In a series of talks at five Indian cities including New Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bangalore, Dame Sandra Dawson, Master of Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge University and Professor of Management Studies at Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, gave some valuable insights into transitions and opportunities in the global economy. Here she tells Neharika Mathur about the role of business educationists in the developing global economy.

You teach business to young people at Judge Business School, University of Cambridge.  What level of influence does business education exert on the transitions and opportunities arising in the world?

We are educating the business leaders and entrepreneurs of tomorrow and teaching them the vital importance of being competitive and innovative in a global economy. But beyond these crucial aspects, it is also essential that they learn the fundamental power of being collaborative and responsible as well. Whether in large or small organisations or self employed, and in any part of the world, they will all play parts in global supply chains, where competitive advantage will depend on their networking collaborative, team working skills, and on their capacity to understand people, whether as customers, colleagues, suppliers or local communities, who will have different priorities and perspectives to their own. This is why I emphasise collaboration and responsibility as well as competition and innovation.

You have mentioned some very unlikely aspects of globalisation like “increasing transparency of widening inequalities”. Are these aspects also seen in developed countries?

It is not often realised but in our so called developed countries, we have experience of severe disadvantage and poor standards of literacy particularly amongst pockets of alienated youth, who feel they have little stake in mainstream economic development. Their sense of alienation and disadvantage can be exacerbated by lack of involvement in meaningfully socially engaged communities, and stable kinship structures. My plea that those of us in positions of authority, whether in business, education or politics think about the local impact of global forces and the importance of understanding peoples in terms of local identities and cultures, is just as applicable in the UK as it is in India. In highlighting these social issues I am not suggesting we downplay the importance of competitive edge in commercial success but that its pursuit is placed in a broader context- and importantly that this means better business as well as better social development. This is not some disconnected altruism; it’s investing in the workforce of the future, and in societies which will be able to compete sustainably in the global economy.

Of course educationists have a role to play here too. Educationists need to be clear about the consequences and creation of disadvantage and focus on supporting schemes to provide access to education which is blind to social or financial background. At Cambridge we give huge attention to raising money for scholarships and bursaries so that high potential students from all walks of life can know they have opportunities to come to study in Cambridge.

How are cultural faith and emotional forces related to economic and industrial development?

We should never forget the local impact of global changes. In some ways, with space and time compression, everything is being subject to the same forces. You could argue that with global brands, media and fast moving consumer goods we are all becoming similar. And so we are to some extent but paradoxically our differences are at the same time becoming more pronounced. Local identities and communities are assuming more importance as people try to make sense of their place in the global economy and often it is peoples’ emotional and spiritual attachments which come to the fore, especially when people feel under threat or marginalised by big macro movements. I come back to my point that in business, we need to get more in tune with understanding people who are different to us rather than assuming that we are all the same. This means investing in real dialogue, and appreciating what it means not to be oneself but to be ‘the other’ in any conflict.

You were the first woman to take the head position of a traditionally all-male Cambridge college. The student newspaper Varsity has named you the sixth most powerful individual in the university. Tell us more about your experience there.

The experience was probably different (though how can I tell?-I have only ever been a woman!), but definitely not difficult. All new people have to establish their credibility and in academic communities earn the trust and support of their colleagues. So long as there is agreement on values and principles, I think there is great openness for different styles of leadership to flourish effectively. I have always tried to create new ways of doing and seeing things so that we can get enhanced performance –for the organisation and for all of us within it. Sometimes I have had to be very strong where I feel that a particular course of action which is not particularly popular must be pursued, but in the main I have found in academic circles, it is much better if one can work with and through others, and through dialogue come to a common view-on what should be done, as well as why and how. Working together at Sidney, we have done a lot; for example reforming our approach to admissions and recruitment to ensure equality of access so that people from any strata of society could join the college. We work through schools with teachers to encourage them to know us better and to send their high potential students to apply to Cambridge.

Beyond the few women at the top, women have not really penetrated the business world e.g. in India women at decision-making positions are 6-10%. How can this be changed? What do women need to do to change it?

Several things need to happen which interact with each other. Women can do some of these but so must employers and those who are influential in civil society. We need to encourage women to have confidence that they can contribute at the highest level in business and support their aspirations to reach the top. At the same time, we should also understand the importance of family commitments which often fall, by choice, as well as necessity, disproportionately on women.  Very good childcare and help with elderly dependents is often critical- this should come from a combination of personal, public and employers’ resources. Employers should look and see if they are actually open to identifying and encouraging the development of women’s talents by doing a good, critical examination of their policies and procedures. But I also believe paradoxically and somewhat counter-intuitively that employers, who often in my experience are very keen to increase women’s participation in the higher levels- are not consequently so excited when they encounter exceptional talent in a woman that they promote her, in a sink or swim manner, without building necessary support. Without a mentor, without clear role models, the quickly promoted can all too easily and without fundamental justification be re-evaluated as not being capable of making the step up. Whereas if women had all the implicit support which is generally open to men through long established informal cultures and relationships, then the story could be very different.  

You are also on the External Advisory Committee of the Ruskin School of Fine Art. Tell us about your interests.

I am very interested in all forms of contemporary art: dance, sculpture, painting and drawing. The Director of the Ruskin School, Richard Wentworth has produced some extraordinarily intriguing sculptures and installations. It was my admiration for his work that led me to want to see how his own talents and perspectives could set a scene in which the talents of future generations of fine artists could be nurtured. Music is also a great love and I am very pleased to say that in Sidney Sussex we have just collected sufficient funds to appoint our first Director of Music. Dr David Skinner has joined us to work with our choir and to encourage individuals and small consorts to practice and perform. We are also investing in artistic bricks and mortar as we are planning the construction of an auditorium which will host music concerts and other performances.

Give us three never-dos for the workplace.

1.Never be complacent. Competition is an extraordinary force and is likely to arise where you least expect it. Never think success is somehow reserved for you.

2.Never neglect execution and delivery. The finest strategies and plans will be useless if you do not attend to their execution and delivery. Delegation and empowerment are very important aspects of management, but they don’t mean tossing ideas over a wall to others and neglecting delivery and follow-through.  Beware thinking that change is simply accomplished with the generation of ideas of what ‘should happen’. Planning and execution need to go together.

3.This is one at the micro level. Never say ‘that’s not my job’ where by taking action, you could make a real difference and the only reason you are inactive is because of negative feelings that it is ‘someone else’s’ job’. Here I am championing flexibility, not interference.