University at Buffalo School of Management

"When we engage beyond our borders, we grow and recognize the impact we have on each other — we see that we all have the same dreams and aspirations, they just come in different shapes," she says. "My hope is that when we take the bold step outside our comfort zone, we come back fully empowered to make a difference in the world." Sharing perspectives UB students and their medical patients weren't the only ones who had transformational experiences during the trip. At Emerge Africa, 220 business leaders and students from across Africa and the U.S. came together in Ghana for a conference dedicated to empowering attendees to emerge as drivers of sustainability, inno- vation, entrepreneurship and visionary leadership — all key areas from the School of Management's strategic initiatives. The conference was a collaborative effort between the UB School of Management, the school's Center for Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness, and the All-Africa Students Union as part of the school's 100th anniversary celebration. AASU Secretary General Peter Kwasi Kodjie welcomed travelers from near and far to share their ideas throughout the conference. Through a blend of keynote speeches, interactive workshops and skill-building sessions, Emerge Africa built the creativity, business acumen and effective leadership qualities of its attendees. At the event, participants engaged with renowned experts, successful entrepre- neurs and mentors, who guided them to make a meaningful impact in their communities and beyond. "The best part were the breakout groups, where experts gave presentations on such topics as entrepreneurship and climate change," says Robin Marti, senior director of advancement in the School of Management. "There were interesting conversations going on throughout the room between our students and students from 36 countries all across Africa. The day just flew by with great learning opportunities from all different perspectives." Analyzing the cocoa industry The School of Management has built its relationship in Ghana and across Africa for years with continually expanding programs that benefit students, faculty and partners from both countries — and this year was no exception. For the first time, the trip included an academic research compo- nent. Ananth Iyer, dean and professor, and Aditya Vedantam, associate professor of operations management and strategy, joined the group to analyze the cocoa industry supply chain from farm to store shelves. Iyer says climate change is creating uncertainty in the crop yield, while inequity persists across the supply chain. UB School of Management researchers are taking part in conversations led by local leaders, and leveraging data analysis and mathematical model build- ing to help find solutions in one of Ghana's largest industries. "In the cocoa industry you have very small farmers at one end of the supply chain, and at the other is what can be considered a luxury item — chocolate," he says. "If it's structured right, the supply chain can distribute value to all of the players, but right now the farmer is most at risk, and that exposes questions related to the social impact of the supply chain." Their eight-day research visit yielded meaningful insights into the big picture of the cocoa supply chain, and Iyer says they hope to continue collecting data on the industry and building relationships and research opportunities. The research is also an opportunity for School of Management students, as Iyer and Vedantam are creating a case study out of their findings, which will prompt students to develop their own solutions to these pressing issues. "The impact of climate change on cocoa beans is real," says Vedantam. "The yield declined by about 40% this year and if you don't have a crop to sell, as a farmer you get no revenue — which will impact nearly 3 million people just in Ghana. This issue is likely to arise 16 Buffalo Business | BUSINESS ANALYTICS SOCIAL IMPACT OF MANAGEMENT BUSINESS OF CLIMATE CHANGE INNOVATION, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND LEADERSHIP Above: Peter Kwasi Kodjie, secretary general of the All-Africa Students Union, welcomes attendees at the Emerge Africa Conference. " If it's structured right, the supply chain can distribute value to all of the players, but right now the farmer is most at risk, and that exposes questions related to the social impact of the supply chain." Ananth Iyer Dean and Professor, UB School of Management

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