Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/58065
be, "Which comes first, rigor or relevance?" The truth is, research isn't just about relevance. Rigor and relevance is the key combination. The great strength of the aca- demic enterprise is that faculty are steeped in the DNA of rigor—and then they hope for relevance. I say "hope for" because, even in my own research, I didn't know whether we'd actually find something relevant. I just got lucky that my research intersected with business so well. The best research has to be open-ended. We have to be open- minded about what we'll find. Maybe it will be relevant, but maybe it won't. We have to let the data take us where it takes us. If you were to ask me which I'd prefer, rigor or rele- vance, I'd go with rigor every time. Then, when you come across something that's highly relevant, you know it's solid. Start with relevance, but compromise rigor—and you could end up with something that appears relevant but doesn't stand the test of time. I think most professors address questions with rigor. As a result, they produce research that is quite likely to be rel- evant now and in the future. So, I don't really accept that criticism that much. Why do you think you're so passionate about research? I'm really motivated by the process itself—I love the inqui- ry. I'm just so excited about the important work that I and other business faculty do. I've never thought of business schools as just offering BBA or MBA programs. They're really offering an MLA—a master of life administration. We're discovering tools for how a capitalist society can be more productive and humane. Business schools may be the most powerful mechanism for shaping the minds of the people who will shape the future. That's very noble work. Business faculty who love that idea can ask a lot of difficult questions and go through a lot of hard times. And then, I hope they get lucky! ■ z WHERE BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY INTERSECT CASE STUDY 1: PUEBLO NUEVO, HONDURAS Where 25% of the population makes less than one dollar a day, a $50 microfinance loan for the local pulperia can really make an impact. You just need to find a way to make business technology a solution, rather than an obstacle. Just a few months after traveling to Honduras, Lehigh undergraduate students have developed technology that could cut microfinance transaction times from three days to 15 minutes. Listen to their story and learn how Lehigh is integrating business and engineering at www.lehigh.edu/integration. BizEd JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2007 21