Leadership Spotlight

Given the volatile nature of financial markets and the ethical considerations brought to light in recent years, Wharton faculty are reminded more than ever of their influence on the future of the business community. It is a responsibility they take very seriously.

"In the end," says Donaldson, "a lot of the problems in businesses come down to what the people who run them do when no one's looking. This issue of integrity is shaped by the culture of business, and business schools are partly responsible for that culture." It may be this sense of responsibility that has led to Donaldson's research focus: business ethics, values, and leadership. A founding member and past president of the Society for Business Ethics, and a Senior Fellow of the Olsson Center for Ethics at the Darden School, he has authored several books on the subject, including Ethics in International Business and Corporations and Morality.

"People don't come into business schools as fully settled ethical minds," he continues. "There's a lot that changes ethically as a person grows older. Business schools provide the tools to create wealth, so they are also responsible for teaching the duties that go along with being a responsible citizen in a market economy."

Siegel feels the role of Wharton has become more critical in light of recent ethical and economic challenges. "Here, we look at how everything affects everything else – politically, ethically, financially," he says. "Nothing is in a container by itself. More than ever, students need an understanding of how it all fits together, and that is what we teach."

To Mitchell, Wharton's role is a more practical one, and one that will serve students their entire lives. "We are teaching an understanding of how to learn. This is a lifelong objective – how to be successful at things that are challenging. At Wharton, you learn not only material, but confidence. I always tell students, 'Pursue subjects that are hard for you. It's a lot easier to learn in a nurturing environment.'"

Though the faculty may interpret Wharton's job differently, they are united in their recognition of its importance and their support for its future. This year, for the first time, Wharton raised funds through a special faculty arm of the Wharton campaign. When Dean Patrick Harker approached Bill Hamilton, CHE'61, GCH'64, WG'64, Director of the Fisher Management and Technology program and the Ralph Landau Professor of Management and Technology, about heading up the new campaign, Hamilton agreed immediately.

"Our goal was to make it evident to the world that an overwhelming number of faculty support Wharton and the campaign," he explains. The effort, which focused on tenured faculty, was a resounding success: 86 percent of faculty contributed. Now, the faculty that has long been Wharton's biggest strength has gone a step further in its commitment to the future of the school.