REFLECTIONS ON THE CHANGING WORLD OF EM PROFESSORS - PART I

摘要

There is a saying that doctors make the worst patients. Perhaps EM professors are not looking internally to actively affect the direction their careers are going. Major changes in how societies function can follow paths that are not intentionally directed or can be based on decisions that are not fully researched to explore the possible outcomes. Consider how the conversion to automation to replace manual labor is rapidly proceeding without a clear vision of what the short term impacts are or what will replace the displaced jobs. The makeup of the attendees of ASEM conferences has changed gradually over time. This, of course, follows the introduction of new people, but also shows up in changes to the types of jobs the long standing members now hold. A review of ASEM authors shows an increasing number of non-tenure track faculty. The changing roles of professors and the expectations of students over the past half century are outlined. Duration of employment at any one institution has decreased. The methods of evaluating performance have moved with the rise of the concept of student as customer. The goal of this paper is to reflect on these changes in the world of academia and the potential long term consequences. Are the students the best evaluators of professor performance? The trends in academia are presented including a move away from academic diversity and the commoditization of programs.