Karnani’s lecture is titled “Doing Well by Doing Good: The Grand Illusion.” He will argue that most big societal problems are linked to market failures, that managers cannot be relied on to maximize social welfare and that governments must intervene to compel corporations to support the public good.
A five-time recipient of the University of Michigan’s Teaching Excellence Award, Karnani lectures worldwide and is the author of Fighting Poverty: Rethinking Strategies for Business, Governments, and Civil Society to Reduce Poverty. He has held teaching appointments at universities in the U.S., England, France, China, India, Thailand and Costa Rica.
In Fighting Poverty, Karnani contends that prosperity does not ‘trickle down’ to the poor; poverty continues to mushroom despite “30 years of tremendous economic growth” worldwide. Business, government and civil society should join forces to create jobs, he contends, and treat the poor as producers who merit higher incomes and basic public services.
Prior to joining the University of Michigan's faculty in 1980, Karnani earned his doctoral degree from the Harvard Business School. His work experience includes two years in various managerial positions with TELCO, an integrated manufacturer of trucks and earthmoving machinery in India.
Actively engaged in executive development programs, Karnani has served as consultant or management educator with IBM, General Electric, Singapore Airlines, Acer, Whirlpool, Total, and Dow Corning, among others.
Humboldt State’s annual Chung-Watson Lecture takes its name and support from alum Po Chung (’69), cofounder of the Asia Pacific Division of DHL Express and a Hong Kong artist and business magnate. Recipient of HSU’s 2004-2005 Distinguished Alumni Award, Chung is an expert in global trade and an international patron of the arts.
Details about the 2011 lecture are available from Teal Sexton at the HSU School of Business at 826-3761 or teal.sexton@humboldt.edu.
Paul Mann, News & Information, 826-5105