The Ohio State University Risk Institute’s 2020 theme of tackling society’s toughest topics continued with the web session “How the fresh surge in inequality impacts your business”. The session was an all-star panel session led by Cynthia Turner, Assistant Dean at the Ohio State University Fisher College of Business. Leaders from the Fisher College of Business, banking, and automotive provided a 360-degree view of the social upheaval we have seen concerning inequality in 2020.
Our panel shared both deeply personal experiences from their challenges with inequality and evidence from research and work at the progressive fronts of their respective fields. It was encouraging to see the awareness and leadership by so many organizations. However, we all recognized that there was still far to go and that it will take consistent, conscious effort to create a more equal world. A world where we may see the full potential of individuals, and consequentially organizations, be realized.
As a student, seeing the work and knowledge of Dr Menon and Dr Esper in this session has motivated me to take their courses in my studies, where I can. It’s truly exciting for me to be taking one of Dr Esper’s classes next semester in light of this session. I feel very fortunate that as students we have access to these professors and can study under their instruction. The real-world examples presented by our panel assuredly will be brought to the classroom, by both our faculty colleagues and students in attendance like myself.
The power of the voices on our panel was strong and credit goes to those organizing and supporting the Risk Institute creating such a rich and rewarding session. I, and I’m confident many others, left the session feeling a new sense of motivation to help create the equal world we seek. Equipped with new knowledge and the words of our panelists, each of us can return to our individual lives and make the small impacts that add up to create our shared societal vision.
by Trevor Stohr, MBA Candidate at OSU Fisher College of Business