Faculty Expert Series: Problems affecting leadership in today’s workplace

Photo courtesy of: Ohio University ChillicotheGreg Obi

It is inevitable that managers of today’s society will be faced with a highly diversified workforce. Women, racial minorities and immigrants are more prevalent in the workplace than ever before. How will the leaders of tomorrow handle the issues that may arise with a diversified workforce? 

With these growing trends, it is no surprise that Dr. Greg Obi, assistant professor and coordinator of the Business Management Technology Program at Ohio University Chillicothe, has written “Sydney Brian-Peters: A Case Study in Gender and Leadership Issues.” The case study is about a mid-level executive who faces challenges related to bias as her need to fill a position in her unit is questioned. It was recently published in the Sage Business Cases series.

Obi, an American of Igbo-Nigerian descent, can relate on another level due to his foreign upbringing, which has given him a greater perspective on issues in our country. Having studied and worked both here in the United States and abroad, Obi has channeled his experiences to help impact change for future generations of leaders. 

Obi earned his Ph.D. in global leadership with a concentration in organizational management from the Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne, Indiana. With over 10 years of experience in higher education, Obi shares that his primary interest is in organizational management, cross-cultural leadership paradigms, and gender and minority issues in today’s organizations. 

He states, “I wanted to create a case that will help me and other educators continue to train our students to think ‘glocal’ – that is being/doing things that would serve one’s local community while thinking or having a global perceptive. Glocal thinkers are consciously aware that the events of the outside world have an impact on one’s local environment and that decisions made at one’s local community leave a footprint on the global market.”

Obi is confident that the case study will speak to faculty and students in leadership, business, management, and those also interested in social issues such as gender and minority studies. “My hope is that my work will help transform my audience – starting with my students – to become global thinkers who will positively influence their local communities,” shares Obi. 

The study is for non-commercial use and free for all instructors. Prepared teaching notes are only available upon request. For strategic reason, the notes are designed to help faculty get the most out of the case. 

For more information regarding the study or issues relating to the case, please feel free to contact Obi at obi@ohio.edu or 740-774-7703.