Tima Bansal, the distinguished Professor of Sustainability and Strategy at Ivey Business School (University of Western Ontario), focuses on understanding complex relationships between companies and their impact on the world. On November 23rd Professor Bansal received an honorary doctorate from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam for her exceptional contributions to the field of sustainable innovation.
To celebrate Tima Bansal's outstanding achievements, researchers from various departments of VU School of Business and Economics gathered to share inspiring initiatives that showcase successful partnerships between academia and the wider community.
Tima Bansal set the stage with her keynote titled 'Innovating for a Desirable Future.' In this insightful presentation, she explored how organizations can play a pivotal role in creating a more sustainable future by integrating sustainability into their innovation strategies, ensuring the prosperity of upcoming generations.
Kathleen Stephenson, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Management and Organization, presented her project 'Working Towards a More Inclusive Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: A Covenant Stimulating Women Entrepreneurship.' Her presentation delved into collaborative efforts with the Invest-in-Woman Workgroup and Women Code in the Netherlands.
Lia van Wesenbeeck, an Associate Professor in the Department of Econometrics, shared research on vulnerable communities driving innovation and governance for sustainable food systems in European cities (FEED4FOOD).
Associate Professor Mohammad Rezazade Mehrizi and Ferdinand Mol from the KIN Center for Digital Innovation showcased the AI Learning Lab. Their ongoing five-year collaboration with Leiden UMC resulted in an innovative platform for learning about medical AI, fostering the integration of knowledge and research for medical professionals, AI developers, and organizational scholars.
Wout Dullaert, a Professor of Supply Chain Logistics in the Department of Operations Analytics, presented an improved approach to assessing the life cycle impacts of products: Simultaneous Optimization of Network Design/Planning and Life Cycle Impacts (SCLCO). The impressive results demonstrated through computation and industry contacts pave the way for implementing SCLCO in business environments.
Mirella Kleijnen, Professor of Customer Experience Management in the Marketing Department, introduced the 'From Waste to Taste' initiative. This project focuses on rescue-based food and social entrepreneurship, showcasing the potential for successfully marketing rescue-based products.
Eric Koomen, an Associate Professor in the Department of Spatial Economics, presented VU's Spatial Information Laboratory (SPINlab) and highlighted various projects, including land-use scenarios for the Delta Programme and a groundbreaking approach to estimate travel time reliability with floating car data.
Marcel Cannoy from the Department of Ethics presented the Community Care project—an innovative approach facilitating citizen-led initiatives catering to needs such as elderly care and social and cultural activities in the neighborhood, typically managed by the Dutch government.
And finally, Elco van Burg, Professor of Organizational Theory in the Department of Management and Organization, shared insights from the research project 'Vulnerable in Amsterdam.' The study focuses on E-health, collective action, (re)-organization of spaces, and ethical dilemmas, in collaboration with GGD, Leger des Heils (Salvation Army), HVO-Querido, and Regenboog Groep.
The symposium was organized by a committee chaired by Christine Moser and consisting of Hans Berends, Reinout Heijungs, Hande Karabiyik, Amanda Porter, Rebecca Ruehle, and Marc van de Ward. It provided a platform for our academic community to come together to discuss the opportunities and challenges inherent in each project, creating a rich dialogue that highlighted the extensive scope of collaborative efforts at the School of Business and Economics.