skills while helping to solve real business challenges at participating companies and nonprofit organizations.
Four other projects as part of the WDI-supported graduate MBA course, BA 685: Healthcare Delivery in Emerging Markets, took place in the Dominican Republic, Ghana, India and Kenya. WDI also supported 12 students traveling to Nigeria and Ghana to conduct due diligence on companies under consideration by the International Investment Fund, as well as an independent study for one student.
Learn more about the projects and their objectives below.
TIP Global Health, Kigali and Ruli, Rwanda.
Objective: Conduct a financial analysis of the current digital health platform used to support healthcare providers in Rwanda, and develop a recommendation for pricing to implement and support the platform for other government health systems.
Boston Medical / Busoga Health Forum, Kampala, Uganda.
Objective: Working with an imaging business in Ethiopia and partners in Uganda, a team conducted market analysis and market entry strategy to extend the imaging services into Uganda.
PowerTrust, Accra, Tamale and Sunyani, Ghana.
Objective: Identify and develop a systematic way to capture, validate and communicate the value of distributed renewable energy credits (DRECs) in Ghana.
International Clinical Laboratories, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Objective: A feasibility study for developing manufacturing and supply hubs for clinical laboratory inputs in Addis Ababa Ethiopia for diagnostics laboratories located throughout Africa.
Distributed Fertilizer New Product Commercialization, Johannesburg and Cape Town, South Africa; Kampala, Uganda.
Objective: Develop a comprehensive market analysis and market entry strategy for a technology that allows for production of fertilizer at a smaller scale and lower energy cost in South Africa and Rwanda. The technology would significantly reduce the supply chain risks and potentially the costs to farmers and co-ops in these markets.
Poornatha Madurai, India.
Objective: Develop a plan to increase Poornatha’s business-to-consumer model complete with specific offerings tailored to consumers.
Solagron, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Objective: Conduct market analysis and develop a market entry strategy for high-protein, spirulina-based products by Solagron.
Two additional projects at Kisii Eye Hospital and a partner in the Michigan Academy of Development Entrepreneurs in Vietnam are planned for summer 2023.
Clínica de Familia La Romana, Romana, Dominican Republic.
Objective: Develop a financial model for adding GI services to the existing operations at the clinic.
International Center for Rehabilitation, Kumasi, Ghana.
Objective: Develop recommendations for improving the efficiency of the clinic and doubling the capacity of the existing rehabilitation clinic.
Kisii Hospital Vision Center, Kisii, Kenya
Objective: To develop a protocol for establishing vision centers around Kisii and develop recommendations for potential new locations.
Poovanthi (LiveWell): Chennai, India
Poovanthi was established over 10 years ago and has expanded to 100 beds at its original facility outside of Madurai and 30 beds at a recently opened facility in Chennai. This team’s objective was to develop a five-year strategic plan to support Poovanthi’s expansion plans.
Learn more about WDI Student Opportunities.
The world needs a major investment boost around energy output and infrastructure to meet challenges related to demand, security, and sustainability — and many of the changes will take place in emerging markets. Leaders in these nations are working hard to achieve ambitious development goals, and governments, businesses, and other stakeholders will be integral in securing the $1.3 trillion that is estimated to be needed to support the growing global population, according to J.P. Morgan’s Annual Energy Outlook. Fulfilling this demand calls for innovation, and innovation requires new voices and new ways of improving business knowledge.
This is why the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan (WDI) has launched the Energy Innovation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Global Case Writing Competition. Administered by WDI Publishing, the contest is seeking new voices and expertise in the form of business case studies.
Case studies encourage current and future business leaders to expand their education, question their assumptions and discover innovative strategies. The development and use of these cases will help accelerate global understanding of the energy technologies and innovations being implemented by businesses operating in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
At the moment, the energy industry is facing large-scale and complex challenges, while the transition away from fossil fuels is creating new opportunities, especially in LMICs. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency, 733 million people are currently living without electricity and 2.6 billion people — many of whom are in LMICs — cook or heat their homes with fuels that are harmful to their health and the environment. These challenges can’t be resolved with old solutions and ways of thinking. Universities and colleges have the power to integrate new approaches and business models for energy challenges into their curricula to prepare the next generation of decision-makers.
“Global competitions like this can draw out new research and initiatives that we may not otherwise know about,” said Sandra Draheim, Manager of Case Publishing at WDI. “By incentivizing and rewarding the development of new cases, we aim to help students to be better informed and equipped to lead companies into the future, especially those companies focused on generating and executing innovative energy solutions in emerging markets. WDI’s case writing competition seeks to broaden and increase the pool of studies available on this essential topic.”
Students, faculty and professionals connected to the energy industry in LMICs are uniquely positioned to enhance this discussion. “Many of these changes are happening rapidly, and maybe not yet at a large scale, so new case studies can add a lot of value to the knowledge around this topic by capturing lessons learned in real-time, analyzing what is and is not working, and shining a spotlight on promising approaches,” says Dana Gorodetsky, Program Manager of Energy at WDI.
With that in mind, WDI’s Energy Innovation in Low- and Middle-Income Countries Global Case Writing Competition is a call for cases focused on compelling energy questions arising from profit-seeking businesses in emerging markets.
The competition is open to submissions from practitioners, students and faculty from around the globe. Practitioners and students must enter in collaboration with a faculty member.
An informational webinar will be held at 10 am EST, Dec. 14, and will provide an overview of the competition, as well as case writing tips. Intent-to-Enter forms are due on Jan. 31, 2023, and the final submission deadline is March 31, 2023. Find the submission requirements here.
Finalist cases will be reviewed and ranked by several industry experts: Deeana Ahmed, Vice President of Strategy, Policy, and Sustainability at ONE; Kate Gasparro, Director of Land Development and Sustainability at Bedrock Detroit; Ann O’Hara, President of Huhtamaki North America; and Dan Vermeer, Associate Professor of the Practice of Energy & Environment and Executive Director of the Center for Energy, Development, and the Global Environment at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business.
Winners won’t just get the chance to contribute their unique perspectives to this meaningful conversation, they’ll also earn an award after the public announcement in July 2023. The first-place winner will receive $3,000, second-place $2,000, and third-place $1,000.
Click the image to watch the recording of the Ralph J. Gerson Distinguished Lecturer Magatte Wade.
The William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan (WDI) celebrated its 30th anniversary with the in-person return of the Ralph J. Gerson Distinguished Lecture. The Nov. 10 evening brought together members of the WDI community for a celebratory dinner and moving speech from Magatte Wade, entrepreneur and advocate for African dignity and prosperity.
The lecture is named in honor of the Institute’s longest serving board member, Ralph J. Gerson. Gerson led Guardian Industries Corporation in multiple roles for years, and he currently serves on philanthropic and policy boards across Michigan and the U.S. He is now the Director of the William Davidson Foundation.
Wade kicked off her talk by highlighting the connection she felt with WDI. “When I discovered WDI, I thought, ‘Where have you been my whole life? Maybe I should have started with you,’” she said. Wade is a strong advocate for easing and boosting private business, particularly small- and medium-sized businesses, through economic freedom in Africa. Her work aligns closely with the mission at WDI: equipping economic decision-makers in emerging countries with the tools of commercial success.
Wade, who was born in Senegal and later moved to Europe and the United States, spent years of her life wondering why communities in Africa were suffering from poverty and those in other parts of the world were thriving economically. Eventually, she concluded that the complex and detrimental business policies in many African nations were stunting their economic growth — and she began to advocate for smoother, easier, more functional business opportunities across the continent.
I can’t think of a better ambassador for the mission and the vision of the Institute, which is the power of business to deliver on economic growth and social freedom.
“I can’t think of a better ambassador for the mission and the vision of the Institute, which is the power of business to deliver on economic growth and social freedom,” said WDI President Paul Clyde, as he welcomed her to give her “The Heart of the Cheetah: Entrepreneurship & Prosperity in Africa” talk. Describing her impact and connection to WDI, Clyde explained that Wade is a “tireless supporter of individuals and their ability to create economic value when given the opportunity to do so.”
After detailing the many-layered difficulties that arise when doing business in an African nation from strict government policies, challenging taxes and complex business systems, Wade asked the crowd whether they would choose to do business in a place that created roadblocks or one that allowed for a smooth path. That question, she said, provided the answer she’d been searching for all along. “At the end of the day, you are poor because you have no money. There’s not enough money to take care of your primary needs. You have no money because you have no income. What is the source of income for most of us? Jobs. Where do jobs come from? The private sector. And so don’t you then think that we should make it easy for businesses to be born and thrive.”
This conclusion set her on her path to boost economic freedom and business opportunities across the continent, through her own enterprises, speaking engagements, policy advocacy and powerful global fellowships. Her TED Talk, “Why it is too hard to start a business in Africa — and how to change it” has been viewed by over 600,000 people. She’s a Young Global Leader with the World Economic Forum at Davos, a TED Global Africa Fellow, and one of Forbes’ “10 Youngest Power Women in Africa.”
Wade has built multiple businesses in Africa inspired by diverse African traditions, including her most recent endeavor, SkinIsSkin.com. She urges the global community to shift its perspective from aiding African communities. Instead of creating a system that relies on aid, she tells global consumers to “buy African products made in Africa by Africans.” Her point: let business thrive, and Africa will thrive.
Wade has seen the impact her businesses and entrepreneurial mindset have had on herself and others. Her manufacturing-focused businesses have helped boost rural communities’ manufacturing facilities. Meanwhile, Wade continues to advocate for policy changes at the national and local levels through groups like the Atlas Network’s Center for African Prosperity. Still, she knows there’s more room for growth.
“Whatever we’ve been able to accomplish, it would be multiplied by the right business environment,” Wade said. “At the end of the day, I believe that business is the greatest force of good.”
Thank you to all who attended the event on Nov 16th. A recording of the event is now available (above) and on the WDI Youtube Channel.
Culinary-focused travel has become a hot trend within the tourism sector in recent years. Tourists increasingly prefer to let their taste buds decide how and where they travel. For cities and countries looking to market themselves, culinary tourism has become an essential and powerful branding element.
But can this kind of travel be about much more than food? Yigal Schleifer, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of Culinary Backstreets, will tackle that question and more during a talk hosted by the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan. The discussion, “Crossing Borders and Cuisines: A New Flavor of Sustainable Tourism,” is slated for 5:00–6:00 PM, Nov. 16 in R1230 of the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. The session is free and open to the public. It also will be broadcast via Zoom; click here to register.
Schleifer will explore how Culinary Backstreets, which provides tours in a dozen cities around the world, uses food-oriented travel to promote cross-cultural communication and sustainable tourism for more impactful experiences. Created in 2012, Culinary Backstreets covers the local and traditional food scene and offers immersive small group culinary walks in cities including Istanbul, Lisbon, Mexico City, Tbilisi, Tokyo, Barcelona and a half dozen more. The talk will also look at how the COVID crisis has impacted culinary travel and how this sector can be rebuilt with an eye towards sustainability.
Between 2002 and 2010, Schleifer was based in Istanbul, where he worked as a correspondent for The Christian Science Monitor and the German Press Agency (dpa). While in Istanbul he also co-founded Istanbul Eats, an award-winning blog about the city’s local food scene, and co-wrote a guidebook of the same name. He also launched “Istanbul Calling,” a blog about Turkish foreign and domestic affairs. Schleifer’s work has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Foreign Policy, Ha’aretz, The Times (London) and several other publications.
Schleifer was an advisory board member for the Livelihoods Innovation through Food Entrepreneurship (LIFE) Project, which supported and encouraged people to engage across cultures through entrepreneurship and job creation in the food sector. Since 2017, WDI’s Entrepreneurship Development Center has worked on the U.S. government-funded LIFE Project, in collaboration with the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE), IDEMA, Union Kitchen and the Stimson Center.
