Eddie Obeng

Eddie Obeng

Professor, BSc. MBA. PhD.
Born Edward David Asihene Obeng
1959 (age 56–57)
Ghana
Nationality British
Education Cass Business School
University College London
Cranleigh School, Surrey, England
Occupation Educator and Author
Employer Henley Business School
Ashridge Business School
Royal Dutch Shell
Organization Pentacle (The Virtual Business School)
Website PentacleTheVBS.com

Edward David Asihene "Eddie" Obeng (born 1959) is a British organizational theorist, educator, and author. He is a Professor at the School of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Henley Business School and the founder and Learning Director of Pentacle (The Virtual Business School).

Obeng has been described variously as "a leading revolutionary" and "an agent provocateur"[1] by the Financial Times, and by Abbey National as their "secret weapon".[2]

Biography

Born in Ghana, Obeng was educated at Cranleigh School, at University College London and at the Cass Business School.

His business career started as an engineer at Royal Dutch Shell before he became the youngest Executive Director of a European Business School when he moved to Ashridge Business School in 1987.

In 1994, he established Pentacle (The Virtual Business School) in order to teach this philosophy and ensure that there was a "continuous link between learning and implementation".[3]

In 2011, Obeng won the Sir Monty Finniston Award[4] for lifetime achievement by The Association for Project Management[5] for his contributions to the study and practice of Project Management.

Work

Obeng's research interest began in the field of Project Management, where he developed the concept of 'New World Management', also referred to as 'World After Midnight', as a response to the rapidly accelerating pace of change. He is inspired by Eliyahu M. Goldratt.[6] For example, Obeng's "bubble diagrams" are based on Goldratt's current reality tree, Obeng's "sticky steps planning" is an application of Goldratt's critical chain project management.

New World Management concept

Obeng's concept of the New World proposes that we have moved (as a world) from an age when we could learn faster than our local environment (the 'Old World'), to a new age where the local environment of individuals, organisations, and governments changes faster than we can learn (the 'New World'). He argues that, as a result of this shift, most of the concepts, best practices, and assumptions that we commonly used to plan, manage, lead, organise, and govern are obsolete and damaging to the lives of individuals, society, and organisations. Obeng describes this as smart failure for a fast changing world[7] and is perhaps best summarised by Eric Hoffer's reflection that "In a time of drastic change it is the learners who inherit the future. The learned usually find themselves equipped to live in a world that no longer exists".[8]

Virtual education

Obeng pioneered the use of bespoke business simulation games to help stimulate and embed learning. In 1995, together with Keith Still, pioneer in crowd dynamics, he created the now obsolete virtual reality game 'Columbus'. Programming required high powered SGI Indigo computers, although the simulation ran at 25 fps on a standard PC running Windows 95. In 2010, he launched 'The Cube' (later rebranded to QUBE). Obeng's innovation with QUBE was to focus on learning and application by integrating all the business models, frameworks, and tools into the virtual reality enabled environment.

Teaching approach

Obeng is notable for demystifying traditional business school teaching by removing unnecessary theory and focusing on practical tools that can be applied in the real world in "a continuous link between learning and implementation".[9] It uses teaching techniques that ensure that skills are learned and can be applied immediately.[10][11] The approach has been published in the Gower Handbook of Management.[12]

Obeng's teaching approach is divided into five stages that are based around David A. Kolb's experiential learning styles.

Learning content

Obeng's learning material is divided into five subject areas that are intended to reflect the broad challenges experienced by managers and executives in the New World: How do I invent the future? How do I deliver the future? How do I deliver today? How do I lead organised talent? How do I ensure results?

Publications

Obeng is author of the following books:

He has also made significant contributions to: The Financial Times Handbook of Management and The Gower Handbook of Training and Development and has a regular column in Project Management Today.

References

  1. ↑ Financial Times, Friday July 12, 1996
  2. ↑ Development and Learning in Organizations: An International Journal, Volume 16, Number 1, 2002 , pp. 4-6(3)
  3. ↑ Finance and Management, July 2000
  4. ↑ http://www.apm.org.uk/sirmontyfinnistonaward
  5. ↑ http://www.apm.org.uk/
  6. ↑ http://www.reconnectafrica.com/5-minute-interview/library-of-article/library-article-home/careers/5-minute-interview/professor-eddie-obeng-entrepreneur-business-guru
  7. ↑ http://www.ted.com/talks/eddie_obeng_smart_failure_for_a_fast_changing_world.html
  8. ↑ Eric Hoffer, Reflections on the Human Condition [32], 1973
  9. ↑ Finance and Management, July 2000
  10. ↑ Roger Trapp, Financial Director 2 Jun 2004
  11. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=ifCmWeOgvQsC&pg=PA166&dq=new+rules+for+the+new+world+eddie+obeng&lr=#v=onepage&q=new%20rules%20for%20the%20new%20world%20eddie%20obeng&f=false
  12. ↑ https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=LNkS_tUPHtUC&pg=PR24&dq=new+rules+for+the+new+world+eddie+obeng&lr=#v=onepage&q=new%20rules%20for%20the%20new%20world%20eddie%20obeng&f=false
  13. ↑ Project Supply Chain Management: From Agile to Lean Bjørn Egil Asbjørnslett 4 July 2003 Page 3 of 9

External links

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