Business Faculty Have Memorable Experiences Abroad

By Donna Greenwald

Dr. Dwayne Gremler, professor of marketing, and Dr. Jane Wheeler, associate professor of management, traveled to other countries as part of their faculty improvement leaves (FIL). Biz News brought you stories about each one’s memorable experiences through the first half of their journeys and here is an update on the remainder of their FIL.  

As part of his FIL, Dr. Gremler, a renowned expert in services marketing, is assisting up-and-coming scholars globally to succeed in their research endeavors by sharing his experiences and is also giving presentations on important research topics. In late March, he conducted an executive education seminar at Arizona State University and then traveled to Brisbane and Perth in Australia to present research seminars. In Germany,  Dr. Gremler served as the Audi Visiting Professor at the Catholic University of Eichstatt-Ingolstadt. Besides teaching in Germany, the marketing services expert will make a presentation in Paris in late May and then go to The Netherlands to give a presentation at the SERVSIG Service Research Conference at the University of Maastricht.

Read more about Dr. Gremler’s experiences by clicking on his blog.

Another business faculty member, Dr. Wheeler, journeyed to Auroville, India, to immerse herself in a unique cultural experience.  Her goal is to understand more about the Indian perspective on personal growth, relationships, and leadership development. Here is part 2 of Dr. Wheeler’s self-exploration narrative about her qualitative data collection in India.

Written by Dr. Jane Wheeler

The purpose of the FIL project is to conduct a study on self-exploration which allows self-understanding and growth, then use that understanding to connect more compassionately with others. I am particularly interested in qualities such as collaboration, unity, trust, and self-awareness.

The data collection is finished, and I have begun the analysis.  Thirty Aurovillians completed surveys for this qualitative study.  I have begun to theme their responses.  Some of the more interesting themes so far are Emphasis on Spirituality, Finding Your Path, and Man a Transitional Being.  The completion of the study will take place in the spring of 2016.

Second, interest in my research project by the people in Auroville led to a request for me to give a presentation which I entitled Understanding Self-Education:  Learning to Ask the Right Questions.  The workshop was well received, with much interest and enthusiasm.

I also had a chance to visit a few interesting locations which, from my perspective, continue to illustrate Auroville’s concern for the earth’s environment and its people.  The first location is the new building of the Auroville Language Laboratory and Tomatis Therapy Centre which is currently under construction in the International Zone of Auroville. 

This unique and distinctive building aims to set a very high benchmark in sustainability as well as human comfort and wellbeing of the users.  Some special aspects include sustainable building design, cooling and dehumidification without air conditioning (passive indoor climate control), use of lime, reduction of “electro smog”, use of probiotics for the purest antioxidant energy, rain water harvesting and re‐use of grey water, full wheelchair accessibility, and vaastu saasthra (an ancient Indian science of harmony and prosperous living by eliminating negative and enhancing positive energies around us.)

The other location of note was a visit to the Peace Table for Asia which is housed in the Unity Pavilion.  The Peace Table was built by George Nakashima, renowned Master Woodworker, who conceived the idea of offering to each continent of the world a Table for Peace.  In 1996 the Table of Peace was installed in the City of the Future, where the Centre of Indian Culture graciously received it on behalf of Auroville.  In 2014 the Table of Peace was moved to its permanent location in the Hall of Peace in the Unity Pavilion.

It has been a marvelous experience with many learnings, and once I integrate them, they will be infused into my classroom teachings at BGSU.