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The 4^th International Conference on Responsible Leadership

Conference Theme:   Leadership Challenges That Matter

Date:  15 - 16 March 2017

The Albert Luthuli Centre for Responsible Leadership and the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, in partnership with the Leadership Collaboratory in the Public Private Platform at the Copenhagen Business School and the Globally Responsible Leadership Initiative will host the Fourth International Conference on Responsible Leadership on 15 to 16 March 2017 at the GIBS campus in Johannesburg.

Far too often, leadership research starts from a particular disciplinary approach or definition of leadership and then proceeds to test existing concepts or theories against research data in a manner that rarely transgresses the boundaries erected by previous scholarship. We encourage conference proposals that incorporate elements of action research, grounded theory, ethnographic enquiry and dialogue to address complex challenges in ways that expand the the boundaries of traditional leadership theory and research. The conference aim to address "challenges that matter" in order to stress that leadership carries with it the responsibility to engage with issues of moral, ethical, economic, environmental, and social significance that affect diverse groups of stakeholders and interests in global, regional, and local contexts.

By hosting a conference on this theme at GIBS, one of Africa's premier business schools, we intend to emphasise that the business community shares these ethical and social responsibilities, and that business practitioners and scholars bring a wealth of practical skills and valuable insights to the task of addressing major leadership challenges.

The conference organizers will also host a 3-day/4-night Collaboratory Workshop on Leadership and Partnership for Sustainable Development inside Kruger National Park immediately following the conference. The collaboratory will make it possible for conference participants to extend their stay, to experience more of South Africa, and to interact with fellow scholars in a more informal setting. We are also hoping to organize visits to South African companies, cultural sites, and community organizations.

CONFERENCE THEMES

We invite abstracts that address Leadership Challenges That Matter. These abstracts should explore the relevance and meaning of responsible leadership in the context of these kinds of challenges, in ways that add to our understanding of responsible leadership. Typical examples of challenges that matter include, but are not limited to, the following:

-     Global Challenges That Matter, such as the crisis for humanity and the planet

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are essentially a list of 17 major leadership challenges that matter. In the words of the UN, the SDGs seek to "stimulate action over the next fifteen years in areas of critical importance for humanity and the planet" on a range of issues related to people, planet, prosperity, peace, and partnership. We encourage proposals for individual presentations and for workshops or other innovative conference formats that address the leadership dynamics of the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. These could address the SDGs process as a whole or take up individual challenges within the 17 Goals or the 169 related targets.

-     Regional Challenges That Matter, such as the refugee and migration crisis

The current global refugee and migration crisis provides a glaring example of the kinds of major societal challenges to which leadership scholars and practitioners should be turning their attention. Violent conflicts in the Middle East, Africa, and elsewhere have forcibly displaced more than 50 million people worldwide, while a rising tide of global economic and climate-related migration has added to these numbers and complicated policy responses to the problem. We encourage conference participants to take up this call by means of proposals that address the leadership dynamics of the refugee and migration crisis, the leadership challenges faced by organisations engaging with these issues, and how to address them.

-     Local Challenges That Matter, such as the crisis in the South African higher education sector

The refugee and migration crisis brings into sharp focus the complex politics of diversity and inclusion among multiple groups of stakeholders with conflicting interests, different cultural loyalties, and disparate levels of wealth and privilege. South Africa is no stranger to such complexities, especially as ongoing post-Apartheid struggles bear testament to this. One such complex challenge playing itself out is the current crisis in SA Higher Education. It speaks to a systemic problem that demands leadership that can find new solutions to these intractable problems, and generate new perspectives on leadership theory and practice in the process. We also encourage conference proposals that focus in these directions.

Since we are calling for new approaches to responsible leadership, we also invite creative proposals for different types of conference formats that will foreground dialogue, interaction, and constructive engagement with leadership challenges.

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

We are honoured to announce that the first confirmed keynote speaker at the conference will be Dr. Mary Uhl-Bien, the BNSF Railway Endowed Professor of Leadership in the Neeley School of Business at Texas Christian University. Professor Uhl-Bien's work, published widely in top journals and several important books, has profoundly influenced research, theory, and practice in many areas, including complexity leadership, relational leadership and followership. She co-founded the Network of Leadership Scholars in the Academy of Management, and has served as chair of the Academy's Organizational Behavior Division. Professor Uhl-Bien has conducted research, consulting, and executive education in partnership with a wide range of public and private organizations including Lockheed Martin, Bank of America, Disney, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Stryker, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the Brookings Institute, the Gallup Organization, and State Farm Insurance. Her research, teaching, and engagement activities all foreground a concern for mobilizing leadership theory, practice, education, and development to grapple with  complex and pressing challenges confronting business and society.

REGISTRATION & ACCOMMODATION TARIFFS

·       Conference Fee of R 2,950.00 is all inclusive of the following:

-  Attendance for both days of the conference:                       15 & 16 March 2017

-  Welcoming Braai / Barbeque:                                  15 March 2017

-  Farewell Cocktail Evening:                                      16 March 2017

·       Post-Conference Collaboratory Workshop: 

-       Kruger National Park:                                          17 to 21 March 2017

·       Accommodation:

Accommodation for the duration of the conference (15 & 16 March 2017) can be booked directly with Illovo Hotel & Conferencing on:

-  Landline:    +27 11 268 5565

-  E-mail:       illovolodge@gibs.co.za

-  More information about Illove Hotel and Conferencing can be obtained from https://www.gibs.co.za/about-us/Pages/hospitality.aspx

REGISTRATION TERMS & CONDITIONS

·       Delegates need to complete the Registration Form (next page) urgently and email it to crl2017@up.ac.za on or before 15 December 2016

·       Completed Registration Forms will be acknowledged within 5 days

·       All payments should be made prior to the Conference (no later than 31 January 2017), after full payment a confirmation letter will be issued - foreign applicants need to make use of this letter for their Visa Application Purposes

·       All fees/commissions for currencies other than South African Rand (ZAR), will be for the cost of the delegates

·       Delegates should make their registration fees payable to:

-  Beneficiary Name:                                                 The Gordon Institute of Business Science

-  Bank Name:                                                          Standard Bank

-  Account number:                                                   42 101 8011

-  Branch code:                                                        01-9205 (Sandton)

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-  Reference:                                                            Delegate initials + Surname + ALCRL

It is important to indicate the delegate's name on a bank transfer or deposit in order to process the registration.  Please email the proof of payment to crl2017@up.ac.za once completed. 

Also note that if you are not paying in ZAR, all fees and commissions payable on forex transactions are for your own account. 

REGISTRATION FORM

Please email this form back to crl2017@up.ac.za by NO later than 15 December 2016 and if possible accompanied by our proof of payment in order to secure your place at the conference.  Alternatively, your proof of payment need to reach us by NO later than 31 January 2017.

Personal Details

Please complete a separate form for each delegate where group bookings apply.

Dietary Requirements:

Please indicate your dietary preference with an X below.

CONFERENCE IN-HOUSE FUNCTIONS

For catering purposes, please indicate with an X whether or not you will be attending the following in-house functions:

POST-CONFERENCE COLLABORATORY WORKSHOP

For booking purposes, please indicate with an X whether or not you are interested in attending the Post-Conference Collaboratory at the Kruger National Park:

*Cost to be communicated once planned attendance have been finalised