Reflections Amidst Global Uncertainty

Business schools must adapt their curriculum and approaches to development to address the new realities

- By Rajeev Kumra

WE HAVE REACHED A TURNING POINT characterised by enormous geopolitical uncertainties. From new coalitions impacting globalisation and world relations to the evolving tariff policy in the US, the global economy is experiencing a major shift. Policies such as the clampdown on outsourcing jobs that were traditionally done by people from India, cuts to funding in US universities while Trump was president and an increasing set of rules around visas have generated key implications. These forces have a huge impact on the overall educational system, higher education and more broadly, a job market for many individuals.

Leadership in a VUCA World

In a volatile and uncertain world, that is, a VUCA world (characterised by Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity), the notion of leadership takes on a new meaning and heightened urgency. At b-schools, there is a need to rethink what leadership means in preparing students, not to just levels of understanding, not to just theory, but to capacity to cope with uncertainty, to act quickly and to lead through complexity.