SPREAD THE WORD: SOCIALIZATION OF THE INSPIRATIONAL PARADIGM AT THE BUSINESS SCHOOL

Jesuit Business Schools are presented with the opportunity to help address society’s most pressing problems. The Inspirational Paradigm (IP) takes Pope Francis’ Laudato Si call to be the source of prosperity our world desperately needs (International Association of Jesuit Universities, 2020). Common wisdom says that responding to such a unique invitation aligns with what Jesuit Schools have done in the different countries and communities in which they have participated for over four centuries. This is true. However, the challenges humanity faces today, summarized in the United Nations 2030 Agenda, show that we have almost reached a point of no return and that past efforts might not be enough for what the future holds. Therefore, if Jesuit Business Schools want to be part of the change and answer the IP call, faculty and administrators must appropriate the paradigm principles, transform the curricula, and create academic programs that align with our world’s needs. In his article on how the deans of Jesuit Business Schools in Latin America have embraced the IP, DelaCerda presents the reality that many of our business schools across the world face: there is no one “explicitly in charge of disseminating the Ignatian identity and charism in the area of economics and business” (DeLaCerda, 2021, p. 25). Additionally, because of the structure of universities, full-time professors tend to be a minority, as most professors are only part-time. These two realities pose a problem when spreading the word about the IP among the business school faculty. This paper intends to share the experience of ITESO School of Business (ISB) in spreading the word among its faculty and administrators. ITESO is a private Jesuit University located in Guadalajara, Mexico. The ISB offers eight undergraduate programs and three graduate programs, including an MBA. The spread the word at ISB has been done simultaneously in three fronts: 1) redefinition of ISB mission and objectives, 2) courses for students, and 3) faculty training. In 2021 the university reviewed its five-year plan. This served as an ideal setting for instilling the IP ideas in the ISB vision and priorities. For the students, some courses had some elements aligned with the IP. These courses were enhanced to highlight more clearly said elements. Additionally, new courses were created in topics like frugal innovation, social business, social economy, among others. Finally, a pilot Jesuit Business Education faculty training course was created where both full-time and part-time faculty attended. This training allowed professors to reflect upon the IP and create ideas on how to take the core concepts to their disciplines. With this paper, our aim is to share the experience at ISB so we can contribute to the conversation on how to spread the word further. References DeLaCerda, J. (2021). A Paradigm Shift In Jesuit Business Education: An Exploratory View From Latin America. Journal of Jesuit Business Education, 12(1), 23-34. International Association of Jesuit Universities. (2020). An Inspirational Paradigm for Jesuit Business Education. https://iaju.org