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people are investing in stocks at a younger age. At the same time, more corporations are moving away from defined benefit plans and toward defined contribution plans, which means workers will need to know how to manage their own retire- ment money. As people live longer, they will have to care for themselves well into old age—and an important part of that is making sure they have enough money to do so. Clearly, graduates of our baccalau- reate programs need to have a sophis- ticated understanding of their finan- cial affairs. When business schools help craft the undergraduate cur- riculum, they can make sure students receive the financial and accounting education they need to create and maintain their financial well-being. n Business schools also can make sure students have the global market- ing education they need to engage with the world. The ubiquitous availability of information, the rapid globalization of university education, and the ease of international travel and commerce mean that most college graduates will interact with foreign countries, cultures, and currencies sometime in their lives. An undergrad- uate education that includes a ground- ing in business can help prepare them for these transactions. n At the same time, as they inter- act with people around the world, students will export the values they developed at their homes and in their schools. Has their undergraduate education prepared them to under- stand the economics of their own countries? Do they understand how to engage in discourse about societ- ies and economies based on models other than their own? n Finally, a curriculum that includes business education will turn graduates into leaders of inno- vation. No matter what jobs our students take after graduation, they will need to be inventive thinkers who can solve problems, entertain new ideas, and add economic value to any enterprise. The truth is, all undergraduates will have to compete in a world that constantly produces new tech- nologies, new scientific discoveries, new media, and immense data sets. They will need superb communica- tion skills, finely honed decision- making abilities, a broad awareness of the world, and a passion for innovation. Thus, they will need a foundation in finance, accounting, global marketing, innovation man- agement, and economics—which they only can receive from a core curriculum that incorporates the basic tenets of business. When universities are develop- ing their core curricula, business schools need to be at the table. If they are not invited to participate, they need to step up and offer their expertise. I believe that we have an imperative to contribute to the general education of our undergraduates so they can provide leadership—no matter where in the world their careers take them. n z D. Sudharshan is dean of the Gatton College of Business and Economics at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. ecch the case for learning enhance your case teaching and writing skills Taking time out to attend an ecch case method workshop can dramatically enhance your skills and enjoyment as a management education case teacher or author. For more information on our open and customised programmes please contact Kate Cook at k.cook@ecch.com or visit www.ecch.com/workshops BizEd NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2008 69